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si alacant
quiet, for the man loves you.
PHANTOMS OF THE PAST. 57
"tT wish, as I said, some money, and I will give you a reasonablo
time to get it for me.
“Tf I got it I will go far away and never appear again to disturb
- you; but, if I do not receive it, I will simply make my presence known
to your husband and destroy you.”
“Tt will but drive me again into poverty and wretchedness, for I
will not live a lie to that good man, and shall tell him all.”
**'You are a fool, Ruby.”
**T was a fool when I became your wife.
*T did not love you, though I believed that I did, and I soon
found out that it was but fascination, such asa serpent has over
“T fled from my happy home, I deserted a true, honourable man,
and became your wife, not to be acknowledged as such, for you hid
me away ina little village, while you led a life of dissipation in Phila-
delphia, still believed to be a bachelor by your friends.
“In that lonely life I lived; and my children were born, and, with
no friend near, mine was a wretched existence,
“Deserted by you, with my children, I went to New York to earn my
living, and thither you followed me, and I had to give you all that £
had saved up, and you gambled it away.
‘* Arain deserted by you, I sought to hide away where you could
not find me, and I became prosperous, ina small way, by selling the
work of my hands; but again you found mg, tool my little earnings
and went West, and soon after 1 heard of your death.
“Believe me, Schuyler Cluett, wicked ag it was, I rejoiced that I
was free, for I believed that I was.
“And now you come again, when I felt that my life was not al)
ehadow, and you demand that I rob my husband to help you.”
“Tam your husband, Raby, and I need help,.and will bave it.”
‘© Not from me, sir.”
“Yea, from you.”
T say no!—for I will tell all, and defy you.” .
“T will first see him, tell him who I am, and he will pay me to keep
‘Por the sake of yourself, aud of your children, you had best decide
to give me the money, I ask.”
She was silent, and lost in deep thought for full a minute, whileho
watched her face narrowly.
At last she said:
“ Schnyler Cluett, you know that I would give much to have you
never cross my path again; but your coming has unnerved me, and I
am not myself,
“‘Tf I give you money, without telling my husband all, it would
but be robbing him to pay you.
“Tf I tell him, I believe he would pay youas you demand ; but yet,
with you alive, and he knowing it, I could not remain here as his wife.
“So go from me, and I will decide when I can collect my thoughts.”
‘*T will give you just one week.”
“It is long enough, for I will not need so much time; but do not
come here.”