The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-06


noted Mr.. Hervey.
"whet was the. matter with you, mistress?o
Knevit inquired of his play-fellow as thew stood
i'm the wings How you trembled How male
you turnedl Aud you missed YOUR cues, y F
George, for Gods sake, take of that riugl"
she said, with scared look on her lace.
an tell you all another time. Mischief will
come of your wearing it. For Gods sake take
1t ohI lie STOOD for moment irresolute,
ring TO her.
II understand" he said at length, with a fash
of scorn IN his eyes. ut is a real stone! Fool
that was might have guessed as much. II
was q present from the Welsh sot. your lover.
and you fear lest he should recognize i'll Yo1
would have me share in the wages of yonr
shame out on you, wantonl ~
He tore off the ring from his finger, flung IL
at her feet, thrust her from him, and turned
away.
On his way home, after the play, TO his lodp.
ings in Howard street. Strand. George Knev7t
was confronted by two men.
What would you with me, Sir Owen p he
demanded
'1'd send my fist down your throat vaga-
bOndn 10
II have no quarrel with you, Sir Owen. Let
me pass"
Sir owen by way of answer dashed his hat in
"C5ward and brute!" cried Knevit. as he
sprung back and drew his sword. Defend
| yourseltW
may, gentleman can't cross weapons with
| mOuntebank, though he may wear the finest
diamonds IN the world" said Major Moxon.
Stand away, SIR; you have no share in this
quarrel 1t was none of my seeking: but beinp
begun, it shall 90 on. My bloods up now,
| Draw, Sir Owen, as you are mani
Major Moxon pull ed away his friend.
! "Poltroon as well as sot!n cried the actor
| NAY you don't escape me. Sure q blow will
| kindle your dull DOORS blood.D And with the
Fat OF his sword he struck Sir Owen on the
| shoulder.
"Let me fight him !" bawled the baronet
NAY, we've better card than that to plav ~
The major whlstled. Three men sprang from
the shadow OF doorway. I'VE cudgel players;
we don't cross swords with them. That's your
Knevit was surrounded. He sought to defend
himself with his sword, but savage blow broke
his wrist, and his weapon fell from his grasp
| "Help help watch !n-he screamed Sir
owen and his friend made good their escape.
The blows rained down upon the face and
| head and shoulders of the devoted PLAYER
Streaming with blood, he tell in the roadway
dead man,
A few more cowardly blows as he lay sense
less on the ground, and his assailants hurried
! away.
The watch came up slowly, after their man
| ner, recognized the suffering man, and bore
him to mis- lodgings. '"They had suspicious -
they averred, "as to the guilty persons. Sir
| Owen rice and Major MoXon had been seen
lettering about, swearing to have George
Knevirs blood. They (the watch) knew thai
no good would come OF 1T all. They said SO
from the first"
VII.
George Knevit never spoke more. A skilfu
chirurgeon was called in; but he at once pro
nounced the case hopeless. The poor player;
| wounds were mortal.
He still breathed; that was all that could bt
said. For the rest, he lay stretched upon hi!
bed, motionless, inanimate, hight napkin
hiding the bruised, disfgured, maltreated face
Mrs. Askew had been sent for, and was ad.
mitted to The chamber in which he lay. She
was trembling in every limb, white as ghost,
sick with terror and anguish. How she shivered
and turned away as she beheld the napkin
! hiding the Antinous features she was never
more to look on!"
II may speak to him ?-I may take his hand ?'
she asked family.
eyes, if you will have 1t so, mistress" said
the doctor. "It little matters what is done
now. Only don't remove the cloth from his
face ~
She knelt down by the players bedside, and
took his hand between hers. She trembled-
his hand was so cold.
at he could only hear me !" she moaned.
And the tears streamed down her face. She
was left alone with him.
Presently she was moved by sort of crazy
fancy that she would speak TO him, even though
he could not hear her, even though he was
wholly dead to her.
II have loved you-loved you ever, George
she began IN a low soft voice: ''God knows |
have! and you have misjudged me misiudged
me cruelty. Yet it was not your fault, dearest
l ought to have told you all, all, from the first
but shame kept me silent. My father is in
prison on q charge of coming. | shrHnk from
telling you. feared you would think me also
involved in the disgrace, and so, unworthy OF
your love. When | listened to this dreadful
man-this Welsh fend, this monster, who has
brought death upon you, dearest, and misery
worse than death upon me-and did listen TO
him. vet not as YOU thought-it was to win him
oVer-for he is powerful, and has powerful
friends at cOurt-tO obtain my fathers pardon.
| Was il so great a sin? Could refuse his pre-
sents? / did not dare. To offend him was to
! lose all hope of saving my fathers life, Yet
| never never, George, was guilty in deed, or
word, or thought OF the SIN you charged me
| with For that most miserable ring-I gave it
| YOU because loved you, because thought its
| value might cause ii to be of use to you some
day. For no other reason, George dearest-for
| no other reason. Heaven is my witness. Oh, If
you could hear me, you, would pardon me-
| know, am sure you would, my loVe-my life
my own dear one!n
As she spoke, she started. The cold hand
| she pressed in hers seemed to grow less cold
| stirred-then ever so lightly and tenderly
| closed round her fingers and returned their pres
| sure.
She knew then that she had been heard, and
| that she had been forgiven. She covered the
hand with her kisses, sought to warm 1t in her
| bosom, mostened it with her tears, then fell in
a sort of swoon by the bedside of her lover.
'The man is dead, stone dead" said the chi
| rurgeon presently, when he entered the room
| For this poor woman, God help her / think
her mind has gone forever"
VIII.
"You remember my saping the other night,
| when he went to the theatre in Lincoln's-nn-
fields, that wished the comedy had been
| tragedy" said Mr.. Herveyto his friend.
| Certainly, Ned: you made some SUCH Speech
know" replied Sir Geohrey. ..oo,o o,,d
/ MIa1I l. had a TVtnEf