National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-07-05

CHAPTER I.
now THE PLOT ORIGINATED.

|
laborng under great excitement was walking
hurriedly mp Broadway, New York l'isfeature'
were flushed aud couyuscd, his glances wild
and restless, his whole mion indicative Of keen
anguish.
Turning to tic wight Into Blocker street, he
Boon reached pain throo story and basement
brick house, to which he gave himself admit
tanCe.
g. Arc you thuc, Ruth?" he called from the
! hall.
A stop was hoard overhead, followed by tho
rustling OF dress, aud young lady doscended
the front stairs. Despite rcycral points OF
marked contrast, there was a family likeness
about tho couplc that proclaimed thom to be
brother aud sister.
"Why, what's the matter, Luke p cried tho
latter, Starting at sight OF the disturbed counto-
nance that met her Wow "Aro you illf"
"ryo just received bad news" replied the
brother, leading the way into the porlor-"news
which has given me q terrible shock"
Shocked? Youl What has happened"
"lna word, Clara Aymar is marrledl'
Married. echoed the sister, rccoilng.
Clara Aymar married Is it possiblef"
Eyes, married! the grl Two been aging siege
to for years past-the only girl ever cared
pin for Imagine the shock this event gives me.
I'm nearly crazy"
"Then you really loved her?"
"Lored lerl must have ,corshippei her, or
else this thing would not have 30 completely
upset me-
"Oh, as to that tho loss OF thing always
gives MS an exaggerated notion of its valuo,'
said the sister phlosophcally, as she sank Ian.
guidly into an easy chair and snoothcd out a
fold in her SNOWY morning robe. "You are
Simply shocked, as you say. But by tomorrow
you will laugh at the whole natter
"Don't Ruth !" impored the brother sinking
heavily into the nearest chair. "Clara Aymar
is more to me than my life Ny love for her is
deliriuml It's no such passing fancy as you
suppose, but an everlasting passion-n ragc-a
food Of molten lava And I've counted all along
upon marrying her. True, she has rejected me
twice, but thought she'd change her mind"
"she was in no way committed to you2'
"No, of course not. She has never given me
any encouragement Eut | am none tho less
surprised. | suppost tlnt everything was
favorable enough to my wishes | knew that
she was still Dung to maTTy-an oIphan-with-
out money and without friends presumably
without suitors and | lattercd myself that
she couldn't always remain insonsble to my
attentions"
"You reasoned wisely enough, of course,
Luke but reason never decides these matters
declared the sister with a sort of contemptuous
compassion. "A Wilma chance meeting q
smile or a word-a moments wcebness-any
tr h., t1t,f J. l,r, l.
arc brought about. But who Is the bride
groom
"Ah that's point that will touch goa
little think. Can't you guess who he is2'
u haven't the least idea"
"Wel, then, he's VIII. Hawley."
The sister sprang abruptly to her feet, clasp
ing both hands to her heart. The changing
c0urs her brother his agitation, his ana u sh
al passed to her own features
=" VIII. Ha"leeyy' she gasped. sob, you don't
mean it, Luke!'
"But do though. It's Gods truth. Clara
Aymar and VIII. Hawley arc husband and
wife"
heavy fall succeeded. The sister had faint
ed. She lay upon the floor as one dead.
Did she think that much Of Hawley?' NUT
tered the brother, astonished 81 didn't sup
pose"
He fastened to bring pitcher OF water and
battle the white features, and then set himself
to chatting the cenched hands.
Capt. Luke Feeder was tWCntv-seYen years OF
age, with an originally hight complexion, which
had redeemed with generous living and bronzed
WIN exposure 10 Nlad ana sun ms form was
Of the average size and height and his features
OF the most ordinary type He was singularly
selfish ana uhscrupulous but OF gentlemaniy
manners, uClAS wen educated ana USED 10 Bood
society. ms aolhty as navigator was far for
a man OF ms age ana experience but ne owed
h.S Pos!uoh as commander OF me austiahan
cllDDpr. more to respect for his late father and
10 sympa'hl2hS favor thah 10 his own merits.
MISS ituJh IeIoerW was t"oyears younger than
her pfotnGr, ana consequently twenty-five years
OF age, nItlouSh she owned 10 only twenty. she
vas tau tllu, ana niue ihchheo III her out
hnoS, az IN her temper, to angularity' She was
n"' PlruGuialIy DIl5ht' pul sho was bold ana
uH,scIEntnlons, ana POSSESSED herce energy
MHlch Nae capauie ol coihpehsa'lhS IN any
emergency for Iack OF genius,
me IalheI vi ne coupe hau Deeh prominent
shlp-oNher ana merchant But IN his latter
days the senior fedder mad been unfortunate
and mad hnaly been broken up completely-a
result hasteheu, IL was whispered, by the Wild
ways ana nnahciai irregularities OF MS SON Inc
Old mans failure had soon been followed by his
death and alreadv-for sucl ia fame he was
generally forgotten
"How odd itSsl" calculated Cant. Pedder IA
he rubbed his sisters cold hands, she madIv
in love with viii, UawIey'and Jcrazv after
Gioro Avmari And now Viii and Clara are
married and Ruth and are left ont in the
cold"
Tndar the viooro,,s trea trnont he had odonted
NI;Ss padJer soon recovered bor eonses fN'
g Ava Won snre they're marr,nJ ," she do.
,,ondod
81 parfoctlv IIoorned +bo fact half nm borr
si,oa trom naWlay'a cnmmondor. Captoir
Grcggs, you know. Captain GregSs was at the
wedding. 1t took place last Friday evening
the very evening after Hawley's return from his
last voyage to Rio. 1t was quiet affair. Only
few friends were invited. But let me ask you a
question. Did Hawley ever propose to you ~
"No. But expected that he would soon do
so. He has been here often enough"
Eyes, he came several times to ask me for
berth in nv clipper. | promised to think of