Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-08-16
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a BY WILLARD MACKENZIE 81
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BY WILLARD MACKENZIE
CHAPTER XXvI.-(Continued.l }

CHAPTER XXVI.-(C (Continued.)
She pressed her hands upon her head,
and there was incipient madness in her
eyes, as she muttered, "Oh, thou who hath
my fate in thy hands, spare my reason,
that l may have vengeance upon that
wretch I"
There was not crime that the villain
did not lay to your charge"
"And you could listen to it all?" she
said, sadly.
mot without twice striking him to the
ground"
"Bless you-bless you for that !" she
cried, fervently. "Oh, that you had kill
ed him But no; would not have had
that, for then you would have robbed me
of my vengeance"
Unhappy woman! Do not talk of
vengeance" he answered, reprovingly
'"This man said that but for your machi
nations the mortgage money would have
been forthcoming. Oh, Eleonore, this
cannot be truep'
Il would have laid down my life to
save Penrhyddyn," she cried. "Oh, do
not think me such wretch as that But
l feel that he has woven such a mesh
round me that l know not what / may
have done unwittingly. The anonymous
letter | gave you l obtained from him.
l now see it was a snare-I saw it the
Instant you told me he was interested in
the mortgage; and it was that which
threw me into the fits last night. l have
been to his Office this morning, trying to
see him. 1 can feel that he has made me
tool in bringing about this ruin; but
do not know how-but, oh, do not think
me knowingly guiltyw
II do not" he answered, solemnly.
Il must make one more confession.
am the child you saved from the wreck
But / did not know it until heard the
story from your lips; and it was the
awful fatality that was enshrouding us
that made me fly from you. l am Eleo-
more de Scissors, the namesake of that
picture"
II have felt that it was 80 all along"
he answered, sadly "but never dared
to ask of you confirmation. Poor child,
why should blame you? You have been
no free agent; you have been but an in
strument in the hands OF a resistless des-
tiny. When, in John Trevethick's cot
tage, we were plighted to each other, and
pronounced the words, Death alone can
separate u.s. Death was at our side. As
we left the altar, Death was the first
object our eyes fell upon; and Death
Is about US now in this our last meeting.
Before / CO." he went on, "let me warn
you that this Wylie has threatened to
have you arrested upon some charge. You
had better at once seek some other
abode"
Have me arrested for what?" she
cried. But you are right, and / will
act upon this caution FOR there is no
extremity he would not go to take away
my liberty"
Seek no revenge upon him, for my
sake; avoid everything that may lead to
exposure. My lawyer, Mr.. Briggs, will
have instructions to pay over to you on
application such sums as can send you
out of my earnings abroad; and here are
-four five pound notes."
Il shall never 60 to him for money
do not leave me any!" she answered
through her sobs.
But he placed the notes upon the table,
and once more moved towards the door.
LET me kiss your hand" she said en-
treatingly.
He held out his hand. She took it,
gazed upon 1t for moment, kissed it
passionately, and bedewed it with tears.
Even then, spite Of all, so powerful
was the old love within him, that he
could scarcely refrain from raising and
pressing her to his heart, IN one last
wild embrace. But he conquered the
weakness.
His hand slides from her casp-one
lingering look-their eyes meet for the
last time on earth-and then he is gone.
and she lies ssenseless upon the floor
Freeman" said Eleonore, after she
had revived, II must not sleep in this
house tonight. Wylie has threatened to
have me arrested upon some trumped-up
charge, and he dare not let me be loose.
IL he can help it, after what has passed.
We must go to our old home until morn
ing, and then think of some better place
of concealment. The servants must be
discharged, and this house shut up."
Mr.. Wylie did take out warrant. as
he had threatened. The charge being the
abduction of Miss Constance Grierson !;
the proof produced by him the very letter
which had been written in his office un-
der his dictation. But the policeman who
camo to execute it found the bird had
flown.
CHAPTER XVII.
In dimly lit bed chamber in remote
district of London, towards the close Of
L.. .l... l..