The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-09-15
[ Contlnued from our last lssuel


him with certain bounds. Yes, l kept
him outwardly decent; and perhaps now
! was becoming like the cannibal who
keeps his victim in good condition for
his own ends. l used to gloat over
Mark, thinking how utterly he was
mine to ruin as l pleased, financially
morally, whatever way would give me
most satisfaction. | had but to take
my hand away from him and he sank.
But again l was in no hurry
Then he killed himself. That flu
tile little drunkard, eaten up with his
own selfishness and vanity, offered
his beastliness 10 the truest and pur- |
est woman on this earth. You have
seen her, Mr.. Gillingham, but you |
never knew Mark Albeit. Even if he |
had not been a drunkard. there was
no chance for her of happiness with |
him.
II had known him for many years,
but never once had l seen him moved
by any generous emotion. To have
lived with that shrveled little soul
would have been hell for her; and a
thousand times worse hell when he
began to drink.
$50 he had to be killed | was the
only one left TO protect her, for her
mother was in league with Mark to
bring about her ruin. | would have
shot him openly for her sake, and with
what gladness, but l had no mind to
sacrifice myself needlessly. He was in
my power; | could persuade him to
almost anything by flattery; surely II
would not be difficult to give his death
the appearance OF an accident.
II need not take up your time by
telling you of the many plans | made
and rejected. For some days | inclined
toward an unfortunate boating accident
in the pond-Mark, very Indifferent
swimmer, myself almost exhausted in
q gallant attempt to hold him up.
And then he himself gave me the
idea, he and Miss Norris between them,
and so put himself in my hands; with
out risk Of discovery, l should have
said, had you not discovered me.
1--WE were talking about ghosts. Mark
had been even more vain, pompous and
absurd than usual, and l could sec
that Miss Norris was irritated by 1t.
After dinner she suggested dressing up
as a ghost and frightening him.
thought it my duty to warn her that
Mark took any joke against himself
badly, but she was determined TO do
ii. / gave way reluctantly. Reluctant
ly. also. l told her the secret of the
passage.
There is an underground passage
from the library to the bowinggreen.
You should exercise your ingenuity, Mr.
Gillingham, in trying to discover it,
Mark came upon it by accident year
ago. II was a godsend to him. he could
drink there in greater secrecy. But h,
had 10 tell me about it. He wanted al
attendance, even for his vices.
Il told Miss Norris, then, because Il
was necessary for my plan that MARI
should be thoroughly frightened. With
out the passage she could never hav,
got close enough TO the bowling.greer
Ia alarm him properly, but as | arrang
ed 1t with her she made the most ef
iectiye appearance, and Mark was n
just the state Of rage and vlndictiye
ness which ! required. Miss Norris
ress. | need not say that to her
appeared TO be animated BY no othe
feeling than a boyish desire to brinl
Oft a good joke-a joke directed u
much against the others as agains
Mark
He came TO me that night, as | eN
pected, suli quiyerng with lndlgna
ton. Miss Norris must never be aske
to the house again; / was TO make
SPECIAL note Of 1t: never again. 1t wa
outrageous. Had he not reputatio
as host to keep up, he would pac
her Off next morning.
Il comforied him, / smoo,hed dow
his rutfled feathers. She had behave
very badly. but he was quite righ
he must try not 10 show how muc
he disapproved OF her. And Of cours
she would never come again-that wa
obvious. And then suddenly / bega
to laugh. He looked up at me indii
nantly
is there 4 joker he said eoldly.
/ laughed gently again.
4 was Just thinking said tn,
II would be rather amusing IL you
well, had youi revenge.
my reyengeg How do you mean
Wen, paid her back in her ow
coin
"'Do you mean Try and fright,
here
No, no. but dressed up and pull,
her leg bit. Made her look 10
in front OF others. laughed 70 m
LII t.fts III Ia
He jumped up oxcltedly.
by joye, Cayr he cried II
could How You must think OF
way
Il don't know II Beverley has IL
you about Marks acting. lie W
an amateur OF all the arts, and va
VI his little talents, but as an act
he seemed to himself most wonderfi
Certainly he had some ability for 1
stage, so long as he had the stage
himself and was playing TO an adm
ing audience. As a professional ao,
IN a small Tart he would have he
hopeless. as an amateur playing {
leading part. he deserved all that 1
local papers had ever said about hi
And so the idea Of giving US
private performance. directed agaif
professional actress who had ma
fun OF him. appealed equally to
vanity and his desire FOR retaliation.
he. Mark Albeit. by his wonderful a
ing could make Ruth Norris look
fool in front of the other. could ia
her In. and then join In the laugh
her aftsrwatd, he would indeed ha
had worthy rcvsngc'
" How CAY. hovvY ha said eagerly