The Advocate-Democrat. (Crawfordville, Ga.) 1893-current, April 28, 1899, Image 5
CRUEL IAS: THE GRAVE ) t The Secret of Dunraven Castle. i.. BY ANNIE ASHMORE, Author of "Faithful Margaret,” Etc., Etc CHAPTER X VII—I Con tlnued.) The secretary, leaning heavily on the back of a chair, heard this dismissal with eyes lowered, and hands clenched by his sides. For a long minute after Lord Inchcape had finished there was a silence, while Sircombe struggled for strength to ut»er one wild protest. He might have injured Lady Inch¬ cape, who had never liked nor trusted him; but oh! he had been loyal to Lady Ulva? How gladly he had consecrated his scholarship to her use; how patiently he had guided her girlish steps through the sacred labyrinths of knowledge. Had she not been given to him by her proud father to be his pupil in lonely Sleat na Vrccken? and If she grew from girlhood gently into womanhood, and drew her tutor’s unwitting heart after her, until it had no pulse that did not beat for her, ah! who was to blame? And now—who loved her as he loved her; poor, shamed, ruined, old John Sircombe? For he loved without ever having presumed to hope for possession —loved for the simple rapture of loving her! And now they spoke of sending him away—of barring him from the presence that made life endurabler “I deserve death, perhaps,” he cried, wiidly, “but I ha e got my death-blow; I shall not live long to bear my shame; let zne live out my poor days near you, ♦hen, my lord; do not—do not banish me altogether!” Ho fell at Lord Inchcape’s feet in an agony of supplication; for a moment his haggard face lookod up towards my lord s with straining eye, then he sank lower yet—he lay prone upon the carpet —he was senseless, and tho red blood oozed from his lips. Poor, worn, midnight student! The sweet passion which is duo at twenty-one, had come upon him at sixty —too late! too late! CHAPTER XVIII, *1 SHALL NOT FAIL VOt7.> That very afternoon, in spite of Mrs. Dellamere’s most anxious precautions, Col. Accrington succeeded in obtaining an interview with Loveday, and one without witnesses. l So determined had he been to catch jthe young lady had alone availed that there himself is of little the L, L how couiil L« haie fSBHS&HpRHWas saunter yon—what need have you of half a heart, while mine—a man's heart—is bound to you by an eternal love?” “I am satisfied wi.h Auberon’s, and have no desire to exchange it for yours,” said the young girl, proudly. “Ah, no, sweet soul; you little know your own needs.” exclaimed the Colonel in the low fervent tones he had so often subjugated proud spirits with before “It is no crude, boyish liking which will satisfy a nature like yours; no dreaming mystic can long rotain your warm young living love! “Give yourse'f to me; I am strong and patient, and to win is life—to lose, death to me. I can teach you how to love me, and I know how to make my tender darling happy as an angel in heaven-” She checked his impassioned speech by a gesture of hot repulsion. “You sneer at Auberon Crecy's youth and genius.” said she, impetuously, while her eyes flashed wrath and scorn upon the offender; “but how will your past life compare with his? Is it as crystal pure? Have you as little need of concealments? Thanks, no, I prefer to marry a man whose life has been as open and honorable as my own to marrying llicbard Accrington with his memories. ” Accrington was ghastly: the stroke had gone home to the one vu nerablo spot in his indurated heart. The woman ho madly loved know all—knew and do spised him! but what could she know? perhaps nothing but vague report. “Who has dared to sully your innocent mind with slanders of my past?” de¬ manded ho with a show of righteous wrath. “Who could have had the Lad heart to do it?” “Can you disprove these slanders?” said Loveday scornfully. He believed thatshehad learned noth¬ ing definite, and said mournfully: “A as! Miss Dellamoro, what man'? past life is fit for a maiden's scanning? We look to womanhood to redeem us from our errors, and true love gives us the future in which to make due repara¬ tion?” “I will have no lover whoso record is too shameful for me to read!” cried Loveday fierily; then she fastened her indignant gaze upon him and added: “Why do you speak of reparation? have you ever repaired the wrong you did Lord Inchcape? and you ask me to love a man like that!” Accrington started back with a mut¬ tered curse, utterly overwhelmed. She did know all—she had learned hfs most shameful secret. Ho was a liar in her sight, basest crime In the calendar; he had lied away a man’s honor, and then built his prosperity upon his victim’s downfall. Oh, if Loveday knew the blackest of all his secrets ho might well despair of winning her, even by force—she would die before she would marry a liar. And so he has lost her, this fairest, dearest love of his life, the one thing on the earth lie coveted most. And the boy will marry her, they will adoro each other. Are they not well matched in purity? No! death, lie destruction rather! What! is to see her wrested from his strong hands, in spite of a’l the fierce passion which is urging him up to desperation? is he to be robbed of the being who is more precious to him than the political prize he was straining for— more precious even than revenge on Lord Inchcape? Ah, if she were his they would fly far from scorning England to lovelier lands, where he would drink sweeter happiness than he had yet tasted* ^ foe at your command, tvtll yon bo tion; agent? forgive ah, you me! shrink what from right tfye .have su^ a ■ ; expect any sympathy or sup® >rt W you?” AcVcriniB \ “You wrong me, Colonel Loveday,® indeed you do!” faltered could all scarce the aid believe I him give for joy. beslj “if you can you, my heartfe.t gratitude. Yet 1 car® see how I dare intermeddle in Ll Inchcape's private affairs.” “I exact no such imprudence; I sinij ask you to bo the bearer of a do uiiu which Lord Inchcape would give his 1 to obtain—for it will ostablish--” “I will carry it to him.” LoveiMj i terrupted hastily, shrinking socreraj fromjS ing any more of the Earl's his mako enemy. for all that “It is a sma'l retufl the you are willing tiS fer in cause of right. ” Accrington could not quite repro flitting sneer, but hastened towards “I thank * you, Muss ... n De „ lamere; w your co-operation I feel strong to complete the saenheo without flint ing Without it, I confess I dread whlsner.ngs of my stuboorn pride you must not forget how much I bit about to lose if I do this thtng-the of my ex stence.” “I shall take the document to Inchcape,” murmured Loveday “When shall you send it me? I shall not send it, 1 shall trust nl-J human being save you with tho weapoti which is to destroy me. I shall bring It t0 U g stlooked He paused; up ly at his pale face and glittering eyes. JS22& must come to me, » TSSSt t snail oe at yona.r mu^coneVo o'”" ,USfy ° U - A ‘ ld ^ Loveday started, flashing a suspicious *° “That'is too much to expect,” said she haughtily; “there can be no nocessf yon 1 so 1 trustworthy 11 that^l should trust trust vou you again again i I decline aeciine to to como como hero nere alone to meet Colonel Accrington to Ho flung on his heel with a short laueh “That ends the matter,” said he harsh iy; “J, too. docline to grant Miss Bella mere's prayer. Farewell!” He was actually going, thought Love day, and once more all her hopes wore vanishing away; she could not but re call the wily schemer, just as ho had in tond0d “You may have reasons for such a ro quest; at least lot me hear them,” said she anxiouslv “I have, but I fear that they will have little weight with Miss Bellamere, ” re torted he bitterly. “My own safety de pends upon the fidelity of my messnger. Bah! why humiliate myself needlessly? I will plead no more. You were not in earnest, neither was I. Lot us consider tho whole matter a jest. ” “I cannot—I daro not!” cried sho in great distress. “I should be wretched forever if I were to abandon Lord Inch cape, now that you make it depend on me whether you will do him justice or not. Is there no other wav?” ste^y* “Am°I adogto fame tor Seated”'% thatUi open distrust at tho time are ready to accept such a terrible rifice from me? Endogh; my safety re* quires some precaution, being^| and world you are the only . feel inclined to trust it. “I will como.” thout the slightest attempt at excusa. id——stayed out. CHAPTER XIX. down to his death. ombling with excitement, yet nerved be courago of desperation, Love i approached the lonely gato In i’all, and stood listening intense y but tho sough of the wintry through tho dry leaves, and tho of the far-away hound, jit the thickly lane on carpeted the other with side the of grass the was easily be there and he might and a dozen ruffians behind him, no fall be heard. tho stable clock struck nine, and baud knocked upon the open door. Jfcst convulsive bound of tho noart, * Loveday found herself fa e to face \ him she expected. er eyes look of f r “ f had , ho < aUK ht that r * triumph ‘. S ho shrank back, and . ™ , ‘ !oscd about her wrist; ho to V ards blm with a burst of ■ not for the last time, my own he n whispered, * beseechingly; “why little kindness? You L at: I am to-night.” her hand lie in his, she let his a ca . 'I 1 ’ 1 ' 11 « » _ u , a { a *. n /\ loucor lif' \ U , hih- she felt his hand h n0 more’than if she had * Tt5? •“ ^amoinstant *“ two stran >« •«» - W T 1 tb : , advanced on Accrington. ton surveyed the intruders, a licrce exclamation of as- Rat! 11 you treacherous? Yon have M ed “ e ’ hive staked life fc- W T loyalty. couW Ah, this wei^ prizo my am you no bound to give you snatched out H an showed it, tauntingly, th »ompled U P ,u his " d ' I no, give it me; I have done notn- tl L M forfeit it!” sho stammored. “ P#ept f™, your swift secret ’ magical . , trans . „ ‘ lc tor as a Vfl 1 ' 011 ’ she and Accrlligti n Bate, and the la w s and ill t . «y on Auberon losed ho remained inside. carriage, drawn by two mag horses, which she ^ocogn ze as s h|dlstance, Jngton s, dashed where they forwa' had evidently ,, t]v U 1 '* stopping their owner’s to ' pleas ure.^am J c 10t ' , Vi|t' d s creams ’ toro °P ' proceeded to spring inside. ■ as flying, and ho was g §®> ■ * maddening confession thought with him! dr J ow B *** fear; the heroism in gay ? PjlJI’^d^ a only 8 blood that bred Lord up, ■ P , .liras at no stake, ' w and 8 ' that 10 wa . • ' ‘ B|epend J1 upon i itllH hall mot break pi< i , l ‘^P/^Slround your f hit» that he re t0 r the carriage 1 ““ a it I DEW BDUEIIT ffitMI Engageinent With Fi ipinos Disas¬ trous to American Army. cm, smsimit wuc m inti American Loss Was Over Fifty, Ouiy Thirteen Dead Filipinos Were Found—Details of the Fight. A cable dispatch from Quengua, P. I., Su'nday says; Four men of the Nebraska regiment, including Col. Stotseuburg, Lieut. Sisson and three men of the Fourth Cavalry, were killed and forty-four wounded in an engage¬ ment at Quengua. The Filipinos re¬ treated with small loss. i Tho engagement developed iuto a disastrous though successful fight Tho iu8Urge nts bad a horse shoo trench T . • about a mile . long, encirolmg . a * field on the edge of n wood. Captain Bel1 with forty cavfllr y mon ’ enoount ’ bis ered a strong outpost. One of killed and live were wounded by a volloy. The Americans retired, their wounded under fire and with great difficulty, being closely pursued, a fog enabling tho enemy to creep np to them. Two men who were carrying a com rade were shot in the arms, but they continued with their burden. Captain Bell sout for reinforcements to rescuo the bodies of the killed cav¬ alrymen, and a battalion of the Ne¬ braska regiment, under Major Bufford, arrived and advanced until checked by volleys from the enemy’s trenches. Tho Americans lay about 800 yards from tho treuohes behind rice furrows under fire for two hours. men were sunstruck, one dying from the effects of the heat, as they lay there xvaiting for the artillery to come up. Finally tho Second battalion ar¬ rived, and Colonol Stotsonberg, who had spent the night with his father at Manila, came upon the field. The 11H immediately recognized him and ra i a ed a cheer. Colonel Stotsenberg, deokU-p y,7o\^Uffionlty, ^charge as the cheapest way , a led the attack at . 0 regiment. Ha fell with FORTY HOURS A"f*S£A. Fifteen Sailors of the Stonmer Whitney; Rescued After a Terrible Struggle. Considerable excitement was created’ at St. Augustine, Fla., Sunday by »• small boat out at sea giving signals of distress. Captain Allen immediately went to its assistance in the Baldwin yacht. Upon nearing the boat he found it to be the missing lifeboat of the steamer General Whitney, which fonndered north of Cape Canavara. during Friday night, Captain Allen transferred the suffering sailors from their cramped quarters to yacht and brought them in to y where a large crowd awaited thena. The story of the disaster, as tolcS%?J Mate Mattson and his meD, was su thrilling one. One of the bulkheads! sprung a leak from the heavy seas, whioh were prevailing during the) early part of Friday night. All hands( were ordered to the pumps and worked hard, but tho holds soon began to fill in spite of their efforts. The officers and men, realizing that tho was settling fast and sure to founder, took to the two life-boats. Captain J. W. Haxvthorne anil fifteen men w ^nt in the first boat and were never agaim seen by the remaining men. Shortly - afterwards Mato Mattson and the; balance of the crew, fourteen men,, took the second boat. They spent all of Saturday urday night at tho mercy of the sea, which xvashed over their frail boat frequently. Early Sunday morning they sighted land, and with redoubled energy, made strong from desperation* they took their turns at tho oars. When near enough to land they im pro vised a flag ivith canvas tacked to an oar, and it was then that Capthih Allen went to their rescue. amicable agreement. Mississippi Slnto Hoard of Health Wllh Not Quarantine. The Mississippi state board of Jiealth held its annual meeting in Jack ,on Saturday. The mooting will not carry into effeot its threat of last year establish a quarantine against New Grlenus on the 1st of May, as an omi cable agreement has been reached between the two boards, wherobxM^j allfl Mio;<i-.iiq.i inspectors ai<>