The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-05-11

the open road. She ran up the hill. She
pushed back the iron gate that stood
ajar, and went through under the line OF
| fir trees.
1t was frightfully dark there. Only
in an angle Of the wall, glass door,
opening on terrace, b!inked broadly
across the gloom. Moved by q sudden
impulse, Barbara turned aside from the
main entrance. Parting the wet shrub
berry with both hands, she went up to
the lighted door and looked in.
She saw splendid room, glittering
with green and gold. Wax-lights burn
ed on the mantel. A portrait of Colonel
Basil, with vail of Grape upon it, look
ed down from the wall As chance
current of air thrust this vail away, il
seemed to Barbara that the pictured face
beneath took to itself a strange, baleful
glare in the faring and fading of the
waN-lights .
As she stood watching it in q sort of
weird fascination, hand slipped out of
the darkness behind her and fell upon
her shoulder. 1t was strong hand, and
it held her firmly Barbara shrieked
aloud. '
cat lastr' said John Basil-"at last,
Barbara, you have come to men'
He was close at her side, his pale, ,smi-
ling face glittering in the light.
"Ycs," she answered, shuddering, II
have come" ...
With one hand he flung back the glass
door; with the other he drew her, faint
and shivering into the room beyond.
"Now," said John Basil, "speak Bar
bara, and tell me all"
She stood at one end Of the hearth, he
at the other; she looked across at him.
Under her shawl her graceful hands were
elinched fast together.
81 am here" she began, "because it is
the last hope left me-because, if you
will, you, and you only, can give me
help! Do you understand 7"
He drew forth his mourning handker-
chief; and wiped his face composedly.
mo. Imust beg you to proceed"
"Ycu are rich," she said, ''you are
powerful. Do you think that do not
know that yotiA-you only-your riches,
your power, your bitter hate-wroaght
the condemnation of-of--"
sSav il out" cried John Basil-"say
it out. Barbara = of the murderer of my
father" a.
She madea slight gesture, lifting her
eyes to the portrait upon TIE wall.
81 come" she answered steadily, "to
ask you to save him from shameful,
cruel death. l come to entreat you to
gain for him little time-a few weeks
longer, u few months-only little time.
He fixed his steel blue eyes darlly
upon her. She shuddered at the passion
that erept stealthily into them.
Barbara, you still believe the man in
nocent? 2" aa -..
"Yes, most certainly" ... ...
"You still love him p
'Yes, most faithfully" ...s..
John Basil struck his cleuched hand
upon the mantel. ......
"Then, by the Heaven above us" he
cried out, sit is time for me to tell you
all 1t is time for you to know in muir
dering my father, Dirck Cuyler only full
filled life long plan of vengeance. He
could have no mercy for the, man who
had shamed him in his BIRTH Barbara
your precious lover was my fathers base.
born son. He is my-brother!"
The room, the portrait on the wall
that mocking blonde face reeled and
swan before Barbara's sight She would
have fallen where she stood, had not
John Basil caught her upon his arm.
"1Eis is the secret of their last inter
view at the tavern he went on 'this is
the something of which he refused tC
speak. Barbara, dare you look me in the
face now, and tell me that he is limo
cent p
She withdrew herself from his arm
She looked him in the face, indeed; bu
her own was white and fearful.
"Is 1t truei' she cried; "oh, as Goo
hears us, tell me, is it true? ?"
cit is-it is %
"And you have kept the secret throug
out his trial g? You have hunted hin
pitilessly to his death-you, his brother !
John Basil smiled whimsically.
barbara, the secret is his, not mine
Why trouble myself about it? 1t was
only the last damning proof of his guilt
not needed, as you see, to convict him.
She clasped her hands, crying out
sharply:
"John Basil, You have no mercy, nc
PITY You hate him still, as you have
always hated him. You would not raise
hand to save him from his fate Yor
would not ask respite for him if pray
ed you on my knees. see it i'll YOU
cruel, cruel facer' He gnawed his lip
smiling upon her all the while.
barbara, yes. That is all quite true
and yet, for your sake, will save him.
''Do not mock me.'
He came close up to her. The old saw
age passion famed anew il his face.
Promise to give him up, forever
promise to become mine, ,only-my wife
Barbara-and l swear to you that | vii
save him! Though hate him with tn
hatred of hell, though he is the murdere
of my father, will save him"
Barbara's pale, distracted face put o.
a strange look. Sacrifice herself and re
deem the man she oved,?-guilty or III
noceqt, redeem him p? Why not? Ate
that, she could die. r.... ....
Barbara, hear me! This love 70
you is eating my heart ont, must pos
sess you or die. No price is too cost
for me to pay for you-give me but you
word, aud l will be content. Lay you
hands in mine-promise to become N
wife, and say to you again, Dirck Guy
Ter shall go free"'
She was surely mad. Blindly sl
reached forth her hands He presse
them in his own so fiercely that Dire
Cuyler's ring, shining on the left one CT
sharply into the flesh. The red bloc
trickled down her finger. With a star
Barbara awoke from her fatal tranc
She wrenched herself free. r'
''No, no, =" she cried wildly; 81 al
pledged to him for all time and eternity
Whether he is guilty or innocent, | al