The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-10-20

take care OF Them.
al could not we'll come home earlier
Jacob" said the Colonel. my daughter is
an heiress, and as such must take her place
in society. If she has an unworthy lover, |
will undertake to wean her heart from him.
Surely she cannot resist her fathers loving
counsels."
at is too late FOR counsels," said Miss
Redruth, with a sort of grim desperation.
Ignatia Redruth is beyond the reach of
advice. You need not blame me, George.
| lgnatia herself will clear my skirts of
blame. 1t is not my fault if she has wrecked
your hopes, and made herself bed of liv-
| ing Goals to lie n"
The Coloners face grew suddenly pale.
The grizzled moustache on his upper lip
trembled convulsively.
"What has she done?" he asked, in a
hoarse whisper.
Married dissolute fellow"
Married? Good heavens"
at is so, George" said Miss Redruth.
"She has been married nearly four years"
Four years? And you never told me |?
She never wrote that she was married Four
yearsv
Yes. Let me tell you how it happened
About four years ago regiment was sta
toned within twenty miles of us, and its
officers were to be met at all the best houses
in this part of the county. Ignatia was but
a schoolgirl, under a governess, to whom
left the direction of her pursuits and move
ments. Ignatia had a number of girl
friends, whom she was often allowed to visit.
At the house of one of these friends she met
Captain Digby Holm. He was handsome,
after the style girls like, suppose, and
became the rage, as the phrase is. He
comes of good family, but is dssolute. His
own father has dsowned him. He is thor
oughly bad, but has specous appearance.
He fell in love with Ignatia, and she with
him, and one day the precious pair came into
this very room and asked my consent to their
marriage"
Well?" said the Colonel, his face ghast-
ly white, his voice trembling.
"Of course | refused my consent" said
Miss Redruth. " | sent Ignatia to her
school room, and after lecturing Captain
Holm, dismissed him from the house. |
thought that was the end of the matter, but
it seemed it was not. The upshot of the
matter was, that Captain Holm and my
niece were married quietly without my
knowledge, by special license, at Sleaford,
to which place Ignatia and her governess
had gone in the pony chase on the pretense
of wishing to match Berlin wool out really
to meet the fellow"
" But how could he procure a license to
marry child of sixteen, without the con-
sent of her relatives?"
" Captain Holm is not punctilious about
speaking truth" said Miss Redruth bitterly.
He may have declared Ignatia to be of
age At any rate he returned IN the chaise
with the girl and her governess, and an
nounced himself to me as Ignatia's husband.
l did not know what to do. dared not
write to you
"And this precious son-in-law of mine
is he in the house." demanded the Colonel
sternly, with lowering brows.
No; he lived here with Ignatia for a
! year or more, for would not let my niece
| 90 from under my roof. He sold out his
commission, and the child has not seen him
in three years. believe he is rowing about
the continent. When he knew her, my
niece was but sallow, uniformed child She
/ is now very beautiful, but that, of course, he
! does not know. Neither does he know that
! she is now an heiress.'
The Colonel arose and paced the floor with
! quick and agitated steps.
Don't reproach me, George" said Miss
Redruth. Have not suffered? How could
| have done differently ?"
Fled TO such a scoundrel, who had not
even the virtue of faithfulness-"
4" She need not be tied to him, George" in
terposed Miss Redruth eagerly. l consult
cd Mr.. Ainsley, my lawyer, you know. He
says that it will be easy to procure divorce
for Ignata."
" Why should not the marriage be set
aside as illegal?" demanded the Colonel.
Miss Redruth colored.
Because-because-" she stammered.
" You see, George, the Holms are rich. Only
two lives stand between Captain Holm and
great estate"
And you want me-a Redruth, and a
rich man-to claim alimony for my daugh-
ter?" cried the Colonel, in a stern ringing
voice. For shame, Jacobea. You would
have me trade on her wrongs? You
would have her accept money from this
scoundrel?"
II" No, no. Hear me-" exclaimed Miss Red
ruth. " would not have the marriage de-
clared illegal, simply because there is an
other person to be considered who has not
yet been mentioned
And who may this person be?
"Ignatia's child!'
" Her child Ignatia's child? Great
heaven! Am dreaming"
"No. wish you WERE" said Miss Red
ruth. There is a child of three years, a
girl. For her sake, as you must see YOUR
self, the legality of the marriage must not
be questioned"
The Colonel did not answer. He strobe
back and forth with bowed head and gath
cred brows, and Miss Redruth dared not
question him, nor even attempt to soothe
him.
don't thlnk Ignata so entlrely TO
blame" she ventured to say, after little.
The Colonel gave no sign that he heard
the observation.
This is a turning point in her life" said
Miss Redruth after another uneasy silence.
81 hope you don't intend to cast her off,
George"
Still no answer from the Colonel.
Miss Redruth turned from the contempla-
ton of his face to the open window, her
firm, hard mouth growing frmer and hard
er, as she compressed it closely. Neither
spoke again until a little basket chaise,
drawn by a stout, shaggy pony, came leis-
urely along the highway and turned into the
open farm gates, and Miss Redruth then ex-
claimed
"Ignata is come. How will you receive
herr"
The Colonel answered in hoarse voice
without looking up:
"Send her to me. Stay-you need not tel
her am here. Let her come in here. And
let us meet alone, Jacob.
Miss Redruth arose and withdrew, the
look of apprehension deepening in her face.
CHAPTER II.