Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1868-04-16

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be so, for all that's come and gone get
/, alone, can san save you from the utteI
ruin that now hovers over you-can cleaI
membranes, and free the old hall from
every debt, which hangs like dOwncling'
ing ivy around it,
And yet you have mortgaged the NOR
cages remarked tie other.
1t will cost me muchto do so--and il
you do not see that what I offer is worth
conditiOns--foB this is not fornaught--
SO / guess, man. But, prithee, proce.
ed said the impatient knight
I can do il, and / will continued
the usurer; 'and since this will cease tc
be a mere matter of common business
your pride will take no fall.'
why, how will that be, Master Poms.
ford!' asked Sir Mark.
The king win knight mel! and The
usurer paused.
will be, i'faiih?' and the cavalier
laughed derisiveIy. Then | envy moi
the kniglhoOd he will rub shoulders
with
DO not vilify him who may yet call
you 'fathern
'Whatp exclaimed Sir Mark, with
fiery eyes, and springIng to his feet,
bis whole gaunt frame IN tremble
I will free yvu from debt--again
place you sole, andisturbed master Of
Osborne HaIl--be friend even young
Howard
'WelI-how--whal2 The conditions!
shouted the knight.
The hand Of your fair daughter
'Ay1'
But there was danger in the old mans
eye.
Give me Mabel for my bride, and /
will make your fortunes frmer than they
ever were before
A loud, ringing, bitter laugh was bis
answer 81
On the other hand, continued the
usurer. retreating, you will lose all. Not
rood Of land, a stick of timber, stone
Of your ancient heritage will be yours
And your fair daughter will find that, if
would love, can also hatep
Dog! watch! seheming lricksterr thun-
dered the knight; was it to this brink
you have ledme, with your cunning lies,
and your cheating fence7' And then,
with a sob and a deep gFoan, be murmer-
ed, My child! oh, my Mabel, my lovely
daughter! to be at this mans mercyp
And as the bitter sobs grew deeper,
and the warm frame, shaken to It's very
centre. sank on the couch. the gray old
head ben, over the breast, and moved
no more.
The usurer was alarmed. He waited.
A long pause of silence followed. Sull
be waited, while an indefinable express.
ion crossed his face. Then be approach
ed the knight.
He took a paper, pens, ink-spread
them on a table before the cavalier
placed the pen in the Handicapped it
in the ink-z-and. holding the faccid hand
IN his own nervous grip, made it trance
a name at the foot of the parchment. 2
SOP be muttered. folding it up, and
putting il away in his vest, III is done!
Il shall be witnessed, though-but that
can be done by my SCRIBE
He went to the door-beckoned a
weazel-faced creature of his own into the
chamber-poinled to the reclining knight,
and said;
you witness this signature. He sleeps
now-don't wake him. Good! Now,
get you to the boat-and be silent as the
dead
The silence af the grave was in the
room. When Mabel come to seek her
father, it was to start the house with her
shrieks and wild out-cries.
Sir Mark Osborne was dead! The
stout heart was broken at least. 1t had
given way in that ignOble strife.
= >
Several days now passed blythe fun
eral took place. The keen, sharp pang
of Mabel's grief had become blunted, not
deadened-nor was the sorrow forgotten
-and variety of circumstances, besides
this. had taken place, which need not be
detailed at length.
Thoughhe had some dread, and not a
little misgiving, the usurer, who would
fain have avoided the place, felt that to
absent himself from the present home of
Mabel nigh. give rise to questions-to
doubts-to suspiclons-and even to some
thing worse-detection.
OF course he was amazed, astonished
and shocked, at hearing of Sir Marks
sudden demise. He had left him, after
some business transacted, and some little
alteration, composed and asleep. No
marks Of violence were seen, and none
were likely TO suspect that his friend
and legal adviser of so many years could
by any hap have attempted personal In
jury. Consequently the shock, the in
quiry, the slight attedant bustle which
succeeded, and which Caleb Pomsford
conducted settling and paying the immed.
late demands Of the hour. were soon
passed over, and Mabel Osborne, her
superb and stately beauty clouded by the
wordless sorrow she fels, began to look
with a stunned sensation to the darkening
vista before her.
He must have had some presentimenl
Of this sudden death, without doubt said
Caleb Pomsford, during an interview
with the pale bu, very beautiful orphan
girl, and speaking of the catastrophe
that robded her Of her last friend, for
be alluded to your friendless position,
should such occur, on the very afternoon
Iparted with him; in effect, continued