The Argosy, June 1904 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

A DESPERATE DEAL. BY SEWARD W. HOPKINS. The astonishing device employed by a father in order to compass a certain marriage for his son. SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED. Sir PETER ARNOLD and Mr. Loftus Bond, bankers of London, are trustees for the estate of the late M. Henri Rougiére, a Belgian, long resident in England. By his will he provides that his fortune, a vast sum, shall go to his only daughter, Marie, on her marriage, provided she does not marry her cousin, M. Alfred Rougiére. His brother, Alfred’s father, comes over from Belgium, determined to get hold of this money for his son. By representing to Marie that the bankers are interested in certain London hospitals, to which the fortune is to go provided she does not comply with the terms of the will, he gains her consent to wed a certain Mr. Bunker Hill. By scanning the newspapers closely M. Rougiére has learned of this Hiil as a young man without friends, who has been knocked down in the streets by Lord Shumway's carriage and taken to a hospital to die. By telling the authorities that he is the young man’s uncle, the Belgian has him removed to his hotel and made as comfortable as possible, and in due course acquaints him with his scheme for him to marry the niece in order that she may become a rich widow. ‘The will, of course, says nothing about whether she shall marry Alfred Rougiére or not, once she has married somebody else. So Marie is brought from her school to the hotel and married to the young man Hill, whom the doctors have declared cannot recover. Then she is taken back to Belgium by the Rougiéres, who have need of her money to recoup their fallen fortunes. Alfred contrives to worm himself into the good graces of his cousin, the young widow, and late in June he is giving a farewell bachelor dinner at the chateau. Meantime Hill, taken away on Lord Shum- way’s yacht, has not died, and, returning to London, finds out through Messrs. Arnold and Bond the trick that has been played on Marie Rougiére. He betakes himself at once to Belgium, arrives in the midst of Alfred’s pre-nuptial festivities, and demands to see his wife. Alfred, very much frightened, requests him to call the next day and see his father, bows him out into what he makes the American believe is the porte-cochére, but which proves to be a strong room with an iron door, which is at once bolted from without. CHAPTER X. DO WITH BALL. WHAT ONE CAN A CANNON ili emotions of Bunker Hill, when he found himself a_ prisoner, might almost, but scarcely, be imagined. lor a moment he stood still in the darkness and uttered a few words not usually spoken in polite societv. Then he mentioned in his emphatic way what he would do to Alfred Rougitre when he got hold of him. But getting hold of Alfred Rougicre was contingent upon getting free from the room in which he was himself locked up. He could see absolutely nothing save a glimmer of the night- light as if came through a little win- dow some distance above his head. Ife stumbled to the door that Rou- velére had locked, and tried it with his full strength, but without avail. *This story began in the April issue of THE ARGOSY. He swore under his breath, and as he turned to try another part he stum- bled over a seat, and after recovering himself sat down to study the situation. “Well, Mr. Bunker Hill,” he himself, half aloud, “you are, so to speak, the most unspeakable ass that ever lived. You walk into the castle of a man you know to be an enemy, and not only offer threats, but permit him to lead you blindly into a trap. You owe it to yourself either to kill him or yourself.” But Bunker Till had little thought of kiting himself, and when it came down. to the real point it was doubtful if he wanted to kill anybody. Te never had, and his fresh American mind had no desire to feel the sensation of hav- ing slain some one. But he considered. Rougitre had certainly jocked him in there for a purpose. The thing to do, The two back numbers will be matled to any address on receipt of 20 cents. PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG said to COMiicsoo < S C@ ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED