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- 2 - WILD MARGARET,
were. the clever man Ww ho offered. to help me. "Pray do not oa
look so serious.’
**T cannot help. my. looks to- night, 9, he. said, quietly,
“ for to; night you and I stand. face: to: face, soul to soul.
Violet, you had set your heart upon: gaining Blair, and IT
_ have got him for you. You promised me.at the. time that
you would give me whatsoever I should ask, and I told
you that some day I sbould come to claim my reward at:
your hands. Ihave come. I will not tell- you all I have.
done for you. You may have conjectured how dark and
vile the work has been—no matter. I have succeeded ;
you have been Blair’s wife through: my agency. I come
. toclaim my reward!”
She bit her lip and tried to smile.
‘* Well, well, what is it? It is awfully 1 late, “why ‘not
wait until to-morrow? Blair may come in at any moment,
and: though there is no impropriety in our chatting in my
own room, still—what is it? Is it money? Are you in dif-
ficulties? ‘How much is it?” .
**It is not money,’’ he said gravely. -
' “ What, then?” she said, impatiently. -
~“Ttisy ourself!” he said, his eyes flashing into 9 hers, his. .
pale cheeks’ suddenly glowing with. fire.
CHAPTER XXIX.
‘ ni is your self I want,’’ said Austin aniroso,
Violet looked at him: "for a: moment as, if. she: had not
understood the purport of his words, then she raised her. -
self on her elbow, and laughed.
“ What do you say? Is this a jest? TE So, its is in. rather
bad taste, don’t you think?”
He looked at her steadily.
“Have I> the appearance of a. man who jest?” ‘he
breathed.
Her face pi ied. . a
“Tf it.isn’t a jest, what is it?” she demanded, ‘queru-
lously. “ Why do you come at this time of night. and say
absurd things like—like that?”
‘*TIs it, so absurd, do you think? Consider. Violet, have
you been ‘dreaming all these months? You should know
me well enough to feel that I am not amere straw tobe.
idly blown hither and thither, not a man likely to waste -
his life doing service for no, requital. Let me take you:
back to the past. Do you remember the days and months.
and years I waited on you like aslave? Do you think it
was done for nothing, with no hope of reward?” —
His: eyes: shone with fierce determination, his whole
s