The man she hated : $b or, Won by strategy — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The man she hated : $b or, Won by strategy
John Stuart Mill · en
“But she will not need the furniture, for she can come and room with
me, and as for clothes, I would have tried to save them if she had
prized them; but she said she would always hate the sight of that hat
and dress,” Sadie said to the girls at the factory, among whom she took
up a small collection to defray the expenses of the funeral.
The girls contributed willingly, for Fair was a favorite with the
majority of them, and had no enemies except those who envied her for
her lovely face. Even Belva Platt, rather abashed by the tragedy that
had followed on the heels of her wicked plot, offered Sadie a dollar;
but the gift was indignantly refused, and Sadie remarked bitterly:
“You helped to dig her grave, Miss Platt, so we will excuse you from
any further contribution.”
“Don’t be a fool, Sadie Allen!” was the sharp and rude retort, and the
embroiderer tossed her head and returned to her work, although a slight
chill ran over her, for she knew that Sadie’s words were true. In a
metaphorical way, she had, indeed, helped to dig a grave for the poor
woman, who might have lived many years but for last night’s work.
Belva had not counted on such an end as this when she had planned her
clever revenge on Fair Fielding. She had expected that Fair would live
with the husband who had deceived her, and that her mother’s pride
and ambition would be brought low. Also that Waverley Osborne would be
cured of his passion for Fair and return to her side. But, though her
plot had worked well, the ending did not please her.
Mrs. Fielding’s pride had been brought low, it was true--low as the
grave. But Fair had refused to live with her ignoble husband, and
Waverley Osborne, far from returning to his old allegiance, had tacitly
espoused Fair’s side, for, having heard from the sewing girls of her
shameful plot, he had passed Belva that morning without speaking, and
his contempt had rankled bitterly in her heart all day.
CHAPTER XI.
AN UNWELCOME TELEGRAM.
It was all over. Fair’s tortured mother had found rest in the grave,
and the unhappy daughter had gone home with Sadie Allen to live,
scorning the offer that had come to her in a letter from George
Lorraine to forgive and forget, and let him take her to a home, where
he would work for her most faithfully.
The beautiful red lips curled in bitter scorn.
“Sadie, look at me, and think of it,” she said disdainfully: “The wife
of an Italian organ grinder, following him, with his monkey, perhaps,
around the streets, singing for a few pennies!”