A Collection

Lady Molly - The End

The exclamation seemed to come straight from a heart brimful of passion, of love, of hate,
and of revenge. The voice had the same intonation in it which had rung an hour ago in the
dark Elkhorn woods.

"I may do," came in quiet accents from my dear lady.

"You won't marry him," repeated Felkin roughly.

"Who shall prevent me?" retorted Lady Molly with a low, sarcastic laugh.

"I will."

"You?" she said contemptuously.

"I told him an hour ago that he must give you up I tell you now that you shall not be Philip
Baddock's wife."

"Oh!" she interposed. And I could almost see the disdainful shrug of her shoulders, the flash
of contempt in her expressive eyes.

No doubt it maddened him to see her so cool, so indifferent, when he had thought that he
could win her. I do believe that the poor wretch loved her. She was always beautiful, but
never more so than tonight, when she had obviously determined finally to dismiss him.

"If you marry Philip Baddock," he now said in a voice which quivered with uncontrolled
passion, "then within six months of your wedding-day you will be a widow, for your husband
will have ended his life on the gallows."

"You are mad!" she retorted calmly.

"That is as it may be," he replied. "I warned him tonight, and he seems inclined to heed my
warning; but he won't stand aside if you beckon to him. Therefore, if you love him, take my
warning. I may not be able to get you, but I swear to you that Philip Baddock shan't either. I'll
see him hanged first," he added with gruesome significance.

"And do you think that you can force me to do your bidding by such paltry threats?" she
retorted.

"Paltry threats? Ask Philip Baddock if my threats are paltry. He knows full well that in my
room at Appledore Castle, safe from thievish fingers, lie the proofs that he killed Alexander
Steadman in the Elkhorn woods. Oh, I wouldn't help him in his nefarious deeds until he
placed himself in my hands. He had to take my terms or leave the thing alone altogether, for
he could not work without me. My wants are few, and he has treated and paid me well. Now
we are rivals, and I'll destroy him before I'll let him gloat over me.