The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-05-30
Mitlmnah Q!spatft.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. >. MAY 30. 1880
HELENA MATHEW % n.
CHAPTER vI.-{Co~eissi oa.)

WEDNESDAY MORNING. >. MAY 30. 1850
HELENA MATHEW s O NJ
CHAPTER vI.-{Co~eissioaD
Arins At the door startled me. I wiped
nvav nv tears. 1t muet be Edward. HOW
NSstv and un,ust had been! rose to meet
him. ia:ssd Of EsY1 nsa s ssw ,m. 70
claim Al his sudden appearance, or almost to
notice his wet disordered dress, VI have
heard soms dreadful news in London, and
have FASTENED straight home TO tell you it,
ssOh! tell me quickly, Paul." gasped
"what IL i'll DO not stop TO break 1t to me. but
tell me- Anything is better than suspense"
"Isear It bravely then. Helena" he said bn !
he himself was pale and trembling. and rs ne
continued, his voice sunk TO low, noarse
whisper,-Sir Edward Stamford is Lawrences
murderer" .o,,
uttered a fierce contradiction, and ien
ALAS. Helena =! said Paul, "the person wno
told me-a Sgnor Corti-stood oes'as MA
renee as his second in ine " never to reveal
by whose hand he fell for tne sranna ,,,,i I
been tauntingly given, and the onsnee p.l
lesslv avenged. The q"aIiee11 M; as" SsraSam,md
fswrence knew. suppose, what shame
wonid clog his adversary's steps were his
crime known" ..,,a -. ,rra
ill death" l broke in, "but, oh that man
mnst be deceiving us; it cannot be Sir Ed
ward who has done this cruel deed"
"He showed me the letter, hslena In Wncn
Iawrence asked him to be his second. and in
which Sir Edwards name was mentioned
Nav he had even the pistols with MIN IN Lon-
don. which had been Sir Edwards, ana bore
his crest and initials, LOT .ney nau ea
weapons before fighting. Lawrence's must De
in Sir Ed wards possession, no oouDti tney
were that cihmsy old pair that my father had
mended up for him.
NO longer doubt Paui's statement; for. with
fearful dis;inctness, the scene In the Aail
library flashed back upon my mind-the open
drawer, the bright pistols. Sir EaWaros lace,
how even my trustful love could nave blinded
me to the truth for so long.
"Corti would never have broken his pro-
mise Helena, if il had not been necessary to
do So to save YOU from marrying your bro
theirs murderer. Report had told him what
you were about to do"
"'To save me from it, Paul,"I exclaimed,
what do you mean -
as it possible you misunderstood me :" he
said. II mean that your duty and your natu-
raj affect ton ought to strengthen you to re-
nounce Sir Edward. l can hardly oeiieve
that you will find it difficult task" he added,
bitterly, "not to love your brothers murder
err
II cannot take back my love, Paul. 1 never
gave il for any defiaite reason 1t was sent like
some blessed instinct, and now, though l
shudder to think what he is, cannot-cannot
part from Edward. 1t may be wicked and un
natural of me but cannot!" Paul groaued
aloud with horror. "Why did l ever allow
This engagement! p he muttered to himself
"Only think of the terrible remorse he must
have suffered, dear Paul" pleaded, trying TO
be calm.
oeiying you, as remorse. No, you must and
shall break off this engagement His guilt
has Cancelled any promise you can have made
him."
az 81 -, s&r,nror !, 90 tod the n 7 saeu ,, said.
"and, al though the whole world cry out ard
condemn me- will stand by him, comforting
him. aud strengthening him to Ii right repent
ance. l know you can tear ana Keep me away
now: but. when am Of age, will spring free
from You and return to Sir EdWhrd.
stood there firm and resOlute. A deep pain
was AT my heart, and terror struggled "ith
nv love; but sun IL lived imperiousiy strong
bound up as 1T SEEMED, with my lie. Paul
silent
.-Good night, said, and moved towards the
door
He de tained me by the arm.
~Hear - he said, and his voice was cruelty
cain. ''tn- determination 10 which your 3D.
stiuacy forces me, aud FROM which NO earthly
power shall make lne finch. Ii you persist La
your refusal TO break off with Sir Ed ward, l
will MAKE knoWa his guilt in every nome
around. No child bat shall point at him, aud
cry, Murderer! no mother but shall pray
that her dauZ gin may not live 10 love like you.
Do you think, Helena, that the people OF Lich .
endale will then choose him, his name blood
stained and bIackened, tor their representa-
tive They will not-they shall motif my
words have power to move them. Murderer
deceiver as he lie, what should 1t matter to him
who has lost heaven, if his chance of earthly
success escape him place II in your power
to prevent this make your choice"
CHAPTER VII.
staggered up 10 my own room and threw
myself on the bed. ( lay sobbing IL the dark
ness till Paul heard me, and came to me. l
is
with angry dread. When he had left me, rose
from my bed, went to the open window, and
leaning out, strove to see through black va
cancy the Hall, where Sir Edward was Sleep
ing ignorant of my wild despair. The ight-
air cooled my burning cheeks, and the peace
full silence, only broken by the roar of the dis
tant tide, stiiled my passionate grief knelt
down and prayed. l prayed that my love
might be unselish, and that might, ii neces-
sary, be strong enough to sacrifice my own
happiness to his.
me that to do right, mus. give him up. l
tried to resist it. 1grappled with II but IN
vain. It mastered me. Inc impetnoslty OF
his love had been trampled Gown py nis am
bition did not love him the less for this
1t merely made me long that, when his ambi-
ton was gratifed, might be taught now to
win back his first great love. Paul mad acted
with crael aud unerring foresight, Wheh ne
had made the alternative of my refusing to
Ciyeup Sir Edward the almost certain loss of
his cleo ton and he had rightly guessed the
Il
mind For I felt that Sir Edward, triumph
ami in his election, and carried by it into
new scenes and society, would soon forget me
and any pain resigning me might at first cost
him.
The dawn crept slowly on, and the great
white lilies that had planted out in the gar
den to make it gay for Paul when l should be
gone, grew into distinctness, pointing with
their golden fingers towards heaven. l still
knelt by the window, praying that l might
not shrink from the sacrifice.
What Sir Edward answered, when Paul
wrote to him 70 tell him of my determination
to break Off the engagement, was never told
exactly but fancy his reply consisted chiefly
of thanks for the assurance, which had
made Paul promise TO give, that his secret
should not escape through US. / had asked
Paul to write, because could not have borne
to do so without giving any explanation, and
the only true one wonld have bound Sir Ed
ward in honor to hold to his engagement.
For several days after that terrible night
lay in q death-like stupor. The merry church
bells woke me from it.
as it my wedding day tO-dayl p asked, as
sickened back into half consc iousness.
'Oh, Miss Helena'' said Jane, who had
watched with Paul by me. II am right glad TO
hear your voice again. It's no wedding The
bells are ringing for Sir Edward-Sir Edward,
Miss" She guessed rightly that name would
rouse me. "He's won the election, and he's
given the ringers power o. money"
flood of recollection was let loose 1t was
wept bitter tears. "Oh that had mother
to comfort me-"
CHAPTER VIII
Three years passed. As soon as recovered
from my illness resumed my household du-
ties. even went out in the town, after
heard Of Sir Edwards departure for London;
for knew that the longer 1t was deferred the
more painful would IL be to me to revisit the
l strove hard 70 conquer my grief In the
daytime, by constant occupation to which I