The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-31

would not have satisfied him; he
said so. He wanted something more.
And I realized something of the
mans cruel nature"
did you deny our relations? You
;ay denial was useless. Did you,
Iuy?" Mary's voice had become
strident. Her hands were still lock-
ed tightly in her lap.
II attempted to, but he would not
listen. I was utterly at his mercy"
go on"
''Then he proceeded to lay before
me what was in his mind. He made
It plain to me that he was convinced
our relations were of an immoral
nature. He said there could be no
going back, no question of righting
he wrong. All that was left to be
done was to carry out the matter 70
a logical ending. BY this he meant
that you should leave him for your
lover. He said that he was deter
mined that this should be done, but
subject to certain conditions. He ap-
pointed certain time during which
was to be permitted to see you
without any hindrance or interfer-
ence from him, and, at the date Ap-
pointed, you must abandon your nus
band for your lover. Until that date
you were to live under his roof and
protection. The calmness with which
he laid his revolving plan before me
sickened me; but I was under COM
pulsion. I had to listen to it,
"save your excuses" Mary broke
in icily. while her eyes belied her
tone.
Then came his alternative. Tt
was this. His sentence was to be
carried out under the pain or death.
If failed to win you from the shell
ter of your home, it meant death for
me. If, by any subterfuge, I at
tempted to evade the compact he had
forced on me-death. If I refused
to accept it-instant death. And the
fiendishness of his plan was quite
clear to me. 1t was refinement of
vengeance to force upon me that
which he considered I had already
stolen. He meant forcing you upon
never be able to marry. We must
go out together, living together out
side the pale of society. He would
thrust you upon me, and so rid him.
81 Poi xrysf - hi
point of view it would be punishment
for us both. Then, on the other
hand, should you refuse to leave him,
your lover would be killed, and yon
would live on under his roof with
your guilt ever before your eyes.
This was evidently his idea, and one
that was cruel enough to satisfy any
vengeance, however brutal. And yet
| towards him. That is the pitiful
| irony of it all.
what is to be. done? I have tried
to get away. to vanish out of your
life altogether; but it is useless. lie
has me Swallowed wherever I go. I
| have tried. and failed. And now, to-
morrow is the day of the completion
of this ruthless compact. The hour
| Is noon, and the place is the Won
dergat. I have to meet him there,
| to go to my death at his bidding.
But, Mary, tell you I shall not go
| without a struggle. Life is very
sweet, and I shall fight for it by
every means in my power; although.
whichever way it goes, when it is
over, ] shudder to thing what may
be your lot. You will go on living
with this man, who is responsible for
my life. There can be no happiness
under such circumstances know
too well. I know your pride and
honesty. You will stay by him. be-
cause it is your duety. And so you
will live out life of unutterable
misery"
Mary stirred. She leant back in
her seat. and her hands relaxed
rose from her seat and began speak
ing, and with her first words there
was laugh of unutterable bitterness
Reduced to few words, my hus-
band wished to be certain that he
would be rid of me. He did not
kill You then, because, by so doing,
should still be left upon his hands
1t was not your life he wanted. If
his scheme failed he would have that.
simply on the principle that some re-
venge was better than none"
| ''That is precisely how I read his
Intentions. But while I realized this
all along, I confess my connivance
] was the result of my love. I saw a
chanace that, after all, you might be
mine; and my love made me selfish -
Mary's eyes suddenly flashed out
all the passion of her heart.
Love? Lover" she almost scream
ed. Don't talk to me of love! You,
of all men! Your love? could curse
the day you ever crossed my pain.