Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-01-06

4 plan TO test the sincerity of his love
l.:u occurred to her, and she meant to put
it into execution And to this end she dis
patched q ls,ter. to the cid lawyer, Sandy
Mcpherson, asking him to pay her visit
CHAPTER II.
THE PLOT LAID.
pay after day went by, and he did not
cone nor did she get any reply 10 her let
ter. What could be the cause Never be-
fore had he failed her, and why should he
do 30 =?
Day and night she reflected on it, and
could arlive at but one conclusion and that
was mat her letter had never reached him.
! Surely ne would have come, and at once,
/ RAD ii come to his hands, and he have been
aole to make the journey.
/ A second message was sent. and this
line che employed messenger of her own,
wish inst, uctions to deliver it into the hands
/ Of nole bat him. Then she waited with
She best patience she could for an answer.
! Meanwhile, every influence that could he
Thought Of vas brought to boar upon her,
| that she might give Allan, favorable an
sxer. Her uncle aunt both plead with her,
declaring that it was the only hope they had
Of retaining their son from the evil to
which his feet tended Should she refuse
him. lie wonld certainly be lost, and his
blood would be upon her hands.
Bcset thus ca every side, Marion hardly
knew what to do. Had she net thought
she could see sinister motives behind all,
she might have been tempted to have given
them hope that she would comply with their
wishes
Could she have been convinced that her
marriage with bsm would alone have effect
ed.his s.lvatioa, she might have been tempt
ed to have succumbed to the influences
brought her But she gave them no hope,
and waited for the coming of Sandy Nc
| PhersCn.
The DAYS went on, and at last it wanted
bpt one of that on which she promised Allen
her answer.
Not sound had she heard from her faith
er's friend, the old LAWYER, nor had the
messenger she sent returned.
Her mind as to the course she should
pursue, was not made up fully. Ii he would
but CONF, that she might have some one
who would advise her impartially. The af-
ternoou was pleasant, and she determined to
have her horse saddled aud brought to the
door, for ride down the valley.
Allan offered to accompany her, but she
declined his escort. She preferred to ride
alone, she said and though he would glaze
~ have gone, he thought that it would not
be prudent to thrust himself upon her. On
the morrow her answer would be given and
ii stood them all in hacd thai her ightest
wish should be respected.
So she rode away down the dusty road,
and he watched her until she was lost to
view in the edge of the old oak forest.
Onward she rode, with the branches of
the great trees forming an arch above her
head, which excluded the rays Of the sun,
making it cool and pleasant for both her
and her steed. Onward the road stretched
before her the way along which her friend
would come to give her aid and counsel, did
he not arrive too late
As she went on at a gentle pace, she kept
her eyes fixed down the long vista qefore
her, hoping to see sign which should an
nounce the coming Of him whom she SO
longcd to see.
At last when nearly through the wood,
she behed a horseman entering it before
her,
Eagerly she strained her eyes in that d.
recton, hoping from her inmost heart that
it was her old friend coming to council her
to her deliverance.
Shorter and shorter grew the srace be-
tween them and at last all doubt was at an
end.
It was Sandy Mcpherson who was APP
preaching. He recognized her at nearly
the same moment, and putting spurs to his
horse rode rapidly towards her.
In few moments they had met and were
greeting each other cordially.
80, I am so glad that you have come p
said Marion, eagerly. when the first greet
iugs were over Il have the need of coun :
sci from some one in who's, | could trust,
and there was none here to give it. was
afraid that you would fail me and I should
be left to brave my fate alone"
II came as soon as received the word your
messenger brought" returned, the old law
+ YER, earnestly ''Tho first word you sent
/ did not get, through some cause or the
, other, and was away from home when the
last came, But what is this hear, my
: child ? You are not going to marry this
scapegrace of cousin of yours, Allan Fitz
! Martin p
e 81 hardly know, myself" returned Mar
, ion. with distressed and downcast look =
~ have put off until to- morrow when [ an
to give him my answer. And did so wan
to see you before did So"
"And I am here now, my child, and
you must speak freely. 1t is not too late to
! remedy this matter | had little thought OIL
this or I should have been here before of my
own accord had hopes that you thought
favorable of the young Fitzgerald, whom
Y you met SO often in the city last winter, anc
Z who I know loves you dearly"
A bright, rich glow mounted to tho fail
cheeks Of Marion, and she hung down hel
!. head that it might not be seen. But tht
eyes Of the old lawyer were sharp and in
:. terpreted at once to himself what it meant
n and knew that he had not been mistaken =
. So, after a moments thought, seeing tina
e she did not reply he asked:
e Marion, do you love this cousin o
o yours who would wed you ?"
"No, not as feel should my husband, ,
.Lo cod Go nLIv sesssgsstfz