Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

140 A SEVERE THREAT. Woman-like, the first endearing word brought her to her feet again. She crossed the room quickly, and opening her es- critoire, took thence a folded paper, and laid it in his hand. Sir John cpened it slowly, and glanced over the lines which told to the world that /ohn Gordon and Stella Gilroy had been united in marriage, in a certain retired hamlet in England, just nineteen years before, when Stella Gilroy was eighteen, and care-free. ! Sir John read the document slowly, his eyes gleaming with Satanic delight ; then he turned deliberately, and tossed it upon the bed of still smoldering coals in the grate. Stella sprang forward, and caught his arm. Her face was drawn and ashen white. ‘‘My marriage lines!” she panted, breathlessly. ‘‘ Good God, John, what have you done? Don’t you know it might ruin me? And Lola; think of your child, John—our little Lola !” But, alas! it was too late. There was a flash, a flicker of rosy flame shooting upward, and the paper lay before her horror- stricken gaze, a heap of gray, feathery ashes. With a low moan of agony she turned and confronted him. — _ All tenderness had vanished now ; all love had died out of her heart. ‘‘Even the worm will turn,’ and Stella Gordon’s hour had come at last. : ‘What do you mean?” she gasped, and the expression of her eyes boded him no good. But he met her gaze boldly. “‘T mean this!” he answered, cuttingly. ‘‘I have taken from your keeping the only proof in existence that you are my wife. I was tired of you long ago—horribly tired ; and—I am done with you forever. Besides, listen, Stella; I am of John Gordon, the poor, strolling artist; I am Sir John Sydney, Baronet, of Sydney House; and in one week’s time I shall lead to the altar the loveliest woman in England. You are nof my wife after all, because I married you undera fictitious name. (ee) Eomichbooks =)