Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-02-17

pocket afthfS moment was the trfct,-
lent answer. ABut don't sthink I'm all
through on payment OF few hum
dred dollars. I want ten thousand
from You. Hardwicke, and you, my
lady marchioness, will have to pay
up twice that amount when you're
wed 1 shan't be hard on. either of
you In the matter of installments. But
this money must and will have, and
am prepared to take your word that
it will be forthcoming
What was to be done? Just nothing.
Hardwfcke gave the wretch a couple of
hundred dollars and promised him the
balance of the first half of ten thou
sand within a month. Then Merriam
left them, leering truculently as he
departed.
Unhappy creatures. They were in
an fgnoble position, yet the man was
ready to sacrifice even a much larg-
er sum than ten thousand dollars to
save the girl from the consequences of
an 1ndiscretion. while Beatrice herself
would have bartered her very soul in
order to wed John Burton.
Fate having dealt so harshly with
her, seemed ready to be kind when
next she met the marquis of Castleton.
y
mutual friend. After dinner, when a
tempted forth onto a spacious lawn by
a perfect moonlight night, some lively
young mink suggested a game of hide
and seek.
The proposal was hailed gleefully,
and women, boys and girls, were eager
to scatter among the surrounding
shrubbery. The organizer of the frolic
formed her friends in line and began
to ''count out" To the accompaniment
of much laughter and TESTING comment.
John became sit.''
Beatrice chose the corner of sum-
mer house as a retreat, but forgot to
tuck in the hem of light silken dress,
which Johns keen eye soon detected.
She ran as he came near her, but he
was too fleet of foot, and soon held
her in his-arms.
Though he laughed and called out
Caught he seemed in no hurry to let
go his charming prize. They were
in shaded walk at the moment and
no other was near. John was conscious
of the girls heaving breast and glisten-
ing eyes. The fragrance of her hair
of her supple frame tense in the eff
fort to escape, suddenly yielding be
meath his ardent grasp.
John promptly led her to neighbor-
ing seat, where he lost no time In ask
ing her to marry him, and, almost to
his surprise, found that woman's
heart was his wholly and irrevocab1y.
And, indeed, all might have gone
well with these two We're it not for
Doctor Merriam.
On the very day that the engage
ment of the young couple was an
nounced, Merriam and the woman, who
had become his confederate, met to
plot further evil.
Obedient to a telephone summons,
Arthur Hardwicke came to the black
mailer's house.
you know. 1 suppose" said the doc
tor, "that your little lady of the island
is about to marry this fellow who calls
himself John Burton, but is really, I
understand, British marquis?'
THAT does not concern me now
said Hardwicke. stiffiy.
pardon me. You are mistaken. Miss
Tourneau is about to wed a very rich
man, and the-er-asSessmen will
have to be slightly increased
The hot blood rushed to Hardwicke's
face, and he would have closed with
his tormentor in a struggle which
might well have ended fatally for one
of the two, had not the doctor leaped
suddenly behind a desk from which he
grabbed some typed manuscript.
sIook here ~ he cried fiercely. ''Read
this before you make COMPOUNDED
fool of yourself a second timei have
written the whole story there, and
copies are placed with my lawyers,
and in a safe deposit vault. In the
event of my death or even disab1ement,
and in the absence of further orders,
my bankers have instructions to send
copies to every newspaper in the city.
Moreover, the most noble marquis of
Castleton will receive one ALSO"
Hardwicke was beaten, and knew
it. He was wrung with sorrow not
alone for himself, but for the unhappy
girl, into whose life he had unwilling
Iys brought so much tragedy Mutter-
ing hoarsely that he was unable to
discuss matters that day, but would
see Merriam by appointment next
morning, he rushed out of the house |
and sought the merciful oblivion of the
streets.
1t would have been better for Hard |
wicke and the unhappy girl whose fu- |
ture depended so greatly on his right |
action at that moment had he re-
manned and faced the eonspiratorS.
Hardly was the door closed on his |