Pittston Gazette

              established 1850. * VOL. XIA III No. ». \ Oldest Newspaper in the Wyoming Valley. PITTSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY, PA., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, ,897 A Weekly Local and Family Journal. \ 91.00 pr Year i lit Advance loi^^Ay^nAY BY I S I AUTHOR OF ® » C ) . _ I r / D\(5ER MOADLtra 51 BA \ i# S 'the nwrcitY ofnowinoM n 1 VTO ¥ By WHOSl HAND"® »o « 1&OSV «S L_ co»rt«c«HT PV the AUTHOR "No, true; otherwise you'd be riding with the husband and I should bo talk- arms on the tabie, buried her face in them in an agony of tearless misery. "The sooner the better, " be answeren as coldly as if he had been discussing some trifling matter of eveiyday routine. "I can get you the drug, or you can get me the chance, and tomorrowshould see you free from your troubles." ness. lad rea •d this point in hfr ambitions which she had cherished then, how utterly weak and poor the objects for which she had striven! \Doiuo toma liavt*. Ilietrnth ban to oe made known and that at once. ing to the wife. As it is, they positively leave us together. It is very dioll when you think of it. If anything were to happen! If I were to fall violently in love with you or you with me, their responsibility would be enormous." Airs. De Witt laughed not very pleas- His wcids had revealed to her with lightning vividness the full horror and bojielessncsg of her jtosition. The price of her sin had nearly been murder, and the thought overwhelmed her, yet she was helpless. Why was her fate linked with that of this man of infamy, who held in his relentless hands the power to crush her "This is no weapon." said the baronet angrily, "in any such sense as that. It is merely a horsewhip for the back of a dastardly coward who dales to strike a woman!" tlioi 3 when tt InuchPon gon£ lid her maid knocked at the u let her in aud tlieu changed SOU She turned cold and shivered at the thought, and, seeing her shiver Sir Jaffray, who had no clew to the mental 'suffering which she was enduring, set it down to illness. door To be the wife of a rich man she had schemed and plotted and intrigued. And what had it proved to be? The one sacrifice that now caused her the least regret was that of her money and position. The one thing she dreaded to lose now was the one thing which she despised then—Juffray's love. She had traded on his love to win wealth and honor for herself. The end was nothing but dishonor for him and a desolate, broken life for herself. dross At luncheon Mrs. De Witt's curiosity m! hurried down stairs. "Even if I eon Id bring myself to do what you usk," said Lola, '"I eould not do it at once. I most have time to nerve myself." Pierre. Turrian made no reply, bui he folded bis arms across his elicst and stood staring resolutely at bis opponent, tho mark of Lola's whip flaming like a brand of red shame on bis face. bad to be met and parried After her passage at irms with Pierre ''You are ill, Lola," he said very gently aud soothingly. "I shall send for Dr. firaithwaite." And he turned to leave the room. CR£T1 lAwcq antly. "Yon are a singular man," she said Turriai! she had been for a long drive alone, and this had not improved her temper. She bad come back prepared to be very unpleasant to everybody and especially to the Frenchman, and she was annoyed consequently when he was not "You needed no time on the Devil's rock," he said hastily. "Because I loved you yesterday after- life and dog her to ruin? noon and don't love yon this morning? Where conld it all end save in greater Say rather a natural man. Passion, misery for them all? And t hen she remadame, is a garment to be worn only proached herself bitterly for having on occasion, lest it shonld grow shabby sought to escape from the meshes of the and tattered with too much use." net. which fate had woven round her. "You are insulting." For some time she could not regain "Not in the least," he answered in- herself command; but, recognizing at solently. "Women in the morning are last how worse than useless with a man appendages, in the afternoon playmates like Pierre Turrian was any attitude I and in the evening playthings, but they but that of firmness, she made a great are never necessaries, except in the sense effort to show a bold front to him. "I will not do thiswithout consideration. Tomorrow I will give you an an- "Look out!" were Sir Jaffray's only words, and the next moment the long, strong lash of the hunting whip curled round the Frenchman's shoulders. It was like the first taste of blood to a wild animal mad with pent rage, and Sir Jaffray seized him by the collar of the coat and put bis whole heart and strength into the swinging cuts which be rained on the Frenchman's shoulders and back. "Don't go," she pleaded. "Don't leave me for a minute. Take me to your arms once more, Jaffray." "'Once more?' What do you mean, sweetheart?" he asked in astonishment. "God forbid that my arms should ever be closed to you!" swer—yes or no.'' "You are a fool, Lola! Any hour may hring that girl Leycester back hero, cr she may write her cursed knowledge. We dare not delay an unnecessary hour." ; i«t the table. "V\here is your fiddler?" she asked of , Lola. Yet he had loved her—loved her like the true, gallant man be was. The thought cheered her, though it brought scalding tears to her eyes, which she let gather and blur all her sight and then fall unchecked. In all the years to come and whatever might befall her or him he would never blot out from his M M thought of that.' If only trie truth could be kept from him for always 1 She would give her life, she thought, if that could be. CHAPTER XIV. THE ATTEMPT ON BERYL'S LIFE. chose that moment to intervene. In a low bat perfectly clear voice she said: 'Ho has had to go away, dear." "Gone away?" exclaimed Mrs. De Witt in a tone of great surprise. "Why, he said nothing of it when I saw him morning. It must have been very sudden. * "Aye, God forbid it!" she cried. "Now pet me aud soothe me as you used to wish to do in the days when I wouldn't let you." The instant that Beryl saw who it was that was threatening to break into her room and guessed the reason of the visit she shrank back as closely as possible to the wall and waited in breathless suspense while Pierre Turrian completed his scrutiny of the room. "It is useless, M. Turrian. You will have to choose some other time and means to murder me." "You know mo, and that what I say I mean. I am not even clear that I will | of being necessary evils, and that only "Better?" he sneered as foou as she I after marriage. " raised her head. "It was rather a hard "I have no desire to bo an appendage 'hit, I dare say, but you mustn't lose to an idle singer," said Mrs. Do Witt i vonr nerve now. aUtri:" Vrork- t0 . ami wiM* oat of the i be done." '^s» ti— me close be went to the door and threw it open. He took her in his arqis. and -*Jasy flfiSlF where stie had been he drew her on to his lap and held her there like a tired child, holding her head to his heart and smoothing her face and her hair, kissing her and murmuring soft, caressing words to her. The roan start*Dd from the bed as though the outlined figure had suddenly taken life and struck him. He could not tell from where the sound of the voice came. )Do stood irresolute aUCl apprehensive aud muttered a half suppressed oath. M y 1 i "Now, go,"ho uaid hurriedly, let this be a Ibfison to you rorcr t*r your hand against a woman again. Go. or by heaven I shan't be able to keep my bands from thrashing yon again." 'Yea, it w;. Vpry nnildo" «"'3 " »■ ■ ■ "and ETr7roiniiDt; back' "No," interposed the baronet. "The fact is, I had a row with hiin when I came homo and told bim pretty bluntly that his visit bad better cease. I'd rather his name were not mentioned." By stooping her bead forward very slightly she was able twwutch iiin» attd saw that he was bending sideways from the ladder while seemingly holding on to it with one hand. room, disappointed at the difference between his present mood and that of the ily. "Yon are right," she aiwweml steari"thereis work, but it must not aud To do the man justice, be had passed through the ordeal with as much composure as a man can hope to show under a horsewhipping. Ho had neither winced nor flinched, though the hurt of the blows had seemed to strike right to the bone. What would he think of her if she were to die? How would he feel if he were to come into the room and find her dead? previous day. shall not be murder." " You're not often like this to me," she murmured, opening her lovely eyes and glancing up iuto bis and smiling faintly. "Your touch is like what the wave of a mesmerist's band must be when he wafts away pain." "I bave been watching yon since the moment your face first appeared outside the window. I bave waited only to see what you intend to do. I can see that plainly now. I know the smell of chloroform"—he pushed the handkerohief hurriedly into bis pocket as she said this—"and now if you do not go instantly I will rouse the whole household and proclaim yon a murderer before every soul in the manor." Pierre Turrian was glad to get rid of "You'd be much wiser if you didn't her so easily, and he went out soon such Uf;ly terms. You seem to forafterward, and choosing a part of the get that half the actions of the whole drive which would enable him to catch world depend for their respectability the earliest glimpse of Lola 011 her re- j upon their description. Now, if you've turn he walked up and down, thinking enough pluck left to listen quietiy, I'll and smoking cigarettes incessantly un- soon show you. which way your interest "Oh, my dear Magog, that's simply impossible!" cried Mrs. De Witt. "Yon excite my cariosity to the fever pitch and then say calmly yon don't want me to mention Uis name. What's that but an incitement to go on mentioning it until my curiosity is satisfied? What has he done? He hasn't stolen anything, has he? It isn't anything to do with Beryl, is it? I saw them closeted together once, but that's all, though he is certainly a most origiual individual and I should think a very dariug one." And she flushed slightly in niscomfort at the recollection of the scene at the piano. "But you must tell me why he's So long as be continued to stare into the room she did not move a muscle and aluioet held her breatb lest be should hear her and being disturbed make off. Now she recalled some words that Pierre had spoken about drugs that told no tale and left no sign. What were they? How could they be obtained? "I will go, and, mark me, every blowthat you have struck I will pay back a hundredfold. I swear it!" How would it be to go to Pierre as he said in bis letter, to seem to fall iii with bis plan to poison Jaffray, to get from him the drug for that purpose and then herself take it? That would bo easier than to find some poison by herself. Yet stay—there was no difficulty. It did not need any such elaborate preparation as that. For answer he kissed her again. "Have I made you happy, Jaffray?" she asked after a long pause. For her rapid, shrewd brain bad resolved that she would if possible let him carry oat his intention of getting into the room, in' order that be might the more clearly reveal his object, while she took ample means to provide for her own safety. As soon as be caught sight of her coming he harried back to the hoase and waited for her to dismount, and the moment she entered the great hall of the manor he spoke to her. til she came. "You can say what you like. It is immaterial." lies." By way of answer this time he hummed the snatch of a song, "If thia be vanity, vanity let it be," an old, teasing trick of his when she had seemed to look for a compliment from him. "Bah! Get out! This is not a theater," growled Sir Jaffray. Then, seeing a couple of menservants in the hall, he He glanced at her angrily and muttered an oath at her for tlio tone in which she spoke. He glared across the spot where Beryl now showed herself, having thrown the door partly open. . | Bali! to them, "Tarn that man out of the house, and if ever ho comes here again you have my express permission to kick him right down to the lodge gates." Her nimble wits devised an easy method of tricking him if only be would give her an opportunity of a couple ef minutes' preparation, and this, to her intense relief, be did. "You are the devil!" be growled between bis clinched teeth, while he seemed as tbongb be would venture to attack her where she stood, bat she did not flinch, and the impulse passed. "Where can we go? We must be very private." tempers, or else you'd make me do "There is no time now for losing our Sir Jaffrau, looking very white and stern entered the room. not denounce you myself to Sir Jaffray and face all that may have to come. To be once more the acknowledged wife of a man like you is a hateful prospect." "Yes, I am vanity today, but answer," she urged. "Come into the library," she answered, leading the way into tbo room where they had had their first interview at the manor. I so with that infernal sneering manner," 'he cried angrily. "This is how things She had but to feign a bad headache with sleeplessness and take a sleeping draft strong enough—for her to wake no more. "My darling wife, I have never known since I was a child and felt the presence of my mother's love such happiness as you have brought into my life. That from my soul," he said earnestly, kissing her. stand You married me at Montreux With that he shut the door and turned to Lola. gone." Finding that be had not placed the ladder sufficiently close to the window to be able to open it, the man descended it slowly and softly, just as be had climbed it, and Beryl, straining every nerve to listen, heard bim go down. He muttered a whole volley of oaths in French under his breath, and, recognizing the ueelessoess of attempting to do anything, be opened the window again and got out on to the ladder just as the moon shone out for the third time, lighting up with its gleams the evil, vindictive, handsome faoe. at the Chapel of St. Sulpice, and you | are now in law, if not in love, my wife. Being still my wife, you married the "I have told you enough. He went because I wished it. There is no more to be said." And the baronet spoke sharply and decidedly. No one would think of poison. Her life lay all before her, bright with a dazzling promise of happiness, thought the world. How little the world knewl Two people would understand, however, and know the truth—the man who held ber in his merciless power and Beryl, who had guessed the secret. "If any one wants me, I am engaged," she said to the servant. Then, when the latter had closed the door, she turned to the Frenchman. "Now, what is it?" "Better to be the wife of a man like me than the wanton of another." "And now, sweetheart, that the room's clear of that brute, tell me what on earth does it all mean?" master of this place, and in doing that "You scoundrel 1" cried Lola. All the passion that she had been holding in check blazed forth at this taunt, and, raising the riding whip which she held in her hand, she struck him with all her force right across the face, leaving a crimson wale nn bis livid cheek. She kissed him in response and lay for a moment quite still in his arms. committed what your law calls bigamy, i You did it, as you will say, in ignorance He sat down by her and first took her hand in his, and then, seeing that she was greatly agitated, he rau his arm round her waist and held her olose to him and kissed ber. "That means I am to ask Lola when we're alone; that's all," retorted Mrs. lJe Witt. "You'd far better tell the Then suddenly she asked : "If I were to die, Jaffray, would it break your heart?" With swift, deft movement she so made up the bed that it looked as though some one were sleeping in it, and then she opened the door, which was covered by a' curtain, and moling her head in a dark shawl she stood in the doorway ■efficiently concealed by the door curtain and waited. He looked at her for a moment without replying and then said with emphatio deliberation: hoping that you had seen the last of me when the stampof that pretty but energetic foot of yours sent me rolling down "Don't, Lola—don't even think such a thing." She fastened the window after ho had gone oat and stood and watched him as he slunk away, keeping in the shadow of the house. Then she lit a lamp, and, "The worst that it could be. Everything is known." into the gorge from the Devil's rock, She was inexpressibly glad to be in his arms, for she bad grown to love him with a love to the full as passionate as that which she had formerly simulated, and his demonstrative movements were rare enongh to make her prize them all the more. What would they think? Nay, what would they do? but unfortunately for your plea of ignorance when I came here you went on 1 pretending that you were Sir Jaffray's wife and continued to stay here, though you knew the marriage was bigamous i and void. Do you see what that does? It just pricks the bubble of your innocence, and it puts you a deal deeper into the mud than you were before. That's all, aud if it's any consolation to you you may know that I saw that from the first, and it suited my purpose that you should be compromised as much as possible." His rage was so violent that he trembled with the force of it, and, rushing forward, he tore the whip from her hand and flung it to tho other end of the room. Would Beryl tell? She thought of the girl's cold, firm, deliberate nature and for a moment wavered how to answer the question. No; Beryl would not carry any feeling, however keen, beyond the grave. She felt that. If she had paid the penalty with her life, Beryl would be as silent as the grave in which she herself was to bury tbe secret. "But I mean it Would it?" And for the moment Lola lost all ber self possession in the cold cramp that seemed to seize and paralyze her heart at the man's words and manner. "It would close it against ever holding such a love in my life again," he answered, and his voice was like that - of one in pain. "You sbo devil!" he muttered, glaring into her face with murder in his eyes while Lola faced him without flinching and smiled scornfully at the oniric on his face. She had not long to wait. Almost as soon as she had finished ber preparations she heard the top of the ladder bumping softly against the wall as Pierre Turrian came up it again. "I am selfish, but I am glad of that. I want no one ever to take my place, even to blot out the memory of this time, whatever happens." CHAPTER XV. She nestled close to him now, and twining her arms about his neck clung to him and drew down his face to hers, covering it with long, sweet kisses, while her eyes filled with tears, which he could not understand. She knew well enough, however, that they were drawn from a too certain foreknowledge that such moments in their lives were soon to cease entirely. "IT SIR JAFFRAY WERE TO DIE SUD- For more than a minute Lola was unable to frame a word in reply to what Pierre Turrian had said. The almost brutal frankness with which he bad delivered the thrust had overwhelmed her, and the host of nervous fears which bad piagned her during the time t)f his presence in the house now recurred with cruel and distressing force. denly. " He watched her warily and dunningly for a moment, and then,darting forward, seized her and commenced to struggle with her, striving to force her backward to a sofa, rage lending strength to his supple, sinewy form. "You are strangely, child. 'Whatever happlns'—what can that mean?" As be reached the top and his bead showed between the window and the sky the moon shone out and lighted np the window and the figure of the man and came flooding into the room almost to the feet of the girl. But what of Pierre? As she thought of him she was cold and sick. She knew too well what he would do. He would seek at once to trade on the shameful knowledge. He would tell the whole story to Jaffray, threaten him with exposure if he were not paid hush money, and thus hold him in bondage by the knowledKe of her shame till Jaffray should come to hate her very name and curse the day when he had grown to love her. "I am feeling very strange, Jaffray," she answered, taking his hand and rubbing her soft cheek against it and kissing it "You laugh at my presentiments, but you do not laugh me out of them. I believe that if we could lift the veil that hides from us the negt few days we should see a trouble that might make us both wish we were dead rather than have to face it. No; hear me," she said, putting her hand on his lips when he was going to break in and interrupt her. "It is this which is frightening me, and it makes me anxious to get a pledge irom you of your love. Don't blame me and don't laugh at me; ~ but, whatever happens, remember today and remember our love." He stopped and looked at her in tri-4 umph and as if expecting an outburst, but she had mastered her emotion by this time completely. She straggled on her side, patting forth all her strength, which was very great for a woman, and for a time she resisted him nnd held him in check. She would not scream and did not utter a sound. She saw him peer eagerly into the room, while it was thus illuminated, and she conld fancy his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at finding all quiet witbin and seeing what looked like the form of the sleeper still and motionless oil the bed. It was a growing pain to her, too, to have to lia to him, as now she must, to account for this extraordinary scene with Pierre Turrian, and for the moment her wits failed to suggest even an idea of the tale she should tell. Lola threw herself in a long, low easy "Go on," she said quietly. chair It was Pierre Turrian who broke the silence with a jeer. "That means that yon can at any moment be put on your trial for bigamy and have to face the whole world from the prisoner's dock, and, what is more, that I can put you there and will if you drive me to it Get that into your head j clearly." truth at once, because I shall only think there's some horrible scandal, and so will everybody else. Is it anything to do with you, Lola?" "You seem a good deal upset by a simple thing which you ought certainly to have expected. Where are yonr wits? Yoa couldn't think this kind of But the struggle was an unequal one, and gradually she felt herself beginning to lose way before him. Her riding habit hampered her, and she began to fear that he would overpower her. She strove hard to think bow she could prevent him from hurting her without calling for assistance from the servants. In another second the moonlight had gone, and all was dark again, and before Beryl's eyes bad recovered sufficiently from the change from moonlight to dark to let her see what he was doing she heard the click of the window bolt as it flew back before the tbir knife blade which Pierre Turrian had passed between the sashes. She was completely unnerved and unstrung in the moment of relapse from the excitement caused by the interview with the Frenchman and the struggle in which it had ended, the tension when she had expected the truth to be blurted out and the shock, half delight, half fear, of the horsewhipping. The gates of death were thus shut against her, and she felt that she must work out some other means of escape. Sir Jaffray looked at her and smiled - .-gT.CTKVXV  "It's no use, little woman," he said, "not a bit of use. Yon can't worm anything out in that sort of way. Besides there's nothing to worm out that can possibly concern you." Not once in all her misery did she think of telling Jaffray. She knew him so thoroughly and knew how he would turn from her act and her shame that the mere thought of facing him at such a moment was more than she could endure.He glared across the spot where Beryl now showed herself. thing was to go on forever?" This speech started the hope that the man was really deceiving ber and playing for his own purposes. "What do yoa mean by the secret being known? What secret?" she asked. "You're not going to hark back to the rubbishy nonsense that we played at when we met here first, I hope. " And be laughed sneeringly. "I don't care what you do, though. Yoa can start any fool's tale you like, for that matter, but what I mean is this—that there is "I am waiting to know what you want. I have never doubted either your bullying cowardice or your cunniii#." wrapping berself in warm clothes, read a book until the morning broke. Then she got into bed to snatch a couple of hoars' sleep, knowing that the servants would be moving about the manor and that she need fear no further attack. "What I want is easily said. I want to clear away from your path the difficulties that threaten to ruin you." Not for a moment did she lose her presence o? mind, though she knew well the desperate character of the man she had to deal with, and it was only in the last extremity, when she felt that she could not continue the struggle and that her life would be in danger if she did not have help, that she resolved to cry for assistance. • "Thank you. I see you retain all the rudeness of old friendship while withholding the old confidences. " And Mrs. De Witt sniffed angrily. Sir Jaffray on his side was very disquieted by the affair. In the moment of his arrival his thoughts had been too closely occupied with the burning desire to thrash the scoundrel whom he had seen with his own eyes molesting Lola to heed what had happened before he came. His blood was set on fire by what he saw, and he neither cared nor stopped to think. "Are you fearing anything that can happen, child?" he asked earnestly. Her words seemed more than a mere presentiment The next instant, the lower sash was raised cautiously, slowly and almost noiselessly, save that the draft caused by the rush of air from the window to the open door set the cnrtain rustling, while Beryl felt the night air strike oold and chill upon that part of her face which was uncovered so that she might see what was being done. Fur this there was another reason, known only to herself, and the knowledge of it had set op in her mind hundreds of confusing thoughts, fears, impulses and emotions. There was the hope of a little life that was some day to be born, and, like a sword piercing the flesh and turning in the wound to prolong the agony, was the knowledge that the child—hers and Jaffray's— would be the child of shame. "You are suddenly very solicitous 011 my account," she retorted. "Just as you like," said Sir Jaffray, laughing, as he rose from the table. Soon afterward he went away, leav ing the other two alone. Early in the morning Bbe was wakened by a servant who explained that a messenger had come from Leycester Court to say that her father was ill and wished her to return home instantly. ''And I mean to show you the onlyway in which it can be done," he continued, not heeding the interruption. "Sir Jaffray has settled on you a good many thousands of pounds, and, as I happen to know, he has in his will, like a loving husband should, left you everything that he could leave without touching the entailed estates. Now"— he paused and looked very closely at her and spoke very deliberately—"if Sir Jaffray were to die. say, by any accident or suddenly in any way you would as suddenly be freed from all your embarrassments." For a moment the issue to tell or not to tell bung in the balance, and she almost nerved herself to dare all and open out her confession while he was in this mood. now a third person who knows that yon and I were married in the Chnrch of St Snlpice at Montreux, and that person means to tell everybody else." "I warned you, Lola," said Mrs. De Witt as soon as they were alone. "1 told you there was mischief brewing, and that he was not hanging round you for nothing with that air of possession of his. How did Magog find it out?" Before this summons all other considerations vanished, and, explaining hastily the circumstances to old Lady Walcote and leaving a letter for Lola, the girl hurried home, leaving the complication in which she had become entangled exactly where it had stood on the previous day. But there was no need Just at that moment they both heard the sound of a horse's gallop and the stamping of its feet as the rider checked it, throwing it upon itB haunches just Dutside of the window. But he spoke and broke the spell. As soon as the window was raised high enough the man stepped in so softly and quietly that Beryl could scarcely bear him, and then he closed the window behind him. When he had sated that desire and had lashed the man to his soul's delight and content and sat waiting for Lola to speak, he grew uneasy as to what could possibly have happened between Lola and the man whom be had regarded as his friend that could lead to such an end. "I sometimes thiDk, as I have told you, that there is something." And the tone in which he spoke drove back the impulse and made her silent. She seemed to read in it an unwillingness to forgive, a sternness that she knew in his character, and it chilled the words even as they rose to her lips. "Who is it?" There was no hope in the tone in which the question was asked. She knew too well what Jaffray would feel and think and say if once this knowledge were forced upon him, and the fear, and the shame, and the love, and the misery all blended to drive the wretched girl to distraction. "There is really nothing to tell you," was the reply. "You are so ridiculously far away from tho truth and are making so much of so little that you are almost willfully misleading yourself. Jaffray and M. Turrian had very high words, and then, to my great pleasure, the latter went away. I never liked having him here at all." At that instant a thought occurred to the girl. What if the Frenchman were not coming in search of her, but were merely paying a surreptitious visit to this wing of the house and had chosen by chance her room to pass through? In that case she stood right in his path. "Some one who doesn't bear you much love—Beryl Leycester—and a very unpleasant antagonist she is, I can assure you." It was Sir Jaffray, and the sight brought the Frenchman to his senses. In another minute Sir Jaffray, looking very white and stern and carrying his heavy hunting crop in his hand, entered the room. Thus when Pierre Turrian inquired at breakfast with some perturbation where Miss Leycester was he heard to bis great relief that she bad gone home. "How did this happen, child?" he said when Lola's agitation seemed to be decreasing. Gradually out of the blinding mist and sorrow an idea began to take shape. If she were to see Pierre and lure him on to delay any evil plans he might have formed by promising to work with him, something might happen to prevent his doing any harm. So the moment passed, and nothing was said save that she turned the question with an evasion. "How do you know that she knows?" "For the best of all possible reasons. She told mo so. She put into my bands a copy of the register from St. Sulpice and asked me what it meant" She met his look and returned it with one which seemed to hold his eyes fixed on her. This meant a respite for him. Lola, exhausted and breathless with her efforts, had sunk upon a low chair, while her late assailant stood upon the iefeusive. "I hardly know. I think be meant to try to kill me. He insulted me. You saw that mark on bis face. I did it. 1 struck him with my riding whip. It was then he attacked me." She spoke in short sentences, like a child recovering from a fright. "1 am fearing something," she said, "and if only I copld guess what it was and what shape it would take and what it would do I should be better again. As it is you must not scold me, but love me, Jaffray, always love me, always, and bear with m« when I am like this, but always thiDk of me with love." But bis actions almost immediately removed the doubt He had come down determined to brazen it all out, to dare Beryl to do her worst to deny absolutely any story which she might tell as to the attempt on her life and to risk everything on the chance of getting a few more days at the manor house in order to complete a plan which had been shaping itself in bis thoughts as a sort of last desperate act. "No, possibly not," said Mrs. De Witt in a tone from which much might have been inferred, but Lola let it pass without a retort. "Well?" She uttered the single syllable question without allowing a sign or symptom of her feeliug to be seen in her face. The moon had not shone out again from behind the clouds, and the room was too dark for Pierre Turrian to see with any clearness, but Beryl's eyes had grown so accustomed to the gloom that as he stood between her and the window •he could watch every action of his. "And what did you say?" came the question, eagerly interposed. "What should I say? That it was a lie, and that she was the victim of an extraordinary delusion, but she very soon showed mo that I was the liar, and when I found that she did know I gave the business up and told my version."CHAPTER XVT hurskwhippkd. "And now I am going to ask you a favor," she said. "There are, as you know, a lot of people coming here in a couple of days, and I have no end of things to see to. Yet I am anxious to hear what is doing at Leycester Court with Mr. Leycester. I wish you'd drive over there this afternoon and ask for me how he is and how Beryl is and when she can get back here." Or, better still, if she were to fly from the manor house and let him know that she had done so, he might be driven from his purpose altogether. "I mean," and his voice grew a trifle hoarse and unsteady—"I mean that Sir Jaffray is the one obstacle in your path, and it is necessary for your sake and for mine that the obstacle should be re- Sir Jaffray's first thought was naturally for Lola. "Did the man dare to make love to you?" asked Sir Jaffray, the thought driving his eyebrows together in a heavy frown and making him clinch his teeth. "Are you hurt, my darling?" be asked, crossing to her and bending lovingly over her. She could see bim that night at the time and place he had named, and then she fell to pondering all the points that occurred to her iu this connection. Then she was silent, and after a time, when he had soothed her and petted her, she fell asleep in his arms, her last thought of him being that which a kiss suggested. He held her while she slept—it was not long—and thought of all she had said and wondered whether it had any hidden meaning, and, if so, what. He stood quite still for almost half a minute, looking toward the bed, as it seemed, and the stillness was so acute that Bery l could even hear him breathe. In that he needed the help of Lola and resolved to have a long talk with her and compel her to fall in with his views. moved." "No, it is nothing. Oh, I am so glad you have come!" And now that danger for herself and the excitement were over she was far more unsteady and unnerved than she had been before. "I was always afraid of his coming here," said Lola evasively. "You know I said at the time I did not want him asked. (Jgb! He is loathsome and dangerous. " "It's you who let out the truth with your tale of the Devil's rock!" cried Lola vehemently. Lola clinched her hands till the nails nearly ran into her palms, and she bit her lip hard in her agitation, and it was fully a minuto before she trusted herself to speak. In the midst of this she was roused by a knock at the door. She made no response, but folded up the letter from Pierre and put it in her pocket. After a pause he took something from his pocket which she thought was a handkerchief and shook it out lightly, and, folding it carelessly, held it in his left hand. Then he stood still, with his bead bent forward toward the bed as though listening intently for the breathing of the sleeper be thought was lying there at his mercy. But be let nothing of his darker thoughts appear in his manner, and he was as jaunty in air, light of tongue and pleasantly chatty as usual during the whole of breakfast "Nonsense! She had the facts, and it was only a matter of when she should speak. She spoke to me yesterday, and I told her my version of the matter. My faith, but I painted myself as black as a raven and you as white as a dove!" He laughed heartily as he said this. "Imagine you white as a dove, the innocent and all unsuspecting Marguerite persecuted by an atrocious villain of a Mephistopheles, myself! I compelled you to marry me. I made your life a hell. I drove you to rebel. I ill treated you and fell over that rock, with never a stamp of the foot to help me. I hid myself, waiting for vengeance. I tracked you down when you had married. I drove you to this life of lies. All I, I, I for the villainy, and you for the sweet, pure victim. On my soul, "Never mind, sweetheart. Pluck up courage. He won't trouble us any more," said Sir Jaffray in a much lighter tone than he felt and wishing to cheer her up. "And if he doesn't clear out from the neighborhood of his own free will after today's business I'll find a way of making him; that's all." "You haven't the knack as yet, Lola, of making your house very attractive to your guests," said Mrs. De Witt ungraciously. She was cross, as a gossip monger usually is at being robbed of what she deemed a toothsome morsel of scandal. "But I'll go over to the Court, and I'll drive through Walcote to see if I can catch a glimpse of your Frenchman. I dare sav he'll tell me the news. " The Frenchman filled up the interval by lighting a fresh cigarette and walking up and down the room. He was glad of the pause, for the strain of the moment told 011 him. He was very pale', and the perspiration came out in a line of beads on his forehead. She began now to fear tbe effect of an encounter between the two men and felt that in a moment all that she had striven to gain might be lost. She clung to Sir Jaffray's arm and would not release him. The knock came again, firmer and .more impatient, and then a Toioe—Sir Jaffray's—called her. And he looked at her as she slept and was pleased when a smile flickered over her face, and he kissed it before it was gone, and kissing her he woke her, and she smiled still more broadly and sweetly. In whatever direction the conversation turned be took such share as was usual with him, whether be knew anything about a subject or not, and except that he looked a little haggard from a sleepless night there was nothing in his manner to suggest to any of the others that anything unusual had happened or was being planned by him. She rose, and, wiping the tears hastily from her eyes, opened the door. "Here is a letter for yen, Lola, from Bervl." he said, eivintr to her a letter which Lola saw was fastened with a seal. Then, seeing by her face that she was troubled, he said very gently, "What is the matter, dearest?" And he followed her into the room. "You have been sitting here alone," he added in a cheerier voice. Beryl clinched her teeth as she noticed this. "Li t me go, dear one. And you—go to your room. Leave me to deal with this—gentleman." "That is the sweetest sleep I have ever had in my life, Jaffray," she said —' 'in your strong, safe arms, kissed to "I think I understand you," said Lola at length when she could trust herself to speak. "And what is to happen after—after what you mean?" His mood of demonstrative affection had passed, and Lola, with a sigh, let him go from her side. Next, and with only a slight pause, be took something from another pocket What it was she could not see, but when she saw him put it to bis mouth and beard a slight creaking sound, as of a cork being drawn, she knew that it was a bottle, and she was prepared to see him pour the contents on to the handkerchief. This done, he thrust the bottle hastily into a side pocket and moved slowly and very stealthily toward the head of the bed. But she would not and clung to him With 110 more than a smile at this shot Lola rang the bell and ordered the carriage for her companion. still He was by the door of the room when she spoke, and he turned and answered, standing still. He tried to speak lightly. "Come, Lola," in a voice that she knew must be obeyed. "It'll be a lesson to me not to encourage traveling fiddlers again. To think that he should turu out such a brute! And I actually liked the fellow. By gad, but I'm glad I thrashed him, and I'm only sorry I didn't lay it on a little longer and a good deal harder." He got up and then lit a cigarette. As soon as the latter had gone Lola went to her own sitting room to think out the rest of the problem. This bad been her reason for wishing to get rid of Mrs. De Witt. She felt that she must be alone. He was annoyed when he beard Sir Jaffray say that he and Lola were going to ride out together, because he wanted to have his interview with her as soon as possible and had intended to 6peak to ber that morning, but he accepted the temporary check with equanimity as inevitable."1 will stay," she said and then loosed his arm. * "I am—not—not very well," she said, her lips trembling and half refusing to frame any words at all. "What should happen?" he cried, with a wave of the hands and a shrug of the shoulders. "You would be free, and I would claim you as my wife." "I do not wish it," said the baronet firmly. But Lola would not yield. "I would rather," she answered. "As you will, then," said Sir Jaffray shortly. She had not been long in her room before a knock at the door disturbed her. had locked it to prevent interruptiti^."Well, read your letter. Perhaps Beryl has some good news for you about her father. Read it and then let me see whether I can't cheer you up a bit. You are so strong usually that you startle me when you are like this." "You would claim me!" she repeated. "Certainly," he said masterfully. "You would be my wife"— He paused and looked at Loia and then said very kindly: Before she started, however, be managed to get two minutes alone with her when she stood with her habit on waiting for Sir Jaffray. when I think of it I laugh down to my boots!" A faint fimdl of drugs spread itself over the room, and Beryl recognized it ■initautly as chloroform. He lighted a cigarette and puffed at it in silence for a minute, and when be ipoke again there was a sharp change in bis tone and manner which made Lola look up. He stopped suddenly without finishing the sentence and turned toward the door. Then he turned to Pierre Turrian, who had been watching the pair closely and thinking rapidly what to do. "Do you feel better now, sweetheart?" "Yes, Juffray; I'm all right now. I'll run up to my room and get my habit off. It must be nearly lnnchtime. Has the exercise made you hungry?" And she smiled. It was her maid, who brought a let- ter on a salver. She broke the seal of the letter and opened it and almost instantly shrank together, while a look of intense pain spread over her strained face, which turned as white as salt. It was now quite clear to her what be meant to da The minute's breathing space which Sir Jaffray's hurried questioning of Lola had afforded had given time for reconsideration and had changed the current of ttie Frenchman's thoughts and the whole development of after events. "This has just come by hand, my lady, with a message for it to be delivered immediately to you. I thought it right to bring it." "I must see you today alone for an hour," be said. "What's that?" he cried. He rushed to the door and tried to open it quickly, but in his haste fumbled with the haudle and then threw it open and looked out. He was going to drug ber first and probably suffocate her and then search lor the paper which she hud told him that morning was the only incriminating piece of evidence in ber possession. "Thank you. I have nothing whatever to say to you in private," she answered curtly. "But I had a purpose, mark you, and if the devil hadn't failed me for onco I would have carried it out and have silenced that sly she cat once for all. I •ought to get delay by making you out as the victim, and I meant to stop that tool's chatter for good and all." Her spirits had risen for the moment at having got out of the work of explanation so easily, and she thought it best to appear as if she had sh-.iken off the worst effects of the morning's events. Lola took it, und, going into her room, opened it "What is the matter? Is he dead?" cried Sir Jaffray, alarmed and thinking of Mr. Lcycester. "Beryl shouldn't send news like that so suddenly. The shock's enough to make any one ill." "Something has happened of which you know nothing. I want to tell you. It affects the whole position here, and everything is in peril. You must be warned for your own safety. I'm not a fool to cry 'wolf without a very real cause. You know that. There is serious danger." There was no one there, though he thought he could hear the whisk of a dress, bat he said nothing of this to Lola. It was fiom Pierre Turrian, short, sharp and menacing: Ho meant to murder ber. At the moment of Sir Jaffray's entry Pierre Turrian's first instinct had been to save himself from an exceedingly awkward complication by throwing the baronet's anger on to Lola and exposing the true character of the relations between her and himself. This thought, wbicb might well have unnerved her, had a quite opposite effect. It stimulated her courage, and from the security of her biding place, and with the assurance that she had only to step out in tbe corridor and call loudly for help to be quite safe, she watched his every movement with infinite interest. You must be by the cottage at Ash Tree wooCl at the k'»rth end of the park at 9 o'clock tonight. P. T. "What do you mean?" "I was mistaken," he said, returning to the room and closing the door behind him. But as soon as eho was in her own room and had locked the door and shut out the chance of being observed she looked the truth full in the face. By an effort Lola fought down some of her distress. "That that cold faced cat was within an ace of death last night; that I went to her room in tbe dead of the night to save you from her devilment, and, had it not been for some cursed chance that kept her awake and let her hear me ooming, you would have woke up this morning to find that your old rival was laid out cold and stark, freed from the fretting troubles of this wicked world by the blessing of chloroform and my strong arm and unable to go chattering about other people's business." Lola stood for a moment staring helplessly at the open letter when the maid roused her. "No, he is—not dead," filie answered very slowly, as though the words pained her. "It was not—not that. I am not well, dear." She smiled faintly and weakly, as if to reassure him. "I had a—a pain in my heart; that's all. It's not dear Beryl's letter or—news. There's nothing—nothing about death in it, only to say—she can't get here again for a day or two and—would like mc—to go to—her; that's all." She folded the letter and put it away in her pocket, where it lay against that which she had had from Pierre. "IFhen did this comc and howT" he asked ghortljj. sleep and kissed to wakening. It makes me strong for whatever may come." Lola bit her lip and was startled despite her efforts. "It must be a devil'b plot indeed," said Lola, "when it makes even you imagine that there are eavesdroppers." The end had come But the minute's consideration caused him to change his intention completely. If he were to do anything of the kind, all chance of benefiting by Lola's connection with the baronet would begone. He would have lost his hold over her entirely, and the whole object which he haul so long and so closely cherished would be sacrificed. With Beryl Leyeester in possession of the secret on the one hand and with Pierre pressing her from the other there was no hope, no chance, no possibility "Is there any answer, mum?" "No, none," returned Lola hurriedly. The girl withdrew, and Lola locked the door again behind her, and, throwing herself into a long, low easy chair, strove to fight her way through a mist of thought ft- a clear course of action. Continued on Daze four. "I shall probably be back some time before Sir Jaffray and will see you before lunch." He made no answer to this. He bad passed now out of the line of the window, and bis movements in tbe deeper gloom were more difficult to follow, but she could still make out what ho did. "Well, you know my plan now," he said. "It is the only one possible to get us out of this mess. What do you over Wr of the Globe for | RHEUMATISM,! H NEURALGIA and similar Complaints, I and prepared under the stringent m GERMAN MEDICAL LAWS.^ prescribed by eminent physici r. 2 Km dr. richter'S (&ajfl ANCHOR  fPAIN EXPELLER1 ■ World renowned! Remsrfcahty successful! ■ ■Only gennlne with Trade Mark " Anchor,'■■ |F. id. Biehter&Co., 115 PearlSt., New York. ■ 3s HIGHEST AWARDS. I 13 Branch Hon sea. Own Glassworks, M ,50c. Endorsed & recommended 1 Dv Farrer & Peck. 30 Lnrerue Avenue. G. C. Olick, 80 North Main 8t. H Hoack. 4 North Main St Pitttston, Pa. i*CR'S I "ANCHOR" STOMA CHAT, beat fori of escape. "I wish you both a pleasant ride," he said aloud and with a smile, for Sir Jaffray had come up. "I shall try to do an hour or two's work at musio." And be stood, smiling and bareheaded, looking after them as tbey rode away down the drive. Then he turned back into the house and went to tbe music room, where he found Mrs. De Witt evidently waiting for him. but he was in Ho mood for flirting or fooling with ber. What to do she could not resolve yet. At the moment she had to goon playing the part that she had chosen, but whatever the result a few days must settle everything, perhaps a few hours. If she were to avoid utter shipwreck, she must be prepared with some definite course of action, and the soouer she could decide what that was to be the better. say?" " You doii't expect me to reply offhand that 1 am ready to take part in a plot to murder my husband?" CHAPTER XVII FLIGHT. Before he reached tbe head of the bed it was obvioas that be was puazled by something unusual, probably, she thought, by hearing no sound of breathing from the bed. He bent forward and listened again intently, and as be was in tbe act of doing this tbe clouds part ed again from before tbe moon's face, aud the silver light came once more streaming brilliantly into the room. Oil the other hand, all that there was to fear was an unpleasant experience with Sir Jaffray's riding crop, a fight in which he might or might not get the worst, followed, of course, by expulsion from the house, but he would still have Lola in his power and still be able to reap the reward he was striving for. "Do you mean you tried to murder Beryl Leycester last night in her bed in this house?" cried Lolu, paling with excited agitation. "Why not? You have already re-1 hearsed the part with me." It was useless to fight any longer. That was the burden of Lola's thoughts as she sat with Pierre's short, peremptory note lying on her lap. It might well cause her pain, short though it was. It ran thus: The malice in his tone and face made Lola clinch her teeth and flush with anger. But she did not let the hot words that rose to her lips escape them. Instead of thin she asked as calmly as she could force herself to speak: He paused before ho answered and looked at her aslant, with his eyelids half closed- The very safety of the man she loved demanded this. She knew Pierre will enough to feel quite confident that 1" would now have a double incentive to do Jaffray harm. She had listened to his devilish scheme in order to learn what it was, so that having learned it she might take measures to foil him. She had done her utmost in the fight for happiness. She bad striven hard to retain it in her grasp, but the fates were fighting against her, and there was nothing left but to own herself beaten and accept the defeat as best she could. Deakest Low—Come to me. I know the dreadful load you are bearing, and uiy heart is wrung for you. 1 know you are strong and brave, but the trial ahead of you would test the strongest and bravest. It breaks me down to think that it is to me that this bat) come to be known. Gome to me and Uelp me to shape the course ahead. Then 1 think of you in that desperate man'* power, I shrink with fear. IXuue to me. Your friend always, Bkryi.. "Are you going to play or ping, m. pbe asked- "The lovers have ridden off together and left us. Lola was full of excuses for leaving me, but I told her I would cert«lnlv "reuse her, leeing that as the other people are coming soon this may be tbe last chance Ihey would have of billing and cooing together, and tbey are so absurdly happy with one another that I could nbt think of letting etiquette interfere. Betides, Lola is such an unconventional creature one can't expect her to do as ether oeovle." "Is murder so much uglier in a* bedroom than on u mountain side that you Shudder at the gouud iu the one case and yet can do the deed in the other? Bah!" He sneered and waved bis hand impatiently. "Don't be a fool, Lola. Tell me the truth and say you're as ! "How do you propose to carry out the jDlan?" He measured up Sir Jaffray's strong, well knit frame and recognized the certainty that he could not hope to escape without some hard blows, but the stake was worth winning. Before it vanished Beryl beard bina mutter an oath in French iuto his mustache while he stood not knowing what to do. "(Jh, thero are 50 ways. Any one of a hundred drugs that can be got without difficulty will do all that we need, and any one of a huudred opportunities which pan be as easily fouud or made will let us, either you or I, do It. was I)aril to give it all up—hardest of all to lose Jaffray's love and tQ fee} that he would know ht r for a cheat and The end was closer than ever. Then be moved forward again to the head of the bed and stooped low down, keeping the chloroformed handkerchief in evident readiness to hold over the thee of the sleeper. He had his tale ready, therefore, at} PPPH ;is Sir Jaifray cauie toward him. But s1kD kneyv also that be -was quite capable of acting by himself from the outside, and so long as there was 4 thought in his mind that not onl\ could be have revenge for the horsewhipping, but also be, as he hoped, a gainer through Jaffray's death, the latter was not. safe for a day. There was no mistaking either Beryl's meaning or the kindness with which who wished to temper the blow which she knew her letter must strike. sorrv as I am that I failed. Don't cant." liar and worn "As God js my judge," she cried passionately, "J would rather ten thousand times that you hatl killed me!" And then, overwrought, she sank on a i chair that was bv ber. and. leaning ber ' 'How dare you lay your hands on my wife?" events of tl England and She ran k aek i ie tin?' in thought over the ie since hrr arrival in • 1 in si If contempt as another the line, of it." "I answer no man who speaks to me in that tone and backs his words with a weapon while I am defenseless," he replied. with a erood assuiiiDtion of bold- sun But the blow had to be struck. There was now no possibility of mistake as to his intentions, and Beryl " And when would you propose that you or I"—she paused ou the words— "should do this?" she saw oue after " (Jouie to iu» and help me to shape the course ahead," Lola knew well enough the only meaning which those false steps sli and uuwortl: lie had taken. How paltry rued now the little tiv set