The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-02-17

Il shall not again ask you 10 love
me-" he harshly stated; but you must
marry me. have made up my mind
to that"
'Impossiblel"' Angry now and con-
tem2tuous.
"l'll make you! There is no re-
source will not use. I'll bankrupt
your family. III wipe 1t OF the earth"
Calls nails we're pressing in her
palms. She felt that her lips were
cold. Her eyes we're widening. as the
horror OF him began to grow on her.
He was glaring at her now. and there
was no attempt to conceal the savage
cruelty on his face.
"Tll compromise you." he went on.
"I'll connect your name with mine In
such a way that marriage with me viii
be your only resource. Ill be an In
fluence you can't escape. There will
not be step you can take In which
you will not feel that ! am the mas
ter OF Il. Marry you? I'll have you
II 1t takes ten years! I'll have no
other end in life. III put into that one
purpose all the strength and all the
will that have put into the accom-
plishment Of everything which ! have
done. nHd the longer you delay me
the sooner III break you when | do
get YOU"
Out OF her very weakness had come
strength; out of her overwhelming hui
initiation had come pride. and though
the blood had left her face waxen and
cold, something within her discovered
will which was as strong in resist
ance as his was IN attack. She knew
it, and trembled in the knowledge
of 1t.
you can't make me marry you" she
said. with Infinite scorn and contempt.
He clenched his fists and gritted his
teeth. Into his eyes there sprang
blaze which she had never before seen.
but dimly, in the eyes of any man;
but she needed no experience to tell
her its despicable meaning. His lips,
which had been snarling. suddenly
took a downward twitch. and were half
parted. His nostrils were distended.
and his blood, flooding into his face.
empurpled II.
Then I'll have you anyhow!" he
hoarsely told her, and, his arms tensed
and his head slightly lowered forward,
he made as II to advance toward her.
He saw in her frightened eyes that she
would scream, but he did not know
that at that moment she could not.
Her heart seemed to have lost its ac-
tion, and she stood. trembling, faint.
in the midst of her strewn music. with
the sensation that the room was turn
ing dark.
The house was very quiet Mrs. Sar.
gent and Mrs. Davies were upstairs.
The servants we're all in the rear OF
the house, or below. or in the upper
rooms, at their morning work. He
turned swiftly and closed the door OF
the music room, then he whirled again
towards her. with ferocity in his eyes.
He came slowly every movement of
him alive with ponderous strength. He
was a maniac. He was insane He
was frenzled by one mad thought
which had swept out OF his universe
every other consideration, and the glut
to kill was no more fearful than the
purpose which possessed him now.
Gail, standing slight, fragile. her
brown eyes staring, her brown hair
disheveled about her white brow. ielt
every atom OF strength leaving her. de-
voured In the Overwhelming might OF
this monstrous creature. The sheet
of music, which she had been holding
all this time, dropped from, her nerve.
less fingers and huttered to the floor!
That noise, slight as 1t was. served
to arrest the progress of the man for
lust an instant He was in no frame
to reason. but some instinct urged him
to speed. He crouched slightly. as a
wild beast might. But the flutter OF
that sheet OF music had done more
for Gail than 1t had for him. II had
loosed the paralysis which had held
her. had broken the fascination OF hor
ror with which she had Leen spell
bound Just behind her was low
French window which led to a small
side balcony. With one bound she
burst this open, she did not know how,
and leaped over the light balcony
rail, and ran across the lawn TO the
rectory gate, up the steps aud into the
side door, and into the study, where
Rev. Smith Boyd sat toiling over q
sermon.
GRO BE coNTINUEDl