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Brebner, Percy James, 1864-1922

"The Brown Mask"

At first she had broken
out at intervals with her wailing, and Barbara's commands to be silent
had not much effect.
Barbara did not answer her, did not look at her. Her own thoughts and
fears were trouble enough. A trap had been laid for her, doubtless it
was of her uncle's contriving, and it was unlikely that she would be
able to send even a message to Judge Marriott. Her mission was doomed to
failure, and she was in the hands of her enemies. What could they compel
her to do? Was marriage with Lord Rosmore the only way out? She would
never take that way. Though they accused her of treason, though death
threatened her, she would never marry him. To Judge Marriott she was
prepared to sacrifice herself, but to Lord Rosmore never, not even to
save the life of the man she loved. There had been moments when an
alliance with Rosmore had not appeared so dreadful to her, moments when
her disappointment concerning Gilbert Crosby had helped to make Rosmore
less repugnant to her; but from the moment she had determined to
sacrifice herself these two men stood in clear and definite antagonism.
The one she loved, the other she hated.


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