The Argosy — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 179 Tempest, barring Vera’s progress to the door. ‘Give up Captain Raleigh and marry Mr. Hastings and you shall never hear another word about the diamonds ; I will forgive you entirely.” “You have nothing to forgive,” angrily interrupted Vera. “Refuse to do this,” continued Mrs. Tempest, totally ignoring the interruption, ‘‘and before your father returns you will be arrested ; Mark Brown is gone to take out a summons against you for wounding him with intent to kill, a crime punishable by penal servitude. I expect him back before luncheon with the police and a warrant for your arrest.” Vera turned pale as death on hearing this news, but she did not lose her presence of mind although she felt sure this woman was capable of seeing her led off to prison on a false charge in her father’s absence ; indeed, she suspected her step-mother had urged him to go out in order to deprive his child of his protection. She summoned all the courage she possessed to her aid and answered quietly : “They can arrest me if they choose ; my father will find bail for me on his return.” “There is no need to put him to that trouble; give up Captain Raleigh and I repeat I will buy Mark’s silence,” said Mrs. ‘Tempest. ‘Thank you,” scornfully answered Vera. * You refuse ?” *ido.” “Then I hope you will appreciate prison fare and find your new quarters comfortable.” And with this parting sarcasm, Mrs. Ryot-Tempest sailed out of the room. As she passed Vera’s bedroom on her way downstairs she locked the door and put the key in her pocket, for it occurred to her Vera might take it into her head to leave the house to escape the police, in which case she would want her hat and jacket, without which she could not go far in the cutting east wind now blowing. This was between eleven and twelve o’clock and Mark could not be expected back much before one. That he would be successful in obtaining the warrant his mistress had little doubt, but she was im- patient for his return ; so time, the moving image of eternity, moved very slowly with her that morning as she sat trying to read, but really gloating over her own cleverness in thus checkmating Vera so thoroughly. Her congratulations turned out to be somewhat pre- mature in the sequel, for the game was not yet won. She had cried “check” to Vera’s queen, but it was Vera’s turn to move, and before the “‘ moving image ” had passed noon the queen was safe from her adversary’s assaults. Shortly before one o’clock Mark Brown returned to the Rectory accompanied by two policemen, one of whom carried a warrant for the arrest of Vera Ryot-Tempest on a charge of wounding with intent to kill. Mark had had some difficulty in obtaining this war- | rant, but he made his depositions so clearly, and was able to back CORNICLIOO cS (SO) an