The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-09-17

~ fell madly in love with him." she
went on resolutely. 81 dreamed of
him, could hardly wait for the time
10 come when l was to see him. He
hever came to the wretched little lodg-
ing house | have told you about. II
met him outside. One night he told
me that he loved me, loved me pas
sionately. II said that l would be
his wife Somehow it seemed to me
that he regarded me very curiously
Tor a moment or two. He seemed to
be surprised, uncertain. l remember
that he laughed rather queerly. 1t
did not occur to me TO doubt him. One
day he came for me, saying that he
wanted me to see the little apartment
be had taken, where we were to live
after we were married l went with
him. He said that If liked 1t, could
move In at once, but l would not con-
sent to such an arrangement. For the
hrst time | began to feel that every
thing was not as it should be. IL
remained in the apartment but a few
minutes. The next day he came to
me, greatly excited and more demon
strative than ever before, to say that
he had arranged for a quiet, jolly
little wedding up in the country.
Strangely enough, l experienced a
queer feeling that all was not as it
should be, but his eagerness, his per
sistence dispelled the small doubt
that had begun even then to shape
Itself. | consented to go with him on
the next night to an inn out in the
country, where a college friend who
was a minister of the gospel would
meet us, driving over from his parish
few miles away. / said that | pre-
ferred to be married in a church. He
laughed and said it could be arranged
when we got to the inn and had talked
it over with the minister. Still un-
easy, / asked why it was necessary
to employ secrecy. He told me that.
his family were in Europe and that he
wanted to surprise them by giving
them a daughter who was actually re-
lated to an English nobleman. The
family had been urging him to marry
a stupid but rich New York girl and
he-oh, well he uttered a great deal
of nonsense about my beauty, my
charm, and all that sort of thing"
She paused for a moment No one
sEoke. Her audience of judges, with
the exception of the elder Mrs. Wran-
dali, watched her as if fascinated.
Their faces were almost expression
less. With a perceptible effort, she
L sumed her story, narrating events
that carried it up to the hour when
enS walked into the little upstairs
room at Burton's inn with the man
who was to be her husband.
Il did not see the register at the
inn. | did not know till afterwards
that we we're not booked Once up-
stairs, refused to remove my hat or
my veil or my coat until he brought
lis friend to me. He pretended to be
very angry over his friends failure
to be there beforehand, as he had
promised. He ordered a supper
served in the room. did not eat any
thing. Somehow ! was beginning TO
understand, vaguely of course, but
surely-and bitterly, Mr.. Wrandall.
Suddenly he threw off the mask.
He coolly informed me that he
knew the kind of girl | was. / had
been on the stage. He said it was no
use trying to work the marriage game
on him. He was too old bird and
too wise to fall for that. Those were
his words. / was Mortified, stunned.
When l began to cry out in my fury,
he laughed at me but swore he would
marry me even at that if it were not
for the fact that he was already mar
ried. tried to leave the room.
He held me. He kissed me hundred
times before could break away. /
! tried to scream. A little
later ON, when / was absolutely des-
perate, II snatched up the knife.
There was nothing else left for me
to do. l struck at him. He fell back
on the bed. stole out of the
house-oh, hours and hours afterward
1t seemed to me. | cannot tell you
how long l stood there watching him.
| was crazed by fear. ~"
Redmond Wrandall held up his
hand.
I'VE will spare you the rest, Miss
Castleton," he said, his voice hoarse
and unnatural. There is no need to
6Gy more"
''You-you understand? You do be-
live me-" she cried.
He looked down at his wife's bowed
head. and received no sign from her;
tnen at the white, drawn faces of his
children. They met his gaze and he
- I'D something in their eyes.
II think your story is SO convinc-
ing that we've could not endure the
shame of having it repeated to the
world"
IL cannot ask you to forgive me,
SIR. l only ask you to believe me"
she murmured brokenly. II am
sorry 1t had to be. God is my witness
that there was no other way"
Mr.. Carroll came to his feet. There
were tears in his eyes.