National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-01-13

obscure lodgings until hor bloom had fhded, ana hh
had grown thin and wan and nervous MY lathe
visited us at stated seasons. once or twice week
but no never brought any OF his family 10 call upoi
us ! doubt II his aristocratic relatives even sus
pected the existence Of the faded wife aud son 0
whom he was secretly ashamed. have good reason
To believe that he had hne lodgings ut the Yves
End where he was supposed 10 be bachelor, an'
that he went into fashionable society, while my poo
mother and lived obscurely lie was aprohigat'
aud roua but he had All air OF fashion that awak
encd my boyish admiration, and aroused my moth
or'- aheotionate prio Ia him. She was Away
pleading to be introduced TO his relatives and tc
have her BON publicly acknowledged. But my father
always put her OF. saying that he was not yet ready
Worn out and desparing. my mother died when
was ten years old"
Again the wind shrieked past again tho little YES
sci urched, the sea sweeping her deck.
The captain screamed his orders TO his men. aud
for II few minutes disorder reigned.
"a nasty bit OF weather /" said Lowder, And a
/ bad skyi"
Eyes. but I've seen as bad" returned Tressilian
I'VE shall make port all right, never fear We must
be well on toward the Cape de Gallo. And it's only
seven miles from the Cape to Palermo"
But the miles In this storm are worse
dangerous, Trcssiian."
Iowder shuidered as he surveyed sea and sky.
But about your father, Jasper" said Tressilan.
who had become deeply interested in his compan-
ons story "wha did he do after your mother
deathf'
81 rcn'a'N,a - 49, IA lodgings with our single
old servant a month or more ny r~.~,- Waiting me
several times and expressing anxiety as u what lie
shosld do with week after my mother Il
death he told me that his brother was dead. A
month later his father was killed by bong thrown
rom his horse. My father came into riches aud
honors by these deaths. At last deciding TO rid
himself of me, he took me down to Brighton. to my
old grandmother. Her sons were dead; she had
given up keeping dodgers and was grown misery.
lie promised her fiyo hundred pounds year TO keep
me- and to keep also the secret ~ my paternity,
solemly promising TO acknowledge me some day Is
his son and heir. The old woman agreed TO carry
out his wishes She would have done anything for
money. | never my father again. went 10
school, grew up and at the age of twenty-one came
into my grandmother money, the fruits OF years of
saving she dying at that time. My father had de.
liberately abandoned me did not know where to
seek him II had wished TO. took my money and
came abroad had been two years on the Contin-
rnt. and had spent my little fortune when met you.
The rest you know"
"Au ODD romantic story But why did your father
abandon you ?"
THAT he might be freed Of encumbrance 10 make
! a grand iage. FROM what my grandmother said
at dificrent times conclude that my father was in
. love Win n tbeu lhuS belOft my HotHtl uthln
No doubt he married this lady. If he lives this
lady's may be his Acknowledged heir. Ny father
has utterly disowned the son OF his first hasty i'll
starred marriage. have q fancy that shall meet
him some day" and Jasper's brow darkened to
deeper black " However, stand no chance o!
ever receiving justice at his hands"
What is your fathers name, Jasper1" asked
Tressilian
Lowder's face darkened, He bit his lip savagely.
What have told you about myself learned from
my own observations, from chance words of my
Darents and grandmother NV mothers maiden
name Jeanette Lowder. At our London lod5
ings, my father bore the name OF Lowder. ! don't
know his real name, but should know his face any
where, although have not seen him in thirteen
years. Ny mother actually married, Tressilian
but never heard my fathers name The clergyman
who married my mother was dead the witnesses
also. When my grandmother was dying she tried to
tell the story. She had put it of too long. All
that could understand Of her muInblings was the
name of DovereuX. / shall never forget that name
-'DEvEREux! Probably that was my fathers name
my rlghtful name. But as should never find
him if sought him, and as he would repulse me If
! did find, | stand no chance of inheriting his pro
perty. He may be dead He may have other sons
who have succeeded him. 1t is all mystery. but
the prominent truth is that am an outcast, poor,
disowued and frendless."
He leaned over the bulwark, the spray dashing
his face violently
Tressilians heart warmed TO him.
Ny poor iriend!' he said. Must say again
you are not friendless while hive. My father has
influence enough to obtain for youa government ap-
pointnent. This tanglc may straghten itself out
to make your own happiness"
He grasped Lowder's hand and looked with warm
bright eyes, full of sympathy. into Lowder's lower
ing f1ce.
There had been temporary hull in the storm. But
the two stood there, the tempest revived and
swept over the wild sea in maddened rage.
There was tue for talking now The wind rose
so high thai words would scarcely have been distin-
guished. The storm that had gone before mad been
but play to tn awful outbCrst. The vessel drove
creakng and groaning amere cookie shell on the
pillows.
a Mother OF Mercies :" walled the captain. "Ite
all up with signores. can make out the Cape
in this dai kness. We shall go on tho rocks. ST
Anthony usl"
The seamen echoed his cries.
The two young Englishnen, eomprehendinS their
peril, clasped hands in silence.
For the next few minutes it seemed that Paude-
monium reigned.
Then a noise like the report of a cannon suddenly
doomed through the storm and the darkness. The
little vessel shiyered, staggered and tareenel upon
her side
She had struck upon rock
A moment later crew and passengers were st'ug'
cling in the waters.
lew moments Of butfetings and tosspgs. of vain
struggles and agonzed, involuntary prayer and then
Jasper Lowder felt his senses slip from him, and
became unconscious.
When he came to himself. he was lying upon a
rocky beach of the Sclian shore, sore, bruised and
weak child.
Lowder struggled to his elbow.
" Wrecked" he muttered. ' / arn east ashore, /
while the others drowned oh. this is terrible
| have lost my best friend to. night"
He moan ed and wrung his hands.
d" He il dead. who would have done 20 much Tor
me, and l so worthless saved! All my hopes Of |
an easy and luxurious life must be resigned nowl'
At that moment he beheld dark object at little ,
distance in the water The waves hurled this object
against the projecting head Of sunken rock At the
same instant Lowder recognized 1t as the body OF
man.
He crept toward it, and the waters dashed the body
on the shore at his feet. He put his hands the ,
face. How cold and wet it was Lowder's fingers |
came i'll contact with the soft, silken mustache and
he knew that the body was that of Guy Tressiliani
OF the Eve who had stood on the sloop's de a
half hour earlier these two alone were left The cap
tain and his had found their deaths among the
cruel yawIin8 waters.
Iou1ier thrust his hand under he waistcoa, of his
friend. but he could not p re i've the beating Of his
heart Despair took posse ssou Of him.
Dead 70 he said shrilly. Dead, And he would
have done 80 much for me II he had liyedi And his
Will wait in vain for his coming His place at Tres
sian Court is empty. Who can I'LL itf'
1t seemed to him hat some demon at his side
echoed the questiou Who could M tie place ieH
vacant by noble Guy Tressilin
thought came TO him--a thought so strange and
sinister that he shivered involuntarily. Again he
his hand. He passed his hand over Tressilians
head and discovered q gaping wound in the skull
The hair clotted with blood.
Putting his hand into his breast pocket, Lowder
drew out his little water proof match He open
ed it with trembling fingers and struck light. The
red flicker danced young Tressiian's lace.
How easily and terrible 1t looked The eyes were
closed the smile gone The seal Of death seemed
set the noble features.
Lowder examined the wound. 1t had been made
by contact with the sharp rock, and even Lowder
perceived its terrible character.
II he is not dead. he soon will be" he muttered.
" His brain has received an awful injury He will
never know who he is again. He won't live till
morning, and he is perhaps dead already. He must
be dead -
Again it seemed TO him as though some demon
echoed his words. !
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