The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-01-04
l.Eao iuan,asi } s6oaa! !Aha sisillsah.s6aat

'EheDaptasn } k6ddal laha 6isfllsah' s6ast
shall, 81 "a Tie hsY 81, PsIsrmo. In
sssss sess ,5ssss; ssn, y BSi sa in sits ;ss
the best supperwhinh Mesaer Ragusa can
furnish. .And-to-morrow, at noon," he
added, 1--WE shall embark for Marseilles
in Messageries steamer"
"And from Marseilles you will proceed
to England and to Tressilian Court, u
said Lowder, with some bitterness.
| "And What is to become of me? /
have had year of unalloyed happiness,
and now comes back the drudgery, the
hopeless toll, the anxieties of the
wretched old life. You picked me up at
Baden, poor adventurer seeking to gain
living by teaching English, and the
| same destiny is open to me now"
1'ressiian turned his handsome face
| upon his companion in surprise and al
fectionate reproach.
"Jasper" he exclaimed, ''you talk
strangely. Do you suppose L have called
you friend and brother SO long, and
loved you so we'll, to lose you now? +
meant to have written to my father con
cerning you and your future, Jasper;
but his sudden recall, received yester-
day, causes me to return home without
writing. I shall telegraph from Mar
seilles that you will come home with
me: And you will, will you not2 You
will not abandon me, my friend? will
charge myself with your future. I will
see that you obtain the position to which
your talents entitle you. You have no
ties to keep you on the continent?"
A strange expression passed over Jas
per Lowder's face.
''No, have no ties" he said, huskily.
''And you will go home with meP"
"What will your father say to my
coming?" demanded Lowder. "He will
think your generosity Quixotic. He
will dismiss from his house the hired
companion who dares to resemble his
son"
A sudden lurch of the little vessel, a
, wave sweeping over the deck, interrupt
ed the sentence.
"You wrong my father" said Tresil-
lian, his blue eyes kindling, when the
man in the world. He will welcome my
friends as his own. You will love him,
Jasper, as do, when you know him."
He doesn't seem very affectionate, -
remarked Lowder. "You have been
away from your home for five years, and
he has but just recalled you'll"
Young Tressillian's cheeks flushed, as
Lowder saw in the lurid glow that mo-
mentarily lighted up the tempestuous
scene.
"You know, or can guess the reason,
Jasper" he said, with something of an
effort "My father has ward, the
daughter of an old friend. All! hear
that wind shriekI The gale is increas-
ingiw ;,
ward is Miss Irby-the golden haired
Blanche OF whom you have talked so
much, and with whom you have ex-
changed letters?'
"Yes. My father formed project to
have me marry Blanche. He did not
wish us to grow up together, lest we
should learn to regard each other as
brother aud sister. When Blanche
came to live at tho Court, my father
sent me to Germany. Tho night before
left home, he called me into his library
and told me oil his hopes and plans for
my future, and entreated me to con-
tinue worthy of his innocent ward, and
to keep my heart pure for her. 1 have
done SO, Jasper. I have never yet loved
any woman. And yesterday I received
my fathers summons to come home.
He has recalled me after five years of
absence. l know the wish that lies
nearest his heart. He wants me to re-
turn and marry Blanche. I shrink from
the proposed marriage. I dread going
home. And I dread offending my dear
father, whom I love better than any
woman. 1t is hard, Jasper, to revolt
against the hopes and plans of kind
and generous father, whose very love for
me causes him to urge on this mnrriage!'
''Is it?" said Lowder. dryly, and with
il strange smile full of sneeripg bitter
ness. my experience has been widely
different from yours. Tressilian. Did
ever tell you of my father?"
'.No. I took it for granted that he
is dead"
perhaps lie is. I don't know" said
Lowder, with reckless laugh. "But if
be ia living. be ;s g soouI1rei. Don't
start, Tressilian, at my unflial speech.
Wait till you hear my story. + am in a
desperate mood tonight. This storm
stirs mp oil the bad within me. AS near
ly as can discover, my father was the
younger son of proud old County