Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-13
CHAPTER II
A PHYSICIAN IN LOVE Win THE DAUGH-
TER--A FIENDIsH PLOT. .,.s-.


~ TER--A FIENDIsH PLOT. "a. ~.
There was residing in the same village
with Mrs. Blake and her daughter a physi-
clan, twenty Eight Gof Thirty years of age
DR.. Macon-Who for two years had been
ardently ia love with the daughter. She
had toyed and trifled with him during all
that time; but he had finally insisted upon
a decided answer TO his suit, and on that
very evening he was coming TO. learn his
fate. As he approached the house he over
heard the voices of mother and daughter
engaged in close conversation, and drawing
near to the window and meanly listening,
be had. obtained full possessions of the ter
rible secret. of Mrs. Blake's life. Madly in
love, and utterly INSCRIPTIONS, he at once
determined to. make any use which mig bit
be necessary of. his newly acquired advan-
tage to secure the hand of Hester.
On that very evening. DIR. Macon was en-
Gagged to take tea with Mrs. Blake and her
daughter; but their old housekeeper re-
turned from the village with the intelligence
that a shocking railroad accident had oc-
Cured in the vicinity, aud the Doctor had
fastened of to the assistance of the
wounded.
On the return of DR.. Macon he called
upon Mrs. Blake and surprised her with the
information that among the hurt was
Armand Landry, mortaIly injuredl He
was accompanied by his daughter, the half
sister of Hester, and she had been stunned
by blow on the head. They were both
lying at farm house near by, and Mr.. Ian
dry, knowing that he must die, had re-
quested that Hester should visit him the
next morning, that he might inform her Of
the pecuniary provision which he had mad ;
for her support. 8 ~ st Ea
And now was concGcted one Of the most
fiendish plots ever devised in the human
mind. 1t was suggested by Mrs. Blake,
and acquiesccd in by DR.. Macon and Hes
ter, that the haltsister, who was still I'M
conscious, should be kept in state of i'm
becility by drugs which the Doctor should
skillfuily administer to her for That purpose,
and Hester-WhOse resemblance to her
was 50 close as to defy detec.ion-should
usurp her place as heiress of the immense
estates entailed upon the halfsister through
her mother.
The inducement to DR.. Macon was Hes
ter's promise, on the accomplishment Of the
scheme, to become his wife.
But when Hester came to read over the
letters which lay concealed In the bottom
of her half sisters trunk, she found among
them several from Raymond De Lnrme, a
handsome young man whom she remem-
Dered IS her own first lover at the South,
when she was little more than a mere
child. These letters we're written in a
most impassiCled strain, and showed that
between him and his fair Correspondent
Es:clle Landry, Haster's now stricken half
sister-a marriage engagement existed.
No sooner had Hester discovered this
fact than her old love fer De Lorme was
rekindled, and she resolved at once to have
him also, as well as Estelle's fortune, let
whatever obstacles might be in the way.
He was now absent in Europe, to remain a
year or two, and her purpose must be most
carefully concealed from DR.. Macon; but,
come what would, the young man should
yet be hers
Mrs. Blake's hOusskeeper, Mrs. Muller,
a German woman with an American edu-
cation, was a great gossip, and cunning,
selfish, evil-minded woman. Hester, at her
mothers suggestion, had turned The key on
the outside of Mrs. Muller's sleeping room,
while their internal plot had been planned;
but the suspicious woman happened to be
awake, and she had risen, and emerging
through window, crept around where she
could listen to all they said. She too, now,
meant to have her profit out of the scheme,
the secret of which she had obtained IN
known to them.
On the following day Mr.. Landry felt his
end rapidly approaching. He had forbid
den peyemptOTily that Mrs. Blake should be
admitted to his presence; but Mrs. Blake
had determined to see him before he died.
He was very anxious for confessOr; and
was finally told that although there was no
priest accessible, Sister of Charity might
be obtained. This assurance afforded him
great relief, aud he desired that no time
might be lost in sending for her.
Mrs. Blake determined TO improve this
opportunity to see him, without his recOg-
niziDg her, and TO visit him in the dis 5uise
of Sister.
l. was arranged that after night, when
the room was dimly lighted by a single
candle, she should go in and listen to such
confessions as he wished to make. In
them, if be spoke of her tenderly, COM
passionatelS, she would forego the dire ven
geance she had planned to infict on him
when he lay helpless before her, breathing
his soul away 10 doubt and dread of what
liz Au5atlC lLAC bltAiS w lllllAs II nC
judged her hardly and cruelty at the last,
she would have HO mercy On him.
When Eunice, deaf and dumb servant
girl at the farmhouse, was safely asleep,
Mrs. Blake made such alteration in her
dress as was necessary. A white handker-
chief was drawn low down on her forehead,
and folded over her face in such manner
as to conceal the greater portion Of it, and
Macon's black silk cravat was smooth
ed out and tied over that, in the form ofthe
hoods worn by Catholic nuns when walking
abroad. She then entered the feebly light
ed room, and sat down in the chair which
Hester resigned at her approach. At the
movement, the dying man Enclosed his
eyes, and in faint voice said:
Chow good you were to come to me in
this extremity. This young girl has OK
planned 10 me that you consented to do so
as soon as you heard that a son of Mother
Church needed your help" but some subtle
power must have conveyed TO him the
knowledge that something in:mical had
approached him, for he suddenly seemed
to struggle with some deadly oppression,
and sinking back, he murmmed:
''Too latei | fear that / shall die before
[ can say what | wished. l must confess
must have absolution, for / have sinned-
Bot I have sutiared-how bitter cup I
have drained in atonemeHt of the one act of
my life which brought unIappiness to one
who thought she had the right TO ayenge
herself upon me-"
In a voice scarcely above q whisper, Mrs.
Blake said:
"My son, forgive as you hope TO be for
given, and all viii be well with you"
"Ah. that is what | cannot DO; for there is
one sin aid one sinner that l have rot for
given. But for that l could die III peace"
'Was the wrong against you 50 unmerit-
ed that you feel thus bitterly?"
"Unmerited! Yes; | assert that, and
believe It. She who committed it was one
did not love, though l was tricked into a
marriage with her"
In a faltering voice Mrs. Blake said:
"You did not lore her! are you quite
sure of that?"
Landry was too deeply absorbed in his
own thoughts TO notice the menaciDg tone
that thrilled through the mufl9d voice of
the speaker.
"No, ! never loved her."
ais it just 70 lay al the blame upon the
woman who risked SO much to gain a legal
claim upon yen? To those who have loved
truly, much should be forgiven; and she,
you say, loved you"
al gave her an that she had right TO
"a, ,,,,r - !