The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-09-28

now, that something remained for him to
do. and he nerved himself to do it.
UtcrcIiv had gone to soiree, and on
returning to the hotel in which he resided.
the porter informed him that two persons
were IN his apartments, and-it now be
ing mldnight-had there been waiting
some time. On entering the room he saw
the Marquis and hrs daughter.
mo doubt my presence here at this late
h"ur Is surprise to YOU" said Foscarini.
deliberately. However, this interview
would have taken place before, if it had
not pleased heaven Ms vou know. to affiict
me with a sudden and very severe illness.
My hrst visit was due to you, sir gam
bI'ng debts" he added with "a bitter smile
must be paid. come to discharge mine.
Sir, you have won my daughter. She is
n"re, | bring her to you. have used no
i"rce"to conduct her hither. She accom-
panied me of her own free will. Did Won
not Teresa p
III" ssp"k" with cold sneer upon hi>
ilps. His daughter could not answer for
her tears.
After a brief delay, in which he appear
e' I" reflect on what he should say, he re-
suned
She yours. Il have no longer child
but you, mark mp--you have not vet
Il wife. ! will never acknowledge YOU a.
son-in-law. Whoever weds u,y dauch
ter, NUT be Of noble lineage-you, sir,are
nobody"
Let me assure YOU that you are mis-
taken" said Stephen Utercliv. You have
not hitherto spoken Of my family, but [
believe, that it is in every respect entitled
to rank with your own"
"Not until my DEATH" continued In.
Marquis,no: needing Utercliv's observation
-"can Teresa be your wife. Not before
because she would not do anything con.
trary TO my wish. However, YOU .wo,
the stake, and here she is" AMI ~ he
SAID this, he took Teresa by the hand, and
presented her to Utercliv.
Immediately he went to the door. turp-
ed the key in the lock, and fixed the bolt.
lie rushed back into the ,nid,llv of the
room.
Now for revengew he shouted. in a
terrible voice, and with the fiery glance
and inturlated gesture of a maniac. III.
produced pair Of pistols. "Mark me =
both Of these weapons are unIoaded. I
wl'Iioad one ofthem. You see that have
put IN the powder. Let me now drive
the ball firmly down. II is done. we
will contound these weapons together, so
that neither can know which is loaded
There. | do not know which holds the
deadly charge. One of US will know at
once. We will each take pistol, pre-
sent 1t ut the breast, and pull the trigger
at the same moment. Ii slay you, |
dare say my daughter will return hom.
with me Tor 1t is scarcely possible that
you can have disposed of her by ,esta-
mcnt. II you Kill me, Teresa may wed
her fathers SIayer-if she willm
While the marquis had been busted
with tAe pistols, aud while he had been
speaking, Stephen Utcrcliv had steadily
kept his eyes upon him, confident that his
mind WAS affected, and undecided what
to do or say. He knew that maniac
is best controlled by quiet frmness. He
therefore listened with calmness to what
the marquis said, in the hope, too, that
his passion might exhaust itself in yehe-
ment language. Now, when the marquis
ceased to speak, Stephen again made an
effort TO reason with him.
"iour daughter. said he, "belonos not
To you nor To me. In Il moment Of ex-
element you lisked her upon the hazard
OF the dice. do not claim her because
the cast was in 10y favor. ] would hone
That, when you examine my pretentions,
you will find that, in family and in for.
tune, | am not inferior to yourself. | love
your daughter, and would be content 10
leave to her the decision on which de-
PendS my future happiness. As for the
losses which you sustained, have no, "a.
Ken advantage Of them. Your money,
your papers, yoET securities, aro III wonder
desk, at your command whenever YOU
please to receive them. / played with
you not for gain, but in the hope of wean.
ing You from play, or, If that unhap.
Py passion continued, Of letting you
feel its evil effects. | fancied that il
could make you believe that you were
ruined, the effect Of the reverse would be
beneficial, and then that, when your for.
tune was restored to you, might hope to
be repaid by your sanction for my attach
ment to Teresa"
"Name her not !" shouted the MARQUIS
"M"Ve one step-utter one word, aud
fire into my daughters heart. Sit
DOWN.
With strength to which his fury now
added vehement power, the marquis fore
ed Utercliv into a chair. He seated him
self in another, Immediately opposite
There they sat--so close that Stephen fell
his hot breath upon his face. He thrust
one OF the pistols into Stephens hard
Teresa, moveless as statue---paraIysec
by fear--remained standing within n few
feet OF her father and her lover. She wa,
wholly incapable Of action or speech. anc
looked, on, like one astonished.
snow" cried the marquis, ''comes or
the last ssens Of the melodramai Ths
devoted lover, The steny-hearted father
the beautiful daughter are all on III,