Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-11

Hester rc>i1Hcl AZ ncF approach Al the
movement. tn" dying mou Enclosed his eyes
and in faint voice said
''llow good you were to come to me in this
extremity. This yollng girl has explained to
me that ynrl consented to do 81 As soon as You
heard that son or Mother Church needed
your he'll hu some >rDric power must nave
conveyed "a hr ihr Knowledge that something
,rnical had approached hin for he suddenly
seemed 70 struggle with some deadly opprr--
sion. aud Sinking back. h. murmured:
Too a:e, | fear thar | Shall die before
can say what | wished. / must confess -mn>r
have abSoIuton. for have sinned Bat have
Sulfrred--how bitter Il cup have drained in
atoncmcnt Of the one act Of my HE which
brought unhappiness TO one who thoueht >hr
had the right To avenge herself upon me.
In voice scarcely above a whisper, MIS-.
Blake said
My son, forgive rs you hope to be forgiven
and all will be well with you.
All that is What cannot do for there is
one sin and one sinner that have not forgiven.
But far that could die in peace
WAS the wrong against YOU so unmer,"d
that you feel thus bit,eri "
''l'nmerited Yes | assert that, and b.
l!eve it, She who committed it was one did
not love though was tricked into a marrao"
with her.
In i:alterns voice Mrs. Blake SAID:
You did not hre her! Are you quite ~nf"
Of that
Landry was too deeply absorbed in his "wu
thoughts to notice the n"narny tone that
thri!lcd through tie muiil I'd voice of thu
speaker.
NO, never loved her.
Is it uSt to lay all the blame upon the va.
man who ri>ked 50 much to gain a legal clalui
n, In ml,n bn, t,,,l,
much should be ior9 wen; and she, you say.
loved You.
II gave her all thai she had right 10 claim
al my hands and had she 50 wilIed it. would
have sent her from me as free from rcrrOach
as in the hour Vi our first unfortunate meeting
But she would not 90. ] was very young |
loved the child she gave me. and TIN ongh her
! the MOI her hoped. if were free again. to VIII
me back and-and-- | cannot tell you what
she did IN return for the forbearaucc | had
shown toward her. 1t is her secret, and vii!
not reveal it even in this hour, bu; it is that
which now find il impossible to forgive II
You give me III olulioil, knowing that. |
will accept il gladly II your hands. although
you arr not unc Of the accredited ministers If
our Holy Church.
The heart Of Ms. Bake hardened as she
listened. She lclt the blood Surgng trough
her veins with irry >wllnrSS, and all the pas.
sl0n OF hrr tropical nature burst forth.
She tore the Shroudiug folds trom aer head
AMI face, and started to her feet, standing over
him As a lncnacng fate, as she mockiugy said
such consolation as ! can give, you are wei
come to, Armand Landry. Whether it will f..
clltac your entrance to the Paradise in whicI.
your lost E.iliuor dweliS or nfo the Hades in
which shall hereafter claim you, | leave you
to mag uc. Look at the woman you cast of
so lui Iht. ~ i,.iIa tb.t
loved her-aud COVER before her glance as yuH
soon VIII shrink before that Of the Omnip"teui
Being who Will iud 90 between us
'lou-yon here he exclaimed, III loud,
harsh voice. How dare you approach me
How iarc You protIuG the sacred character you
have assumed t"r the purpose of inrndins
upon Il presence that was forbidden you?
llagar Blake, You have been the curse of my
llic. aud III death you prosecute me still en-
command you to leave this room unpollutri
by the presence OF muidrress.
lla"ar'> eyes hlazcd back defiance. and she
tauntln"ly said
You are in no position oop to enforce your
viii. on are IN my power. not in yours, aud
intend t" pay yUu back drop for drop, for all
the bitterness you have poured into my cup
ana forced me to drink
! The features Of Landry were blanched 10
the hue Of death, and his black eyes cleaned
tcrce'y from their raIIid setting. as lie hoarsr-
ly asked;
BY whose cpnnivancc were you permitted
! TO enter here? If Hester or her betrothed hus
band aided you, ii will he the worse for them.
tor III that case | will give her nothing. The
paper caused her t, write this morning WY!
be valuecSs lln.css il i, signed aud witnessed:
aud now w do neither.
"Oh. y"u threaten me with Consequences
| ,ln u L. 81 L..
assure You that it is IA matter Of Indifference
To me, aud also to my daughter. whether that
paper IS valureSS or not We have settled
our plans, ard rave against them as you may
you will be powcrleSS to prevent them froln
being carried into effect. Hester will not ac-
cept the patry provision You have mag
| Uanmou>ly luadr for her. she will claim
what is hers, IN justice. AT lraSt--the half OF
the estate which is now held by your other
children
Woman what do you mean by that? All
my God have fallen into den OF thieves?
Is there no one To help me -
Ills voice broke suddenly, and he fell back
upon lis pillow gasplng for breath
NO o"c.! repeated Mrs Blake, with stern
emphasis. ''lou are in this solitary country
house, entirely at my mercy. aud that Of those
who are willing to do all that ! wish. The
darling daug liter on whom you have lavishcd
SO much Indulgence lies stricken into idiocy
By he injuries her head has received. She
will never more walk the earth in pride look
ing down III Scurn upon the sister whom You
have hcqueathcd 10 her compassion. In place.
of that, | have dccrecd that the two shall
change places. and the child of your adorcd
ElIlnor shall stay with NE, while my daughter
assumes the station Of the heirc>s, aud wears
the houor> OF her fathers house. The two
sisters are - much alike that no one viii ever
be able to distinguish the true one from her
counterfeit.
The listener felt that the shock of this an.
nounccmcnt had shortened his brief span Of
life: he knew that tn" death clutch was al
ready on his yital>; bur he rallied his last re-
mining strength and said, with solemn eul-
phasiS
IF N,ll cnnSIlnlunlr tits MirkcdnesS !