Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1910-04-09 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

APRIL I. 191 s.  "It would have been most wrong," said Slick, sententiously. "To condone a crime of such immensity would have been to commit one." "I expect I would have carried that crime upon my conscience without robbing myself of much sleep at night," haighed Raynor,, as he went with Slick into the hall. "Hang it, man, were the to propcso to her before the ten days have passed, in spite of what you say, I'd swear agairst my words. I certainly should not forbid the banns." His voice was clear and distinct, and, standing behind the open drawing-room door, Dorothy heard cich word he said. "Ten days," she whispered, pressing her hand upon her heart. "It does not give me long, but I may win him yet." When Slick re-entered the room she had resumed her seat. "For ten days we are safe," he said, with a hollow laugh. "The fool will hold his tongue until then." "And afterwards ?" she whispered, hardly trusting herself to speak, lest he should suspect the new hope which had so suddenly arisen. "Theze shall he no afterwards for him. I am going to Athenston this evening."  "You are to make terms with Mr Bevington," she said, bitterly. "I might have suspected this." _ _  "It may have to come to that," he said, and his face was evil in her sight. "I may have to protect myself, but the time for that iris not arrived; I have first to fail with Raynor." She began to understand his meaning. "You would murder him!" she cried, and her voice was full of distress.  "Has the word an ugly sound to you?" he asked mockingly. "I have only followed the les-,on you taught me. If a man stands in the way, why, dead men tell no -tales, but do not be ofraid, I shall ;14,A place my neck in jeopardy. When I return, it will be to claim the fulfilment of your promise. You will keep your word?" abruptly fixing his eyes on hers.  She forced herself to smile to him, while all the time her eager brain was planning how to cheat him. Before ten days had pissed she knew she must marry Jack, and her heart • throbbed with the hope that, freed from Slick's everwatchful eye, she might be able to accomplish it. She would also go to Athenston. If the could gain her point, when Slick returned it would be to find that he had been no match for her.  "1 hive already promised," she said, clearly. I see that without your aid all hope is gone."  Slick's love for her was the one soft trait in kis evil nature and for the moment he allowed it to apsPrt itself.  "If I thought you loved me, Doris," he said, and his voice was gentle, "I would ask you to leave Dormington and face the world with me. I would ,work .for you until my fingers were worn to the bone, think no toil too much, no hardship too great, if it would win a word from you. We have ten days before us; in ten days we would be safe. Will you ,f.r,o with me?" She laughed 'in his face. "If I go, I go alone. If you fulfil your 'promise, and bribe this man to silence, then I shall marry you; but it will not be because I love you, but for the sake of Dormington." His features contracted sharply, but, recovering 'himself, he said in his usual purring tones, as if what she had said had been rather pleasurable to him than otherwise—  You are right:, we would have tired of one a,nother after a week cf poverty, :dad mortally hated each ether in two. You have chosen wisely. I shall buy "—and be laid a sarcastic emphasis upon the words with was not lest Upon her---." this man's silence. The price I Ethan have to .pay may probably. bo a heavy one, but the silence will be permanent." "When do you return?" she asked, ignoring his remark. • • "I do not flatter myself that you will weary for me," he retorted, and scowling back at her he left, the room. An hour later she heard hirr order a dogcart to drive him to the &tation and Dorothy smiled to herself.