The Argosy — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

20 Winifred Power. 6 Tn iat)” Mary shrieked. ‘The words were like a stab. But even then it was the blow to herself of the announcement which she felt most of all. ‘*Cruel! cruel!” she cried, and covered her face with her hands. ‘I'he cruelty belongs to the person who sent her on a felonious errand,” retorted John. ‘‘I was amazed when I heard of it. Mr. Ormerod called himself at the brewery about it, twice. The first time I was out; and this and other delays made it impossible to get her out on bail to-day. But to-morrow, when she is brought up for examination, I shall of course do what I can for her, although I am myself the prosecutor.” Mary sat listening, half-stunned, to the cold, commonplace words ; commonplace in their meaning, and as John uttered them, but tragic in their significance to her. ‘Two questions kept recurring constantly to her, beating against her brain like hammers. ‘‘ What would happen to herself? and what to Ralph ?” “To you wish Martha to remain under this charge?” he asked. ‘“T ?” she repeated faintly. ‘She has only been your tool: and, as I believe, your innocent tool,” continued John. ‘If I state this conviction before the magistrates to-morrow, she will be discharged.” Mary wrung her hands. All the consequences to herself were beginning to dawn upon her. ‘‘T need not point out,that disgrace will fall on you, even though you are not arrested as Ralph Mercer’s accomplice,” he pursued un- relentingly. But if Mary had not brains she had some courage, and © his tone stung her to revolt. “You are trying to frighten me with your talk of felony and punishment, John. But after all, what the letter said was perfectly true. You have a clandestine establishment and you wish to keep it a secret.” “That is quite true. But the mistake you and Ralph made was in menacing me, supposing that I would pay a large price for the secret to be kept.” Mary started. This was a new aspect of the question. ‘To my wife, herself (for the lady in Linden-Grove Road is my wife), nobody could make any objection. But I will not conceal from you that there are circumstances connected with her which might render my father angry at the marriage ——” ‘‘ And leave you out of his will,” interrupted Mary, with scorn. ‘‘ Precisely.” His coolness exasperated her. Her eyes flashed, and she was about to make some angry observation when he raised his hand to impose silence. ‘Let us talk frankly, Mary. If I am in your power to a degree of which, observe, you are ignorant, yow are in sy power to an extent of which I am fully aware. Martha, poor soul, between bewilderment Gomicbooksneo