Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

26 THRICE WEDDED, whole life for the last few years has been a lie. You are here simply because I brought you here. You are a part of my plan of eran ce | The old man’s face grew ghastly at this statement. Ah! what a double lie was on his soul! ‘“‘You old schemer, this is too much! If Iam nof your 2 nephew, who am I then: He sprang to his feet, and stood with one clenched hand raised as if he would strike the evil man before him dead. ‘‘Oh, you begin to be interested, do you?” was the taunt- ing reply. ‘“You are ready enough to look after your own interests, but won’t risk anything to help another.” ‘‘Who am I? I ask you,” fairly hissed the boy, the per- spiration starting from every pour of his white, convulsed face. “Will you promise—— ‘(I promise nothing; but Vl choke you if you don’t tell me quick,” and he glared savagely at his uncle, The wicked squire looked uneasy. He sat in deep thought for a moment, while Ralph watched him in stern and breathless silence. He was about to venture a great stake, 33 and if he failed it might prove the worse for him. At last he heaved a deep sigh, and with sudden determination in his voice, said: “Put your ear down here, cor ea for I would not have a breath of this heard.” Ralph bent close to the old man, his white face growing whiter with the intense exeitement he felt. You are——” The rest was in aswift, hissing whisper, but the boy heard it, for his eyes instantly blazed with a lightning passion, while the rage and hate shown in every feature, and he shook as with an ague fit. “Curse him! Ten thousand maledictionson him! I will do it!” he wildly exclaimed, str iding up and down the room in a towering fury. ‘‘Ha, ha!” laughed the other. ‘‘I thought you’d come to your senses, my fine fellow. Now you can work for two fortunes instead of one.’ He laughed wickedly, and looked so evil that his cloven- footed master must have been proud of such anally. _ “J don’t believe it. I won't believe it,” said Ralph, stop- mn comicbooks:co