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or eee vrais natars tet Nay pet orton ae pm iy sins ee pai ier hts
_ WILD MARGARET. 139
“You do not believe me! You would spurn me! Oh,
‘my dear lady, in Heaven’s name, listen to me! Do
not turn from me! Think of my great wrong, my broken
heart. You think you love him, but remember me!’ I.
am his wife—his wife; while you—ah, you have no claim
on him! Besides, he has wronged you as cruelly almost
as he has wronged me! Do not hesitate, dear, dear lady;
have pity on me, and let him come back to me!” she
cried, sobbing now bitterly. ,
Margaret tried to jerk her dress from the clinging
hands, but they held too tightly. .
‘‘ You—you are mad!’ she got out at last, in a horrified
voice, which she tried to keep steady. ‘‘I do not know
you—I never saw you before! I know nothing of your
husband! It’s a mistake, all a mistake. Let me go,
Please, or I shall call some one——”? °
No, no! Listen to me! Be patient with me!’ pleaded
the girl, ‘You do not know me, but 1 know you, though
only saw you and him together once. It was up the
river. Oh, I should never, never forget you. Oh, be good
tome! Let him come back to me! Iam his wife—his
wife! You will not, youcannot divide husband and wife!”
cn, XS, you are mad!” said Margaret, with conviction.
You have never seen me with your husband !—never!
never! Let go my dress!’’
“Yes, you!” sobbed the girl. ‘‘Do you think I should
mistake when all my life hung upon it? I have tried not
to mention my husband’s name, but you force me to do it.
e may have tried to hide it from you—it is possible—but
you may know iti!” .
“it would be well to humor: her, ‘‘tell me; but Jet go my
ress—you frighten me—please.”” _
ein name is Blair! Ho is Lord Leyton!’ sobbed the
rl. .
_ Margaret uttered no cry. For a second she seemed as if
She had not heard. The room spun round; the blue sky
outside the window turned red; and the sofa opposite her
lauelny° heave as if shaken by anearthquake. Then she
shed, . | —
‘You are a wicked-woman!” she said, in slow tones of
cold anger and contempt—‘ a very wicked woman! Why
rave ite come here with this story? Do you want
ey
The girl looked up at her with a strange look. Had she
expected her victim to take the blow differently?
You—you don’t believe me!” she wailed at last.
Margaret laughed; a short laugh of scorn and contempt,
“Believe you!’’ she said, and that was all,
oe .
pate *
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Yes, tell me,” said Margaret, soothingly, feeling that |
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