Part 56 (1/2)
”My G.o.d!” he said. ”It is--it is her betrayer. Bessie, poor Bessie!
You have saved me the deed that I swore to perform.”
Bessie had followed closely behind Ross, and going toward him she said:
”Oh, Ross, ain't you glad I killed him?”
”Yes--oh, I hardly know, Bessie, whether I am glad or not. Poor little sister, I am so sorry for you.”
”Oh, don't pity me, Ross. I told the ghosts I'd kill him, and I'm so glad he came.”
”Hush, Bessie.”
”Ha! ha! ha! I don't care, I can kill him again if I choose.”
She stepped softly toward the bed, and throwing back the heavy ma.s.s of dusky hair, she raised her white hands above her head, and with her wild eyes fixed upon the face of the man before her she said:
”It is too bad to lie there that way. But just wait; to-night the ghosts will come and they will stand all about your bed and you will hear them laugh, and oh, how they will shriek and groan, and they will take you in their long, bony arms, just the way they did me, and carry you away out in the storm, and then they will set you down on your baby's grave.”
”Take her away,” said the wounded man.
”Ah, they can't take me away. I mean to stay here just as long as I want to, and I will tell you such nice long stories about the ghosts.”
The man turned upon his pillow and tried to avoid the sight of Bessie's face, but she leaned over the bed, and looking straight into his eyes, she said: ”Don't you think I am as beautiful as I was in those days--the days that you loved me so, and called me your darling Bessie? You remember, don't you? It was long, long ago; long before my baby died.”
”Oh, Bessie, keep still.”
”No, I won't; I'm going to tell you all about it.”
”Then I shall leave you.”
”Ha! ha!” laughed Bessie, ”you see you can't do that. You left me once, but you can't get up now, and the ghosts are coming by and by to hold you down and then they will grin and nod their heads while I tell you all about a woman betrayed.”
”Bessie, come with me,” said Blanche.
”Miss Robin, keep still. I will not go.”
”Take her away,” said the wounded man impatiently.
”Let her remain,” said Ross, in a hard, cold voice. ”The time has come for your coward heart to bow to the will of a weak woman. I would not take advantage of you in your helpless state, but Bessie has the right, if she but had the power to tear your heart from your body.”
”Who are you that dares to insult me?” said the man, trying to rise.
”I am her brother. Poor innocent Bessie; you would better have murdered her than to have flattered and deceived her the way you did.”
”He said he loved me,” said Bessie.
”Mr. Graves, are you not afraid you will injure the man?” Miss Elsworth asked.
”Injure him!” Ross repeated sneeringly. ”Could I injure him enough to repay him for the ruin he has wrought in our home? No, his miserable soul is not worth a place in the world, and death is not half enough punishment for him.”
”Please, Mr. Graves, do not get so excited.”