The Widowed Bride — page 224: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. 915 “Thank Heaven for that!’ she cried. ‘‘Oh, tlank Heaven for that!” — ‘-Woman!’’ hissed a voice, close to her ear, ‘‘how dare you invoke the sacred name of Heaven?” The conntess turned with a low, startled ery, and beheld Antonia Clive in her black gar ments and ghastly white face, standing close to her, wnile Rena Percival, vainly strove to hold her back with hands whose frail strength was to the © half insane vehemency of the older woman as a tiny bark endeavoring to stem the rush of Niagara's fiercest tor- rent. ‘*You killed him, Edith Glenhampton! ”’ she gasped. ‘You ~ murdered the man who was to be my husband—to whom my troth and heart were alike plighted! Why did you do the bloody deed?” | Lady Glenhampton lifted her sullen, defiant eyes to An- tonia’s piercing gaze; she knew now that there was no fur- ther avail in any semblance of deceit. ‘‘Because I hated him!’ she answered, with slow, deliber- ato accents. “T think Miss Clive’s mind is disordered,” said Rena, her own face white asdeath. ‘Will you help me to take iy he She may do some frightful deed of violence, else!’ Lord Glenhampton stepped forward, but before he had — time to interpose Antonia sprang upon the countess with a motion like the bound of a tigress. ‘“Fiend! murderess!” she uttered, in a choked voice, ‘‘but he shall be avenged. I have sworn it, and the hour and the day have come!” Rena uttered a piercing shriek, which was echoed in n Lord Glenhampton’s deeper tones, for, before mortal aid could avail to reach the wretched woman the dagger Antonia Clive had carried in readiness all these years was sheathed in the countess’ heart. And with uplifted hands Antonia stood there, her face as radiant as if she had offered some acceptable sacrifice to the Judge of all men. “My lost one! my murdered love!” she murmured, softly ~“T vowed it, and it is done! You are avenged at last, and it is my hand that has filled the cup of expiation! The long years—the many years—but | have not lived through them in yain!” Lee) GOomicboo cS a