Part 2 (2/2)
”Lester,” she cried, drawing back, ”oh--oh, please do not be angry with me, but I've changed my mind. It seemed such a terrible thing to do. Let us not be married to-night.”
Something like an imprecation rose to his lips, but he chopped it off quickly, uttering again that laugh, so hard, so cruel, so blood-curdling, that it sent a chill of terror to her young heart.
”It's too late to change your mind now,” he exclaimed. ”It's only natural you should feel this way; girls always do. Here is the coach and the horses. The driver and my friend will be impatient to be off.”
Either the excitement of his coming triumph or the brandy he had taken had made him recklessly wild.
He drew her along, heedless of her struggles, her pa.s.sionate protest.
His face was flushed, his dark eyes gleamed; he was ready at that moment to face and defy devils and men.
”Don't make a fuss, my darling. You've got to come along,” he exclaimed.
”Of course, you have scruples and all that. I think the more of you for them, but you'll thank me for not listening some day. I'll bring you back after the ceremony's over and set you down at your own gate, if you say so, I swear I will,” and as he spoke he caught her in his arms and fairly thrust her into the vehicle, placed her on the seat and sprang in beside her.
The door closed with a bang and the horses were off like a flash.
Too terrified to utter another word of protest, and half fainting from fright, Faynie sank back, gasping, into the farthest corner. Her companion turned to the man sitting opposite.
”My friend, Smith, Faynie,” he said by way of introduction, and adding, before the other could utter one word to acknowledge the introduction, ”let's have a little more of that. I'm chilled to the marrow with the cold, standing out there in the snow.”
There was a faint move of the little bundle huddled up in the corner.
She fell forward in a dead faint.
”So much the better,” cried Kendale. ”She will not bother us until we've had time to formulate our plans. Ha, ha, ha! how easy it is for a sharp-witted fellow like myself to make a million of money!”
CHAPTER IV.
FOND LOVE TO HATRED TURNED.
Despite the severe shock which caused Faynie to swoon, her unconsciousness lasted but a few moments, then, dazed and bewildered, her blue eyes opened slowly, and she realized with horror too great for words that she was whirling swiftly over the snowy road, still in the company of the two men, her lover and his companion.
They were talking together in low, guarded tones. She could not help but hear every word distinctly, and they fell upon her ears with horror so intense she wondered that she lived through it from moment to moment.
It was Lester Armstrong who was speaking at that moment, and she was obliged to clutch her hands tightly together to keep from screaming aloud as she heard him say to his companion:
”I have always been a free lance among the pretty girls, drifting about much after the fas.h.i.+on of the bee wherever my fancy listed, and it will be more than irksome to yoke myself in the matrimonial harness to this girl. She is not of the kind--face, figure, temperament, anything--that is calculated to arouse my admiration. I detest your baby-faced creatures of her stamp, but she's heiress to a million, and I have concluded to swallow the gilded pill.
”There's one thing I a.s.sure you of, before she is married to me a fortnight I'll break that cursed temper of hers, if I have to break her neck or her heart, or both, to do it. She shall find that I'm her lord and master from this hour henceforth, and my word is law.”
”I'd advise you not to rush the scheme for getting that big sum of money until you have gained her confidence a little. More flies can be caught with mola.s.ses than vinegar, you know.”
”I shall have little patience with her,” declared her lover. ”I detested her the first instant my eyes rested upon her, and I am positive the feeling will grow upon me with every pa.s.sing hour, instead of diminis.h.i.+ng.”
”It is easy enough to guess the reason for that,” laughed the other.
”You are in love with the queenly Gertrude, who has already more adorers than she can count. It is common report that you are the beauty's favorite, however, and if you weren't both so confoundedly poor, you'd make a first-cla.s.s couple. As it is, of course it's not to be thought of.”
<script>