Guy Earlscourt's Wife — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

1.” le enoughg at ‘riage was no i his momen- and a dark r glossed over birth, thank cnows. What vhen you led ery memory. ‘to cover her story she be- rather than than man to old :oisture er all? Had -abhorred 2 “From her e tells me to ryself within dith—a man think I am Bring her ne go, and I ld.” d glow more o2r dead first ! whether her she thinks it: alf a widow, Ss, as in her ow what the will kill her, . the loss of up her head vou; should ; face in his ie” had been mL two men, ‘“Whistled Down the Wind.” 51 parted from both, and the ‘rst a—— He shuddered through all hes frame, as he sat there. The elder man saw his advantage, and followed it up piti- lessly. “You insist upon, seeing Lady Charteris? Well, if you are determined upon it, of course you can. Would you like to hear the result? She is torn from the arms of her bride- groom—the story of her folly is given to the world—she is known as the wife of two men, until at least it is proven that the first was no marriage at all. If the blow does not kill her, she is in time reunited to Sir Vane, but’ the scandal fol- lows her her life long. Supposing the first marriage to have been legal, even, a divorce can be procured, and she is still free. In any case, all you can do to Sir Vane is to separate him for a few months from his bride, to whom finally (al- Ways- supposing the exposure does not kill her) he will be again united. And now for yourself. In the hour you stand face to face with Olivia Charteris, you shall be given over to the hands of the law. For her gake I spared you two years ago—for her sake you shall be branded as the thief you are, then. Do you know what your sentence will be? One-and- twenty years, at least, on Norfolk Island. You:will have broken her heart, driven her into her grave, in all probability, and yourself in a felon’s cell. Now, choose! The way l'es yonder. Go up to the room above, you will find her there, happy, by her bridegroom’s side. Go up, I will not lift a finger to hinder you, and on the instant you set your feot upon the first stair, my servant shall summon the police. Take your choice, Robert Lisle, and quickly.” He drew out his watch; in fifteen minutes more the newly wedded pair were to start on the first stage of their wedding journey. The self-command of Geoffrey Lyndith was great, “but his lips were gray now, and drops of moisture stood on his face. He touched the young man on the shoulder, cold with inward fear. “You have ycur choice,” he said, “decide! Go up and demn-yourself to a felon’s cell for life, or go out of yonder kill the woman you pretend to love, by the sight of vou, con- door, and never return. Quick!” . Robert Lisle arose, and turned to his torturer. To his dy- ing day, that ghastly face haunted Geoffrey Lyndith. In pen instant he felt as though he had stabbed him to the leart. “T have decided,” he said, hoarsely, “and may the God above judge you for it! You are as much a murderer as though my blood reddened your hand. Her life shall never be blighted by me; her proud head brought low in shame \ _ 500KS.cOomM