The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-07-05
THE JOURNAL.
IHE PLOT AGAINST .HAWLEY
CHAPTER I.
HOW THE PLOT ORIGINATED.

which he gave himself admittance.
care you there, Ruth?' he called
from the hall.
A step was heard overhead, fol
lowed by the rustling of a dress,
a young lady descended the front
stairs. Despite several points of
marked contrast, there was family
likeness about the couple that pro-
claimed them to be brother and sis
ter.
"Why, what's the matter, Luke?
cried the latter, starting at sight of
the disturbed countenance that met
her view. care you ill?'
give just received bad news" re-
piled the brother, leading the way
into the parlor-''news which has
given me terrible shock"
Shocked? You! What has hap
pened?"
riedr'
"Marriedr' echoed the sister, re-
coiling. "Clara Aymar married! Is
it possibler'
eyes, married! the girl I've been
laying siege to for years past-the
only girl l ever cared pin for. I'M
agine the shock this event gives me.
I'm nearly crazy"
''Then you really loved herr"
"LoUed her! l must have acor-
shipped her, or else this thing would
not have so completely upset me-"
"Oh, as to that, the loss of a thing
always gives US an exaggerated no
ton of its value" said the sister
philosiophically, as she sank Ian
guidly into an easy chair, and
smoothed out fold in her snowy
morning robe. "You are simply
shocked, as you say. But by to-
morrow you will laugh at the whole
matter"
"Don't, Ruthr' implored the
brother, sinking heavily into the
nearest chair. Cara Aymar is
more to me than my life! My love
for her is a delirium? It's no such
passing fancy as you suppose, but an
everlasting passion-a rage-a flood
of molten lava! And Pve counted
all along upon marrying her. True,
she has rejected me twice, but 1
thought she'd change her mind"
"She was in no way committed to
your"
"No, of course not. She has new
er given me any encouragement.
But 1 am none the less surprised.
1 suppose that everything was ia
Vorable enough to my wishes. I
knew that she was still young to
marry-an orphan-without money
and without friends-presumably
without suitors; and 1 fattered my
self that she couldn't always remain
insensible to my attentions"
"You reasoned wisely enough, Of
course, Luke; but reason never de-
cides these matters" declared the
sister, with sort of contemptuous
compassion. "a wilma chance
meeting-a smile or a word-a mo-
ments wednesday, trife-these
are the things by which marriages
are brought about. But who is the
bridegroom"
"Ah! that's point that will touch
you little, I think. Can't you
guess who he is?"
81 haven't the least idea"
"Well, then, he's Will Hawley."
The sister sprang abruptly to her
feet, clasping both hands to her
heart. The changing colors of her
brother, his agitation, his anguish,
all passed to her own features.
"Will Hawley?" she gasped. "Oh,
you don't mean it, Luke?'
"But I do though. It's Gods
truth Clara Aymar and Will Haw-
ley are husband and wife,"
A heavy fall succeeded. The sis
ter had tainted. She lay upon the
floor as one dead.
"Did she think that much of Haw-
leyr, muttered the brother, astonish-
ed. 81 didn't suppose"
He fastened to bring a pitcher of
water and bathe the white features,
and then set himself to chafng the
clenched hands.
Capt, Luke Pedder was twenty
seven years of rye, with an original
ly light complexion, which had red
dened with generous living and
bronzed with exposure TO wind and
sun. His form was of the average
size and height, and his features of |
the most ordinary type. He was
singularly selfish and unscrupulous,
but of gentlemanly manners, being
well educated and used to good So
ciety. His ability as a navigator
was fair for man of his age and ex-
perience, but he owed his position |
as commander Of a fine Australian
clipper, more to respect for his late
father and to sympathizing favor |
than to his own merits.
Miss Ruth Pedder was two years
younger than her brother, and conse-
quently twenty-five years of age, al
though she owned to only twenty. |
She was tall, thin and little inclln-
ed in her outlines, as in her temper,
to angularity. She was not particu-
larly bright, but she was bold and
unscrupulous, and possessed a fer
Ger energy which was capable of
compensating in any emergency for
lack of genius. The father of the
couple had been a prominent ship
owner and merchant. But in his
latter days the senior Pedder had
been unfortunate, and had finally
been broken up completely-a result
fastened, it was whispered, by the
wild ways and financial irregulari-
ties of his son. The old mans fail
ure had soon been followed by his
death, and already-for such is
fame?-he was generally forgotten.
Chow odd it is'' calculated Capt.
Pedder, as he rubbed his sisters
cold hands. "She madly in love
with Will Hawley, and I crazy after
Clara Aymar! And now Will and
Cara are married, and Ruth and 1
are left out in the cold.
Under the vigorous treatment he
had adopted, Miss Pedder soon re-
covered her senses.
care you sure they're married."
she demanded.
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