The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-09
CHAPTER XIII.



hideous sensation that she was being
made the subject of some awful joke.
Craven's voice came to her from long
distance.
so you see you have no right TO call
yourself either Fenchester or 'Ffrench.'
You are married-Iegally and irrevocably
married"
''Oh. it can't be true!' she mOaned.
How can a marriage be binding when
it was arranged by fraud and lies with
a purpose 10 cheat others? I did not
know. 1 thought / was doing a kind ac-
ton. and instead I was only a dupe."
Craven shrugged his shoulders. ely
dear girl. why rake up the thing now 1t
Is done? Nothing on earth except death
can free you from this marriage, and
Usher does not LOOK as though he were
going TO die Just yet He thinks" he
went on, that you were really the girl
who died IN the Charing Cross Hospital
from the accident in tho fog. l let him
think so. and he was quite satisfied at
the speedy end TO hts marriage do con-
venanee. So you need not fear meeting
him. because he played his role of dying
man so we'll he did not even see your
face"
Rosemary looked AT him contemptuously.
What am I to do?' she said. slowly.
How can I stay here while l know that
] am as big a fraud as you and your
friend? When / came here / hoped that
had escaped that awful memory for
ever, and now / shall have TO go out
into the world again. knowing that I
have brought ruin upon the man
She paused suddenly and blushed. She
had been about to say ''the man she
loved" but she had no right 10 say that
now She could never let him hold her
in his arms again or kiss her. for she had
raised a hateful barrier between them.
She was more alone now than she had
ever been before. because, she had a
double secret to guard and had no friend
to go TO for help.
Il will go away" she went on. duly.
AT least. / shall not eat the salt of the
people l have betrayed. I am not vile
enough for that. though other people may
be-"
IF you take my advice" Craven said
coolly. you viii stay on here. because
II you go away Sir Douglas will only fol-
low you andsdemand an explanation. and
you will bring everything upon your own
head. Here no one knows except myself.
and il is TO my interests 10 keep your
! secret. which l Will do always so long
as you don't cross any plans 1 may
make.
why are you staying here?" she said,
suddenly. What made you come here
at all? You don't wish Sir Douglas and
his mother any good. for you hate them,
and yet his cousin makes excuses about
the car breaking down. I shall go 70
| Sir Douglas and warn him. she finished,
recklessly.
THAT would be very foolish" he re
| piled. lightly because you would bring
much more disgrace on yourself by doing
that. Even Sir Douglas. did he wish
to. could not save you from Lady Nal
laby's wrath. She hates and loathes
| Stephen Usher, and II she is well enough
TO learn that his wife is the girl who
has won her only sons affections, she
wfll let herself go very strongly"
Rosemary shivered as she acknowledg-
ed how true his cruel words were. Lady
/ Malaby would certainly express herself
! even more bitterly than her son would
and the girl realized that she had nc
/ alternative save TO keep silent or gc
| away where she could never be traced
! Well" Craven said, sharply which
/ is il TO be. peace or ermity?"
/ She raised her head. so long IS an
| in Luck House I VIII not discuss you OF
/ your sister and-that other mal,," she
/ added with a fash. But, so far as
am concerned. it does not matter much
/ either way what you do. By the time
Sir Douglas and Lady Mallaby are told
nay wretched story l shall be too fai
away for their anger TO hurt me"
! Then. before he could say another
I rr-or1 C6 AT hos
ful head held proudly till she was out OF
sight
! Philip Craven flung away his cigarette
and muttered an oath Though the cir
had had TO knuckle down TO his terms
vet there was something about her thai
/ he had failed to COW. Her spirit wa.
of that fine order that even a blow such
as she had received could not crush, and
| he knew that she meant what she haC
said, She would keep TO the promise h'
| had forced from her. but would hate anC
| fight him to the bitter end
Il don't know that / have done a gooC
thing by being so sudden" he muttered
| IF she bolts. and this young fool, Nal
laby, follows and finds her, she vii
probably blurt out the truth. and theI
inquiries will follow, and the fat Nigh
be in the fire with vengeance! She vii
DO CxtOlled into d heroine. and more dis
agreeable things viii happen to US.
must think of some plan that viii really
blacken her in the eyes Of our romanti,
| hero. I expect / shall have 10 consul
with Laura, as she is half in love witt
Mallaby herself she will be sure TO have
an idea handy for the elimination OF hei
| rival|'
In the meantime Rosemary hurried
/ back to the house. She wanted to b,
alone TO think over the horrible thing
that had changed her from a happy, IA
diant girl to a miserable. haggard crea
ture. with a weight of sorrow on he
shoulders that seemed almost too heav,
| for her to bear. What changes had takeI
place within twenty-four hours TIT
day before she had been, II not happy
at least content, and then had followe,
/ the first shock with the brother Of tn,
| original Miss Ffrench. AS she though
/ of all these things she groaned aloud
and the next moment 4 voice echOe,
laughingly, and glancing up she saw tn,
man whom she had more cause to hat
than any one else, unless it was Philil
Craven.
She bowed coldly. and would hav,
passed him. but stephen Usher saiC
pleadingly:
"Oh. Miss FtrenCh. this Is not social
| Fancy meeting a poor stranger and no
even stopping To cheer his loneliness,
was going for walk. l felt so dull!'
Then why don't you go back TO Lon
dom" she said. shortly: lit seems pit!
your car should be so badly disabled
doesn't it. Mr.. Usher?"
He bit his lip and glanced at her sharp
ly The night before he had been at
/ f,-a .ta1 nv hal Iox-qfxr fra orc raa CON
| trasted so strangely with the fIill-bloWl
| rI,nrr,,.. ~ rrr.a Ctrarran nd he Eel