The New Orleans crescent., 1868-09-06
THE LIGHTS ON swYNErH.s HEAD.
CHAPTER IA NoRrnERN COAST.

CHAPTER IA NORTHERN COAST.
The tide was out, and the air that blew over the
Hong stretch Of yellow sand was very fresh and
sgente. too, for March, which mouth does not
always come in like a hon, but sometimes in.
verses the proverb. There was a boat high ana
dry on the beach; there was something that
cooked like fishing. nets; and there were two or
three figures dotted about the sands.
All this Lacy Fernham saw from the drawing.
foom windows OF the big, irregularly built house
(Which stood in its own grounds, nearly quarter
Sf mile inland, and which belonged to Sir Trevor
Pole, n sster Of the Redheld pack. There was a
good many guests assembled In that drawing.
SOom, and OF these Lucy knew that she was the
'star and center. She would have told you so yery
bitterly. She remembered, only twelve months
hgo, looking out OF cottage window on a wilder
coast than this, and being superciliously ques-
Toned respecting the road by one of these very
gentlemen who paid court TO her so deferentally
Tow. Neither, as queen, did she always spare
her subjects.
"You must remember, my lord, )" she would sav
20 Lord Charles Fairstairs, " just such coast
iine as that, with the bits of white hscking it,
jllown at Gwyneth's Head, you know, where you
lost your way"
And my lord would idget and stammer, and
pluiter internally, " The deuce y and Outwardly
fsist the thing into the most winning of compli.
s1lents. For Lucy was an heiress. / don't think
abe was any happier for that. Sometimes the fact
geemed TO have got into her life and poisoned it.
" was hWhys DtlOro ner. cne read lt even in the
Invitation of Sir Trevor and Lady Pole, for had
trey not SON. And was not Sir Trevor noto.
sSOusly ruined by the fOx-hounds? She read IL in
tie group OF gentlemen that always gathered
round In the Difference which poor, quiet Lady
POle showed TO her; and she saw il, palmer than
ever. In the tall figure Of her uncle, Mr.. Geoffry
FerDham, as he came through the folding doors of
the inner drawing-room, smiling when he caught
her eye.
BE was a wonderful old gentleman; straight as
a dart hia hair uulta uhita hia rfoo
and bis wealth fabulous. This was the accep epted
version OF him. No one knew exactly where he
had originally sprung from. or, indeed, much about
him. Ventarous theorists affirmed that his money
was the result of mercantile speculstions; Others
that it had descended TO him in the form of large
estates in North America. Bat, at any rate, il
DOESN'T so much matter where money comes from,
II Il Is an existing fact; and Geotffy Fernham's
social status was unquestioned. He went every.
where was rather deferred to than pstronized;
aud II, through age and unconfessed indrmity, his
popularity had at all threatened to decrease, he
had recently sent II up above his former level by
adopting his niece, and causing it to be under.
stood that she Was his sole heiress.
AS be came through the folding doors this even.
ing, he saw Lucy, as usual, like a queen holding a
Little court. and, rather tired of H. lust glsncing
towards him as be made his way with his accus.
toned quiet grace to prie-dieu near her. For
this extraordinary Old man never lounged or If he
did. no man ever saw him do it,
They were talking about the Reddeld hounds,
and the next days meet at the Cross Roads
which was to be the last meet Of the season.
All! said Mr.. Fernhsm. CHATS a place
where they would have buried suicide some
years ago-for punishment, | suppose. It's odd.D
Nobody liked the interruption. unless perhaps
1t was Lucy herself; but young Trevor Pole out
Of poliieness, asked: What is odd, Mr.. Fern
hsmi"
. The prejudice that existed, and still exists.
against suicide. Death is generally a painful
word" said Mr.. Fernham. carelessy, as though
to him ell words were alike; bat of all deaths
the one called natural must be the most terrible.
In your own hands the work would be nstautane-
ous, and, properly managed painless-taking
place at the very moment when life ceases to
have anything to offer IN return for the burden of
living. There was rather q good story In Back.
wood touching on this. Irs long time ago,
and was only the story of dream. very sens-
BILE dream, though. Suppose a msn-take Sir
Trevor here, for instance-has had his day, en-
joyed all bis good things 10 his time, and has now
only to give up 10 his and sink into insignif.
canoe. Well, instead of dragging on the shadow
OF life that was once good, suppose he ceases
to be. There is no necessity to use hard words
He might simply cease TO be. No one need in.
quire about him. He toaS; his son is. There is
great simplicity in the theory"
Mr.. Fernhsm looked up as be finished saw the
discomfort and perplexity on the faces around
him. and its own lost its dreamy, abstrac ted ex.
preston.
|" Bot you were speaking of the meet - he said.
III Will De tplenu1o LOT IL. on can see
that the sun will set without a cloud, aud the wind
is AZ it should be. Lucy, you will ride A"
"ro see them throw OF" replied Miss Fern
ham.
There was q chorus of explanations at this
from the gentlemen.
MIR. Fernham listened and one white hand
shaded his mouth. think that the curl on Lucys
lip might have found its reflection there, only
without bitterness. Bitterness Involves TO a Ger.
tain extent, suffering and in Geofry Fernham's
creed IL was not worth while to exalt the little
amusements Of social life into channels for irrta-
ton,
Perhaps Lucy is right" said the old man.
" She doesn't care for leaping and do not.
was mad enough In my young days, but now"
There BOT likely TO be leso worth the name
in to morrow's run. interposed Trevor Pole, Jr.
For which speech bis guests and companion cour-
tiers csuld have broken him upon the wheel, for
why not, at least. make believe there we're gallant
things TO be done!
-, |" g9less they take the Mallers Collar" put in
That reminds me !" said his son. "I met Archer
Denson proving about the MAllet's Collar this
moraipg. asked him here, sir.n
dead silence followed this speech n was
certain that Miss Fernham had looked IN with
sudden charge Of countensnce at the name vonn
Poles uttered; but that might have been msrs
accif ent. Anyhow, there ran through the CON-
tiers an instructive feeling Of jealousy and dislike
20 the new conner. Each one Of them fattered
himself that he was getting on so well with the
Hads she known him before! What made