The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-01-17
(Continued)

me. Mfr aCanler," she asked finally and fin cold, level voice-sbuytng me for a few pa1ry NdoIlars2 Or eo1EB0 you do And the hope Of just such a eot- ttngency was in your mind when you loaned papa the money for that hare bza1nad escapade, which but for a most mysterious circumstance would have been successful.
 sBut you, MT. Canler, would have been fha most surprised You had no 9dzA rhat the venture would succeed. T0u knew that without security you had a greater hold on the honor Of the PoresEs than with it. You knew the one best way to force me to marry you without seeming to force me.
 You have never mentioned the loan In any other man should have thought that the prompting of a mag unanimous and noble character. But y0u are deep.
 sT know yuu better ffsan. you think Know you. shah certainly marry you if there is no other way, but let us un- derstznd each other once and for all''
 Xou szprise me Jane" said Can Ter. ~1 thought you had more self con r1s1E- I am buying you. and knew that you knew it. But I thought you would prefer to pretend that it was otherwise. But have it your own ways~ he added lightly. 'T am going to have Jou, and that is all that inter es<s me-
 without a word the girl turned and left the room
 But Jane Porter was not married be- fore she left with her father and. Es- ueralda for her little Wisconsin farm. As she eo1d1y bade Robert Canler good by while the train pulled out he called to her that he would join them in a week or two
 At their destination they were met by Clayton and Mfr. RhiSander in a huge touring ear belonging to the for rner and quickly wtirled away through the dense northern woods toward the little farm which the girl had not wis ited before since childhood.
 The farmhouse, which stood on a lit tile elevation some hundred yards from the tenants house. had undergone a complete transformation during the three weeks that Clayton and Mir. Phi lander had been there.
 The former had imported, small army of carpenters and plasterers, plumbers and painters from a distant city. and what had been but a dilapi- dated shell WAS now a cozy little two story house filled with every modern convenience procurable in so short a time
 ssI couldn't think of your living in the hole we found here" said Clayton to Jane when they were alone
 s'Oh, Cecil, I wish might repay you as you deserve-as you would wish,' p said Jane
 -swhy can't you, Janer'
 ssBecause love ssne-one-e else"
 @Canler7.
 A-Eo.R
 But you are going to marry him. He told me as much before I left BaIti- more"
 The girl wfnced
 A1g fit because of the=money, Jane2''
 She nodded
 sThen am I so much less desirable than Canler7 have money enough. 5 he said bdtterly
 -I don't love you, Cecil" she said, ''but I respect you If must disgrace myself by such a bargain with any man prefer that 1t be one alfeady despase- I should Ioathe the man to whom sold myself without love, who soever he might be
 You will be happier she eonelud- cd, 'alone, with my respect and friend Rhip, than with me and my contempt ''
 He did not press the matter further, but if ever q man had murder ip his heart it was William Cecil Clayton, Lord Greysteke, when, a week later, Robert Canler drew up before the farmhouse in his purrtng six cylinder.
 A week passed-a tense though un- eyeutfuI week for all
 Canler was insistent that Jane marry him at once
 At length she gave in from sheer loathing of the. continued and hateful importunfnE.
 It was agreed that on the morrow Canler was to drive to town and bring back the license and a clergyman.
 Clayton had wanted to leave as soon as the plan was announced, but the girls tired. hopeless look kept him. He could not desert her.
 Something might happen yet, he tried to console himself by thinking In his heart he knew that it would re uuire but tiny spark to turn his hatred for Canler into the blood lust of the killer.
 Early the next morning Canler sci out for town
 In the east smoke could be seen ly- ing low over the forest, for a fire had been raging for a week not far from them, but the wind still lay in the west and no danger threatened them.
 About noon Jane Porter started of for a walk She would not let Clayton accompany her. She wanted to be alone she said, and he respected her wishes.
 In the house Professor Porter and Mir Philander were immersed in all absorbing discussion of some weighty scientific problem. EsmeraIda dozed In the Kitchen, and Clayton, heavy eyed after a sieepless night, threw himself down npon the couch in the living room and sosn dropped into a Htful slumbeF