The Temptation! CHAPTER 7
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About two hours previous to the time when Margaretta Algeron left her chamber, and attempted to escape from her father's house — an exciting scene was passing in one of Mr. Markland's parlors, between Sidney and his sister Kate. He had communicated to her his intention of running away, that night, with the infatuated Margaretta.
"No — no, brother! You intend no such thing!" said Kate, in a quick, decided voice.
"Yes, but I do. And what is more, I want you to go with me, and wait in the carriage while I meet her as she escapes from the house. We will then go to the minister's; after which, I wish to bring her here."
"I shall do no such thing, Sidney!" was Kate's resolute answer.
"You will not?"
"No! I will not! Nor, if in my power to prevent it, shall that foolish girl become your wife!"
"You cannot prevent it, even if you were mad enough to make the attempt. I will carry her off, within two hours, in spite of everyone."
"Sidney! you must not!" Kate said, in a voice anxious and appealing. "You do not, you cannot love Margaretta, as one like her needs to be loved. You will as surely break her heart — as you wed her! I say this with pain; but the truth is extorted from me by your rashness. In your determined pursuit of her, you have been stirred on by selfishness — not by a pure, high-minded, generous passion for a lovely maiden. The prize, when gained, will be like the butterfly so hotly followed by the eager boy — its loveliness will be more than half diminished. In a little while, you will regard her only as a burden — not as a blessing."
"A compliment to her, at least," the brother replied, with a sneer. "Then you don't think her good enough for me? That alters the position of affairs materially."
"Sidney! You understand me well enough. You are not, at least for the present, capable of making a woman, I ought to say, a foolish child — like the one you are about to carry off from the arm and bosom of her mother, happy. You have not been charmed by her virtues — virtuous and innocent though she is — nor has she been moved to love you and confide in you, from a calm appreciation of your moral qualities — "
"Moral qualities, the devil! You make me sick, Kate! Don't preach after that fashion to me. But say, once for all, will you, or will you not go with me, and receive the girl, after I carry her off?"
"I have already told you no, Sidney!" Kate replied, in a husky, choking voice.
"Then I can find someone who will — and no hard matter either!" And thus saying, the young man turned abruptly away and left the house.
Kate did not move from the position in which he had left her for nearly ten minutes. At length, she arose quickly, as if a certain course of action had been decided upon, and sprang up the stairs into her chamber. Seating herself at her writing-table, she penned hastily the following note:
"Mr. Algeron: Within an hour, an attempt will be made by Sidney Markland to run away with your daughter. I, his sister, have endeavored, but in vain, to dissuade him from his purpose. He is bent upon its accomplishment. There is, therefore, but one course left to me, and that is, to warn you of the impending danger before it be too late. Say to Margaretta, from me, the sister of the man into whose hands she had so rashly determined to place her happiness — that he is not worthy of her. That he will as surely break her heart with neglect, infidelity, and unkindness, as he gets power over it as a husband. I say this with painful reluctance — but I am a woman, and I feel for woman's wrongs — and did I not speak now, I would be unworthy the name of a woman. He thinks lightly of our gender. We are but toys for his idle hours — the playthings for his amusement. Heaven knows how ardently I wish that this were not so — that he was truly worthy of a hand like that of your child, whom I would take as a sister to my bosom, with a feeling of pure affection."
After writing this, Kate wrapped herself up warmly, assuming a partial disguise, and quietly descending the stairs, left the house and went with rapid steps in the direction of Mr. Algeron's residence. Just before she reached it, she passed a carriage standing in the street, near which were two men in close conversation. One of them she instantly recognized as her brother. She had to go very near to them, and her heart trembled lest she should be discovered, and prevented from putting her design into execution.
"I ought to know that girl," said Markland to his companion, after Kate had passed them. "There is something exceedingly familiar about her."
"So it struck me," was the reply. "She seems in considerable of a hurry, I would say. Out on some case of life and death, perhaps!"
Sidney did not remark further in regard to her, but stood thoughtful for nearly a minute. Then he said, in a quick, and alarmed tone —
"Curse her! It cannot possibly be that incorrigible sister of mine, mad enough to attempt to defeat our scheme!"
And he started forward, gaining, by a few rapid strides, the corner of the street around which Kate had turned. The house of Mr. Algeron stood far down the square, nearly to the next street — it could easily be distinguished by the light of a brilliant gas-lamp which stood immediately in front of it. Sure enough, the female who had passed them, stood in the door!
"It is Kate, by my life!" he ejaculated, springing forward with a quicker pace.
Kate saw him coming, and her heart trembled lest he should gain the spot where she stood before her summons could be answered. She listened anxiously, but no sound withinindicated the approach of anyone — and without her brother was only the distance of a hundred feet away. Onward he came, at a rapid speed — only the breadth of the street divided them; and still the door remained closed, and no sound reached her eagerly listening ear.
"Too late! Too late!" she murmured sadly to herself. At that instant, just as her brother's foot cleared the curbstone nearest her, the door slowly opened.
"Take this to Mr. Algeron instantly!" the excited girl said, thrusting the note she had written into the hand of a servant, and then, to cut off the possibility of her brother's gaining possession of it from the bewildered servant, she drew the door to heavily, her heart bounding with a feeling of relief as she heard the quick fall of the dead-latch. At the same moment, the hand of Sidney clutched her arm with a heavy grip.
"Rash girl! What have you done?" he said in a quick excited whisper.
"My duty!" was the calm reply of the noble-hearted maiden, as she looked him steadily in the face.
Sidney still held her arm with a firm grasp, and seemed ready to hit her. He was terribly excited, and scarcely knew what he was doing.
"If you were not my sister, I would murder you as soon as look at you! How dare you cross my path in this way?" he said, grinding his teeth, and glaring at her fiercely. Then he jerked her from the door with sudden violence, which caused her to fall heavily upon the pavement, where she lay motionless for a few moments, uttering a low moan, that she evidently struggled to suppress.
The wild excitement of passion under which Sidney had labored, subsided in an instant. Bending over Kate, he endeavored to raise her; but the moment he touched her arm, she gave a cry of pain. It was broken! And he had broken it!
Seriously alarmed, the young man next endeavored to lift her up, by grasping her waist tightly with both hands. When on her feet, she leaned heavily against him, unable, from sudden physical prostration, to sustain her own weight. But she gradually recovered, and, supported by her brother's arm, walked slowly in the direction of the carriage, suffering most excruciating pain.
"Drive slowly to Doctor Cooper's!" Sidney said to the driver, as soon as Kate had reached and entered the carriage.
"No! — no! Take me home," interposed his sister.
"Do as I tell you!" was the peremptory order of the brother. And the driver mounted his box and proceeded slowly, but in the required direction.
It was in vain that the suffering girl implored to be taken home. Sidney was firm in his determination to have the arm first examined and set by a physician. How he would act after that, he had not yet determined. He had not yet had time for reflection. In a little while, they drew up to Doctor Cooper's. Kate at first refused to leave the carriage; but a firmly expressed determination to take her out by force, if she did not come of her own will, prevailed over her. The doctor had retired for the night. But the case was urgent, and he had to attend it.
Kate sat with her veil drawn closely about her face, when the doctor entered. The sleeve of her dress was quickly ripped open, and her arm examined. The extent of the injury sustained was soon apparent in a fracture of one of the bones of the right forearm. In falling, she had endeavored to save herself by catching upon her hand, and the concussion had snapped the bone. The doctor said but little until he had carefully set the broken bone, during which operation, Kate fainted. After the arm had been properly bandaged, and Kate had recovered her consciousness, the doctor asked, very naturally, how the accident had happened.
"That is of no consequence, sir!" was Sidney's evasive reply.
"I don't know, young man; it may be of consequence for anything I can tell. Adventures of this kind — "
"We wanted only your professional services," quickly interrupted Sidney, "nothing more! These have been rendered, and now, if you will name your fee, I will pay you and retire."
Doctor Cooper was a firm and decided man. He knew Sidney Markland very well, and knew him to be a profligate, and unprincipled. His sister, he had never met, and therefore had no idea that the female he had brought in so deplorable a condition, bore to him that intimate relationship. But he saw plainly that he governed her movements compulsorily, and that was enough to prompt him resolutely to interfere.
"I cannot permit you to retire with this young lady, sir, until I know something of the causes which produced so painful an injury to her," he said firmly, moving to a position that placed him between Sidney and the door.
"Do not tempt me to punch you?" the young man said, his face growing dark with instantly excited passion, as he spoke. "Come," he added, taking hold of Kate, and drawing her towards the door, "and you, sir, stand aside!"
Doctor Cooper stepped back quickly a few paces — closed the door, and, locking everyone in, put the key into his pocket. This was done with an air of calm deliberation that showed him to be fully in earnest.
There was a momentary breathless silence — the sharp "click" of a pistol-lock was heard, as Sidney drew a weapon from his pocket, and presented it to the bosom of Doctor Cooper.
"Stand aside!" he said, in a deep husky voice. "I am not in the mood to be trifled with!"
"Oh, brother!" exclaimed Kate, catching hold of his arm, "for God's sake, stop!"
"And is this your sister?" ejaculated Doctor Cooper, in a changed voice, slowly turning and unlocking the door.
"Confusion!" muttered the young man between his teeth, letting the hand that held the pistol fall to his side. Then striding out of the room — he left the house and his sister alone with the physician.
The few questions he addressed to Kate were only answered by a request to be taken home immediately. This was at once complied with. Doctor Cooper went with her, and accompanying her to her father's house.
The first intimation the family had that Kate was anywhere but in her own room, was her appearance with the doctor, in the condition we have described her. The whole house was in consternation at the calamity that had befallen her under circumstances so mysterious, and yet all unexplained, except so far as the doctor's story went. Kate remained silent to every question, until the physician had retired, and she was alone with her father and mother. Then she related, even to the most minute particulars, all that had occurred that night. Mr. and Mrs. Markland could only approve the self-sacrificing, magnanimous conduct of their daughter. Their hearts ached for their firstborn — the early hope and promise of their house. But now the thorn of their prodigal son, made restless their nightly pillow. They waited for his return, even until day-dawn, with feelings that none but the parents of such a son can imagine. But the morning broke coldly and cheerily — and he was still away.
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