Guy Earlscourt's Wife — page 214: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ny ~< i ET Oe me 202 ‘‘A ew Way to Pay Old Debts.” paid the driver to take her home. I believe, in my sout Bhe would have perished before morning.” “I wish to Heaven she had, and you with her!” burst out the badgered peer. “What the deuce brings you here, Sted- man? Don’t you see I’m going out?” “Now, that is inhospitable,” murmured Mr. Stedman, re- proachfully; “and to such a friend as I have been to you, too. Didn’t you tell me I had a claim upon your gratitude you would never forget when I chose to call upon you? ‘The time has come, I leave England in three days, to seek my fortune in Australia; and | have called apon you to- night, Lord Montalien, for a check for three thousand pounde.” Lord Montalien laughed scornfully. “Three thousand demons, perhaps!” he said. “No, my lord, one of them I find quite enough to deal with at once. I want three thousand pounds, and I mean to have it before I quit this room!” “You are mad or drunk—which ?” “Neither, most noble lord. Your secret is worth the money.” | “What secret?” with a scornful stare. “That Alice ‘Warren, the bailiff’s daughter, is your lawful, wedded wife!” “What!” Mr. Stedman looked up at him with an exultant smile of power. “That Alice Warren, whom ten minutes ago you turned from your doors to perish in the snow, is your lawful, wedded wife, as fast as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s license and a clergyman of the Church of England can make her! That is your secret, my lord! You thought I would be your ecat’s- paw, run my head in a noose to oblige you—do your dirty work, and take a ‘thank yow for my pains. That was your mis ‘take. You are as tightly married to Alice Warren as though the ceremony hid been performed under the roof of St. George’s, Hanover Square. You ean prove my words if you like, easily enough—Alice Warren is Lady Montalien.” The two men looked at each other, and Lord Montalien knew he spoke the truth. In the waxlight his face was deadly pale. “Stedman,” he said, “why have you done this?” “To wipe out an old debt of six years’ standing, my lord. You know to what I refer—to F'anny Dashon. You thougnt I had forgotten, didn’t you’—that was your little mistake. The debt was cleanly wiped out on the night you married thc bailiff’s daughter. Now will you give me your check :c three thousand pounds or not?” ~ hare sad “Yok AQ walk walk cold, died Ay mear 1 days tiviti throv Paul hg | said; refug comicbooks.com | a