THE CURSE OF HER LIFE OR A DARK SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3109, 6 February 1909, Page 2

THE CURSE OF HER LIFE OR A DARK SECRET.

CHAPTER XXXV.—Continued. "I should think you would ask for that. Did you think I would endure everything? Did you imagine I would believe the false report; ot your death, while you pursued me with such persecutions as I knew you alone weft capable of? I know everything, Randal, even this last fearful treachery to the woman you once professed to love, to the woman who has kept your guilty secrets to her own destruction, and I am about to punish you in a manner worthy of yourself." She drew back a step,

"Now," said to the men bt= liincl hei% but aha did not look away itom her Cousin, whom the intensity of her gaze seemed to fas:inate as With some terrible magnetism. The men advanced with a stealthy but swift movement. on 9 caught him about the arms and the other about the feet, and in a trice he lay upon the carpet, struggling fearfully, and purple in the face, but making no outcry.

Edith stood and looked on with a stem and bitter gaze. "1 suppose that was the way he and Rial served Prank," she thought. Heathcote was struggling still. "What the d does this mea.i?" h>' demanded, with an awful oath. Edith advanced and pulled off his •wig of black hair, showing the yellow locks under it.

"It means, my dear cousin, that your race is run, whatever becomes af me," she said softly. "You are mad, and I am going to have you put in just such safe quarters as other madmen occupy." "You know it is a lie," said Heathcote fiercely!, Edith shook her head. "Your very singular conduct cannot be accounted for in any other manner," ?he said coldly, and gave the men a look as she went which meant, "Get him away as fast as possible now." *

Heathcote looked stunned. He lay so quiet that the men insensibly held bim less strongly as they lifted him to his feet.

He was thinking in fns fashion: "A madhouse, after all I've been through, after being'haunted by him so long. I would rather die! I wonddr where Rose is. It I could o.ily see Roae."

"You had better tie him," Lady Disbro said to the two men. "He is liable to become violent at any time." "Wait, Dr Sanitas," said Heathcote.

The doctor approached with a soothing smile. "Wait, gentleman," he blandly remarked to Heathcote's captors; "I'll answer for him for a few momenta." "Do you think I'm mad?" Heathcote demanded.

"Your brain is crrtainly somewhat affected. You'll be all right in a little time, I dare say," the doctor said soothingly. "You'll receive the kindest care where you are going, I assure you, and if you don't make much trouble, kinder than that" "I won't go!" "You can't help yourself," the doctor said quite unmoved. "Everything has been done legally. Everybody knows me, almost. Nobody would d-re interfere. If you go quietly you will he treated gently.; if ynu resist, you will be treated very roughly." £ Heathcote was silent for a moment, an.l than he spoke suddenly and ,angrily. how about that woman there, who ought to be under arrest for her husband's murder this moment. You know she is only doing this to prevent me testifying against her. 1 ' As he spoke he darted a glance at Lady Disbro's face, but his eyes fell before her lofty and stainless countenance.

Doctor Sanitas listened with that patient, incredulous air doctors are apt to accord to trie statements of in- ' sane people. "Yes, yes," he assented, "I know all about that, my dear sir, perhaps more than you think I do. We'll settle all that as soon as we get you into your new lodgings, which, by the way you might just as well make up your mind to like." Heathcote looked at him darkly for a moment or two. Then he turned to Lady Disbro. "Edith," he said. "I won'tgo. I swear to you 1 won't go, ill die ■first. I'd rather die a millions times than sptnd an hour in any such infernafplace. You wouldn't yourself." "Yes, I should," Lady Disbro icily answered, "but madmen and madwomen cannot be choosers as to what they will do, or what the.v won t. "I tell you I won't go, and I won't, no matter what you do!" Edith smiled slightly and lifted her delicate eyebrows. "Oh, won't you?" He glared at her savagely. . "You think 1 can't help it? You will see."

Already the ruan held him with a grasp of iron, but they tightened their hold at these words. Heathcote laughed diabolically. "Oh, not that way," he said contemptuously. "I'm not going to get away—now." He paused a moment or two, and seemed for the time deep in thought, then he said suddenly: "Doctor Sanitas, will you kindly give me some of those drops you left the last time you were here? I feel very faint. They'e on the sideboard there!. You'll see a small glass there too. Doctor Sanitas blandly assented, and poured out the drops. "Fine think for the nerves, sir," he said as he gave the glass to Heathcjte. "lhat's right, sir," he continued, "rich!.—couldn't be anything better." Bat h-rein Dieter Sanatas made a giv iriisl.uk e. i-It aihro'e took the glass in the limit- wMci! h.rf captors released for

By HELEN COEWIN PIERCE, Avitior of "At His Own Game," "Carrie Ecierson ilde," "Badly Matched," "l'he Cheated Bride," Etc.

that purpose, and swallowed the draft at one effort.

T:.ien he flung the emyty glass agai-ist the wall violently, and turned a horrible staiv on Ediih, and then on Doctor Sanitas. "I teld you I' wouldn't go," he said. "That is poison I have just taken ! I was afraid of something of this sort and pot it ready. " Doctor Sanitas snatched the bottle and .smellad it.

"Run for a stomach-pump," he sajd to one of the men. "Place him on the floor. Go!"

Heathcote smiled. A blue circle wa& &lr?ady creeping over his lips. "It's no use." he said. "I know what I've taken; I shall be a dead man in ten minutes, in spite of you. You've beat me at last, Edith. (To be concluded),