Year: 1875

"May be so," said Alice; but you WILL hnC
that in this case shall not change my mind.


She turned away from him as she spoke
and took up book that lay near,with the ev
ident determination of putting an end to tht
interview.


Mr.. Chester this time rose in earnest, walked
few steps toward the door, hesitated, turned
back, and coming up to her chair laid his hano
upon her shoulder, and bending close to her
ear, said in an impressive tone


"My fair cousin, / have never had occasion
vet to measure my will with yours, and
trust you will not compel me now to resort tc
so ungalanta a measure. But be assured, thai
should such a contest be entered into, there
can be not the slightest shadow of doubt in
whose favor it would end. I advise you
therefore, for your own sake, not to compel
me to resort to violence, to attain an end
which can be so much more satisfactorily &C
complshed by gentle means"


Having uttered this warning, he waited fol
no reply, but Immediately stalked out of the
room.


Left to herself, Alice threw down the book
she had taken up, and starting from her chair
paced up and down the room in tumult OF
agitation impossible to describe.


1.-The wretch !" she exclaimed. "The odious
hypocritical creature Does he presume to
think for one instant that can be coerced
into marrying him!- !-him" She shuddered
with disgust at the idea GAS we'll marry a
snake, or baboon And to threaten me
too to dare to resort to such unworthy means
W gain my consent! But he shall find that
am not so easily frightened He thinks
because have been docile and uncomplaln:
ing, of late, that am tired of resistance and
can be made to submit to anything. Base,
unworthy coward! He shall find, that frai as
l look, helpless and unprotected as | am, l
still have strength and courage to persist IN
refusing his insolent request. Alice Lynn's
spirit is not crushed out Of her yet, and it
shall rise equal to this emergency. tie may
kill me, if he likes, but he shall not conquer
me-"


She passed in front of her mirror as she
spoke, and involuntarily stopped, arrested by
the flashing eyes and glowing countenance OF
the reflection she encountered there. At that
moment her former beauty returned in full
force. Not, however, the mild and smiling
loveliness that had once adorned her features,
but the proud and fierce beauty of an insult.
ed and revengeful spirit, burning with hatred
and indignation-a spirit for the first time
aroused within her breast. And then a sense
of her weakness and impotence suddenly
rushed over her, quenching her momentary
courage; and throwing herself down on the
floor, she hid her face in her arms and burst
into an agony Of tears. ,


"Oh Maurice, Maurice" she murmured
in broken accents, "if you could only see me
now If you could know how miserable
how tormeuted am, you would surely come
to help me. Oh! why did not stay at your
home? am bitterly punished for my rash
conduct; and yet acted, as | thought, right
Oh if could but get letter to you by
some means or other, how thankful l woulo
be-"


AS she uttered the words, al idea occurred
to her. II will, at any rate, write letter.
she exclaimed, "and keep it always in readl
ness and perhaps by some happy chance,
NAV be able, one of these DAYS, to send it Oft
1t is not very likely, but God may take com
passion on me and throw some assistance in
my way At any rate, it will be sort Of
consolation to write to him."


Ever impulsive, she sprang up from hel
forlorn attitude and immediatel y proceeded tc
put her design into execution. Seating her
self at the table, she drew forth pen, ink and
paper and wrote the following epistle:


"MY DEAR MAUR1CE-You will be surprised
to receive this and indeed nothing but necessity
of the most urgent kind impcls me to entrea
painful and trying position here. was, as per-
haps YOU know, on the cars the 10Th of Decem.
ber, the day when that terrible accident happened
and so many lives were lost. l was among the
+! wounded and while inSenSible was found by tlC
people with whom now reside They brought
inc home and took care of me, and 1t was moi
very long before got quite well. But only thlnK
when was well enough to 80 away and proceed
on my journey they would not let me go, Du'
kept me with them by force, and am now nc,
tuallya prisoner in their hands. The worst OF II
is, they are my near relationship first cousins
though never heard of:them before. Mygrand'
father it seems, was twice marrled-and they
pretend that they have right to control me, ano
make me stay with them, as they say am toe
| Young to take care of myself. But even this
would not be so dreadful, if the man Il can hardly
bear to write itD had not taken 1t INTO ms heao
that he wants me to marry him. Oh! Maurice
| Won can't think how odious he is He is detesa
BILE in every way, and old enough to he my lath'
er. OF course refused him, and he has all Du'
said that he will MAKE me do as he wishes. ne
saws if it comes to contest of my will against his





lieve, Of course, this is only an IDLE threat, tc
trigilten me into submission, for it will be lmpos
sible for him to carry it into effect am resolved
to submit to tortures, sooner than be 1orccd 1ht'
such an odious marriage. But am Kept III con
stant misery, from the state of apprehension an
in The horrible creatures name Is Raphae
Chester; lie is the son of my grandfather chester
| eldest son. my uncle Robert, my mothers nall
| brother. His sister is widow her name Is
Broderick, and she is almost as bad AS he is
| They keep house here together, and suppose
own this place together. At first was grateiu
to them for taking me in and caring for me, Du
now l only feel All aversion for them. Ihey nave
some motive in treating me as they do, which
can't find out


~ have written all this, in the hope of being
able of these days, to send it to you, but II Il
very doubtful whether will find an opportunity 1d
| AS have told you, they keep lie prisoner, and
am never allowed to stir a foot ont OF doors py
myself, for fear should run away, and, OF course
| I have no chance of posting letters to any bodH
But, at any rate, will keep this always in readl
ness, in hopes of some efortunate chance occurring


81 know, dear Maurice, you will help me
YOU can, for you have always been like brothe
to me. The name of the railroad station you mus
come to is Fishers Pond, and this house is abou
Il mile from it. am sure don't know whcthe
there are any people living about here, for have
never seen living human being outside Of thu
house since came, but should think you NIGH
find the way, if no one can direct YOU seem I!
he i'm Wilderness / am so cut oft from the world


"Excuse that blot; | think l hear some ONT
coming so no more at present, from


''Your distressed ALICE"


This letter, (having found that her fear o
interruption was groundless) she read and re
read supplied the date, which, in her haste
she had at first omitted to put; and then pro
ceeded to fold and direct it. Envelope o.
stamp she had none; here was another diff
Guilty! But there was bottle of mucilag'
on her mantepiece, which had been lent It
her one day to repair torn engraving ane
with the aid of this she constructed an envel


-. l,1p .boot &c >,nor ipp