The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-09-06
.sANGElICAS BETR0THAL:
A 4 Christmas Story Of the "Old Court"
TCoNCLUDED.1

man whom she fnau never VCdSSA W
4ove more inadly than ever since the
time that her own wicked and ambE \
tious act had driven him from her side
forever. ed
The evening of the day, which had
been bright, frosty, and seasonable,
closed UPON the kS0ld Court" in the
splendor of winter sunset. and still
Angel fingered in the oriel Windows
not, however, gazing out upon the
scene, which in. all j beauty was full
of sadness for her. She was Oh her
knees, with her slender white hands
crossed ON the black folds of her, dress,
and her head bowed in self humilia-
ton, while from her beautiful eyes the
tears fell like rain upon the polished
oak boards on which she knelt4 "Oh,
Steenie, Steeniei' she imtrmuTed soft
ly, under her breath, "come back to-
me, or shall die; my heart is break
ing fast. Ii he is dead, lam his muir
deress. Oh, Steenie, | cannot pray" {
As she uttered the last words, the
door opened softly, and aDivoice said,
Here is Lady Hautain, sir I if you
take the responsibility upon, YOURSELF
lean only warn you not to startle her
suddenly, for she is great invalid. "Ht
It was the voice of Mrs. Merthyr, ),
the, hopsekeeper, and thesyurds were
pronounced Slowly and distinctly, as
though. to give, time to the inmates of
the chamberIto prepare themselves for
"a surprise, and the warning was inten
ded fol, the aged Lady Hautain, whose
absence from her usual position In
her. arm chair the deepening, darkness
prevented from being apparent. Il !,
IDS The door closed aso softly as it had
opened-closed upon the newly found
possessor of the barony-ef Hautain,
upon Stephen, the ol0ng-lost heir,
whose eyes, keener than those of, the
'0ld housekeepef, discovered at once
the sable draped figure in the window
and recognized the well-known out
lines of her fornf at once. w 4
Angel" said a low voice, that
seemed to sspeaktohe in solemnstenes
from beyond the regions Of the grave
=" Angel, | have come back have,
you warmer welcome for me than
you had, four years, ago, or is even sis-7
ter love dead within your bosom?
You need not shrink from me; | am.
your brother wsgggWgME "'
She had not shrunk from him as he
interpreted the sinking movement of.
her.slight and wasted frame, that, aft
ter reed-like swaying motion to and
fro, sank upon, erfoor3atshis feet
She had tainted; the sudden realiza-4
tior. Of her hopes had been too much
for her In her weakened state of
health, and she had fallen into,a tear2.
less sWoon. 0Then the words 0fwarn-i
ing which, he had neglected came too
late for his ears, for her ladyship is.
Dagfeat invalid and, filled him with
remorse, he believing that they had
Widow 4e The youthful u il Lady Hsdtain,
for dearly as he loved his aunt, it had
bDotlbeen to her that his thoughts had
flown on the occasion Of his first visit
to his unexpected inheritance. ~
81 have killed her, at last!',' he ut
tered aloud - My love my ,darling9t
Oh, speak to me, Angel, once again!
[ will be a true brother to you, will
never speak againuf the love that is
killing mel Oh, Angel, say that you
forgive mel Speak to me!--look at
mels And he pressed his lips on that
cold, statue-liko brow, as though. his
own passionate eagerness could endOw
it with thenfush of life. He would
not ring, or call for assistance; those
precious moments were too dear to
him to waste; once more with his be-.
loved alone. He laid her tenderly on a.
sofa, against the erimsonA draperiesl of
which her white facegshone with an
unearthly lustre, and taking silver
flask from his pocket, hezpr0c eeded to
touch her lips with the contents. y
h Often in his wild prairiel life had the
Icoptents of that little faskirestored Vi
tai power and energy to his own ex-
hausted frame, and he knew from ex-
perience the best remedies to apply in
case of IFhat modern sdoetpFsD have
mystifed blythe name of syneope."
After a few moments culver agitated
the thiekiyaffinged lips, that had hith=.
lerto lain, in the stiffness of death on
the marble cheek beneath them, and
Slight flush Of color spread itself
over the pure pale face. Angel was
returning to lifes The frstsWoEd that
came to her trembling lip Eass' Steen-i
lei y and her first action was to cover
the hand THAT Jay in her own with
kisses and fast-rushing tears, ana not
until then did Lord IHaptain Withdraw
1t from her keeping, with an express
ion on his face that was almost stern,
!" Angel, he said, in a low, firm voice.
do not send me from you again. /
will bela brother to you ifhyou will let
me. But 1T must ,restTwith you; L
cannot promise to withstand this from
you again. ,aaIazaW q il
You will forgive me all, Steenie,I
when you know all. have deserved
this from you. I will take anything
from you'll was going oasay, even a
broken heart; but that is already
mine but God has forgiven me, for
ho hos sent vn1, hack- 70 M q kaeo.oL 7