The Portland daily press., 1871-10-04
Lady Thornhurst's Daughter
CHAPTER l.

;,,1 n,hiot hos stood a couple OF centuries.
a iitt,e distance in the rear OF the house
ara ont-buildings all indicative OF the extreme
Thrift ana prosperity OF the owner OF heu-
ruth Moor. 40 dov
Thai owner, twenty years ago, as To-Day,
was Miss Jacobea Redruih. She was ana -
possessed of flstclass business aDlilIlfs' %cr
i've in her habits, keen, sharp Wltted' anu heI
own farm manager ,..,...
She was not woman of social habits, nor
particularly given to Hospitality lhtfe was
a vein of parsimony in her nature, That made
social Gatherings at her expense positive
n,in b1I she had come OF a fine old county
family. and her ancient name and excellent
lineage procured her friendly recognition and
formal visits from the various county mag
mates. These visits were as formally return
ed at stated periods, and but for their small
break in TIE even course OF her existence.
II IS Redruth would have led the life OF re-
cluse.
Lac one afternoon in May, nearly twenty
years ago, Miss Redruth was ted i'm her
drawing room, after her usual afternoon GUS
tom. Her chair was drawn up before an open
DOW WINDOW, and she was looking out into
the depths OF an apple orchard, which was
covered with bloom, with strangely intent
gaze. One might have supposed her engaged
III aostluse calculations as to the probable
yield OF the fruit-trees but a second glance at
her deeply contracted brows and troubled lace
would have testified that her thoughts had d
deeper ard more unquet source.
She was a gaunt, grim woman of middle
age and of masculine appearance. She had a
hard face and a hard nature. She had no
tender womanly ways, 10 gentle womanly
sympathies, no sentlmentality, as she loved to
say, no iondness Tor womanly empoyments.
RedIuGh Moor was not an entaied estate
and Miss Redruth had Inherited it from her
father. The present representative of the
proud old family was Col. RedrutA, her broth
er an army officer, who had spent most of
his life in India, and whose arrival she vas
now momentarIly expecting at her home, at
ter an absence from his native land tor many
years. There was more of dread than of 10y
Gus ANTICIPATION i'll the manner Of Miss Red
ruth, "a the moment OF the Colonies appear
ance drew near.
~ nat can 1 say to him ?" she muttered
uueasily. What will he say to me when be
knows all? L wish the meeting were over.
Alb there he comes"
The carriage she had sent to Sleaford to
meet her brother, was in fact at that moment
seen returning at a swift pace along the dusty
road. 1t turned in at the wide farm gates
and came up the carriage sweep toward the
porch. Miss Redruth arose after mechani-
cal fashion from her chair, al went slowly
out lnJo the wide hall, advancing TO the
threshold to meet her relative
The o zen carriage came nearer. Upon the
back seat sat gentleman whose face flushed
at sight of her, and who took off his hat as a
sudden rush OF emotion swept over his soul.
The carriage drew up at the porch, and the
gentleman sprang lightly out and ran up the
steps.
Jacob! My dear sister!' he cried, in deep,
agtated tones, embracing her 'sYou have
not changed, at least, in the nine years since
we partedw
Miss Redruh submitted to the embrace,
and presented her right cheek to her brothers
caress, but she did not offer to kiss him. She
Was superior TO such small weaknesses.
j an glad to see YOU back in England.
George" she exclaimed quietly. You have
changed, l think; but then your life has not
been so quiet as mine"
obe Withdrew herself from his arm and led
him into the lon, quaint, pleasant drawing
room.
The Colonel halted just within the thresh-
old, nd looked about the room with an eager.
expectant gaze.
He was a handsome, distinguished looking
man, OF some fifty years, with complexion
deeply bronzed by Indian suns, with keen,
dark eyes, a grand head, and black hair al
ready sreaked with gray. He wore iron-gray
military Whiskers, and his massive eyebrows
wee OF iron-gray, also, giving to his noble
countenance look OF stemnesS and command
that well became him.
Where is Ignatia?' he asked, his face sud
denly clouded with disappointment. "Why is
not my child here TO welcome her father?
She-she is not i'll ?"
No, GEORGE" answered Miss Redruth. with
embarrassment. "She does not know that
you are expected to day. | thought it best
not 10 tell her, and-and l sent her out in her
little pony chaSe Tor drive"
Intending to let her find me here on her
retuln?' SAID the Colonel, his brow clearing
You meant to surprise her? VIII she be
back soon?"
sit down. George" said Miss Redrnth,
with petoepube uneasness 81 have some
thing TO tell you before Ignatia comes. Did
dld you hear anything over at leaford? Did
You meet any one you used to knowp
81 did not" said the Colonel wonderingly,
seating himself at a window commanding a
view OF the road. "Was there anything for
me to bear ?" he added with sudden change
OF coun erance. "rhe child has not grown
detormed, nor bad the small pox, nor"
How old do you think the child is ?" de-
manded Mss Redruth grlmy. "You lett her
little girl and she seems but little girl to
you still. But she is twenty years old, wo-
man grown"
IAN, yes" sighed the Colonel. She has
left behind her her childhood, but she will be
something nearer and dearer to me than sim
ply child. She will be my companion, my
friend. She will console me in part for the
loss OF her mother. Does she fulfill her child
lsh promise OF beauty aud 9racePn
she does" sad Miss Redruth, setting her
lips together.
u know that she is good" said the Indian
soldier, with tender emphasis. 81 remember
well her loving, sensitive nature, her winning
ways, her bright, impetuous spirit. sAShe had
n"Je intellectwyou do not mean, Jacob,
that she is not so clear-headed as she was ?"
he added, in sudden alarm.
''No. she knows enough" was the reluctant
reply;
"Ah," said the Colonel trying to smile
"She has lover then? That is to be expected
at her age"
"You should have come home sooner.
George" said Miss Redruth. People who
have children should stay with them and take
care Of them"
II could not well come home earlier, ia
cob" said the Colonel. "My daughter is an
helress, and as such must take her place in
society. II she has an unworthy lover, will
undertake to wean her heart from him, Sure
~ sue cannot resist her fathers loving coun-
sels."
1t is too late for counsels," said Miss Red
ruin, with sort OF grim desperation "Ig.
DatIa Redruth is beyond the reach of advice.
You need not blame me, George. Ignatia her
sell will clear my skirts of bIame. 1t is no.
my fault II she has wrecked your hopes, and
made herself bed OF living Goals to lie on"
Tue ColonePs lace grew suddenly pale.
The grizzled mustache on his upper lip trem-
oled convusively.
What has she done?' he asked, in
hoarse whisper
Married a dissolute fellow"
Married? Good Heavensr'
~ III Is SO, George" said Miss Redruth.
"She has been married nearly four
yeaIs"
-, -Four years? And you never told me !?
she never wrote that she wss married. -Four
yearsp
es. Let me tell you how it happened
About four years ago, a regiment was station
ed within twenty miles OF us, and its officers
were to be met at all the best houses in this
part of country. Ignatia was bat school
girl under goveness, to whom [ LETT the
direction of her pursuits ana mo Vemepts. Ig-
malta had a number of girl friends, whom she
was often allowed to visit. At the house OF
o7e OF these friends she met Captain Digby
Holm. He was handsome, after the STYLE
girls like, suppose, and became tie rage as
the phrase is. He comes of a GOOD family.
but Is dissolute. His own father has disown-
ed him. He is thoroughly bad, but has spe-
cious appearance. He fell in love with Igna-
tia and she with him, and one day the pre-
cious pair came into this very room and ask
ed my consent to their marriage"
'Well?" SAID the Colonel, his face CHASTITY
white, his voice trembling
"Of course | refused my consent" said Miss
Redruth. 81 sent Ignatia to her school room
and att-r featuring Captain Holm dismissed
him from the house / thought that was the
e eng OF the matter, but it seemed it was not.