The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

Fy yy 2eys” £2 FF Sars et, ale oF Rig 194 THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. the money only in case she married an American. Our father and mother died, and Grace and I were brought u in America by Mr. Howard’s sister. As I grew older J wished for money, but Miss Howard would give me none, ~ and though I got all Grace had, it was not enough. I ~ learned of the will one day, and set about studying how I — could get some of the money. I knew that if Grace had the money I, too, could have plenty, for she was very gen- — erous, and very fond of me. I knew also that any husband ~ she might have would probably take care that I did not ~ squander her money. ‘Then I thought of the plan of ~ having some starving American in #rance—there are always | prenty, you know—marry her fora sum of money, without ~ nowing who she was, and then leaving her. I had great — difficulty in persuading Grace to accede to my plan, but ~ finally, by putting it in its most romantic light and treating — it as a frolic, I succeeded. Fora whole year I plotted and ~ planned without avail until by accident I learned of you. I studied your ways and knew you thoroughly, as you will — remember. Iwas sure you would consent. Then Grace — and I and Miss Howard lived quietly and unknown in the © parish, and I had the banns published. Miss Howard, how- — ever, did not suspect athing. I got Daddy Braune to find me this man and two other as witnesses. And when [ found out what sort of a fellow he was, I used him to nego- 4 tiate with the mayor. ‘'o make Grace better satisfied, 1 hired the D’Iberri chateau. She never knew its name, nor where it was, for I knew the mystery of secrecy would please 4 her. That is why she never was startled by your title. I — see now you bought it. I never suspected you, though I © felt that it was a strange chance that made you marry Grace. A strange freak took Grace that night, and she fell ~ in love with you, as you will remember, though you may ~ have doubted it since. She acted with such infatuation, ~ that I suspected she had broken her promise and | arranged © with this man to kill you. Grace knew not a word of it. He assured me you were dead, and after a while I told % ? at 4 4 Veal “- t . t% » te “~ ; ‘a a if ; 4 q a7 a is Grace of it. She mourned for a while, and then—she was — very young—she forgot, I suppose. You know all the ~ — yest.” eital cannot be measured in words. _ One by one the tortures he had inflicted on his gentle a The agony suffered by Clinton Hastings during that re- . comicbooks.com