Middletown transcript., 1872-01-06

fell beneath hers. Sir Ralph, on 6rst be-
holding his cousin, could not suppress n
look Of surprise aud remorsc; and. drop.
ping. or rather throwing from him. the
hand Of Maude. he stood. with his eyes
fixed oa tho ground. waiting the approach
Of his cousin.
Slowly, steadily. the beautiful but dark
minded italian advanced up the aisle-hcr
look Of fierce defiance. thrown alike at the
company and at Mnude. Approaching
Sir Ralph. Arlettc spoke:
Aud SO. Ralph, you arc married
married to one whom, you often told ME.
you cared nothing for. heard Of your
intended marriage. nnd crossed the seas
thinking to be here IN time to prevent il.
But ain too late. You arc nothing to
me now, no more forever: aud, therefore.
before leave Let the tell you that which !
think it right you SHOULD kEov. The
great difference between US. Ralph, is that
[ always say what mean. while you do
not. But for this. might now bc your
wife. Enough--you arc the husband Of
another and ! who loved you more than
any other woman living. must see you
borne away as the prize Of one whom. you
said. you almost despiscd. Therc--I have
told you all. Leave me /; you are nothing,
aud can be nothing. to me now. Leave
me. See. your wife has tainted. Go to
her assistance
Z" Ny wife," exclaimed Sir Ralph, with
n look Of ineffnblc disgust toward the spot
where Maudc (who had now rccovercd)
was leaning against the altar rails. "She
has enough of them around her-lct them
attend to her. Come into the Grange.
have much to say to you" Saying this,
Sir Ralph led his cousin out of the chapel
leaving his wife and the company to their
own reflections.
The ceremony being over, the guests
returned home. with the exception Of Sir
Henry Norton aud his wife aud daughters,
who. Mt the request Of Lady Treyellyn,
consented TO spehd ,hc night a, the abbey
Grange.
- The strange and unlookcdfor events
of the afternoon had worked upon the
mind of Maudc and II vague fear of i'm
pending evil prcycd ppon her spirits. This
feeling was further increased when, at the
evening rcpast, Sir Ralph twho had, pre-
viously. long interview with his cousin
declared lis Intention of leaving for Italy
on the following morning. To the inqui-
rics of Maudc, he replied:
" Ny s,ay in Italy shall not be long -
and make no doubt that, during the in.
tcrval Of my absence. my cousin Arlette
. will prove both agreeable and entertaining
company.
Arlc,te assen,ed by fain, smile and al
/, almost impcrccp,ible inclination OF hei
head.
At ten o'clock that night, Sir Ralpl
, took hasty leave Of Indy Trcvcllyn, hel
friends aud his cousin, saying that h
r would ride over to the villsgc Of llighhan
aud take the four o'clock stage.
c Theye was no sleep for Maude tha
/ night and i, was determined that al
should sit up until day break. Accord
| ingly, Maude and her friends bctook them
!, selves to the large chamber at the foo, o
: the western corridor, which communicated
e by means Of n large oaken panel with 81
/. Roberts bed chamber and the rooms Of
!. the casiu.n yido Of the huilling, Arlrt,
= Miuo,ti reluctantly consented to be one G
. the party.
1t was about one o'clock in Ihe morn
s ing Sir Henry Norton was reading alon
a from the last book of = Paradise Lost
k when the sound OF approaching ioots,ep
was heard in the western corridor. Al
lette Minot,i turned pale, aud regarde
the company with suspicious glance,
Nearer and nearer came tina. football. nn
Ill i, seemed to enter Sir Ralph's chamber
Z" Merciful heaven - exclaimed Maud,
sprngipg TO her feet that vas Sir Ralph
70 foo,stcp. knoy il. cannot be mil
"A taken !"
:. 1T certainly sounded like his foo
"a step" observed Lady Norton.
- a few moments after, the same trea
"A wns hesrd IN the eastern corridor--an
a. thcg the sound died away. Sir Hcnr
"a examined the bed-chambcr and the ARA
N and inding nothing, returned and r
m sumed his reading. But scarcely had
read page. when ti's mysterious foo,f'
i was again heard as though advancing U
r. the western corridor. II storpcd-ths
q a advanced stopped again.
>. That is Sir Kalph :" cried Maud
+, 4" Let me 60 out to him, aud see what tn
"A means"
= T" II cannot be my cousin" observe
., Arlette :. for he would not return fro
n the village at this hour. Moreover.
III did not know. when he left, nor yet did
no that your company was going TO rem
,ol with you until morning
lis This information surprised each OF
n present, and filed the minds Of all vi
W, a vague suspicion Of something they kns
cd not what. Some dark revelation. at 4
m. same time, appeared to have burst up
ok Maude's mental vision--for shn gased
Arlette with look Of mingled dread Al
an wonderment.
Sir Scarcely had Arlctse finished speakiu
en- when the mysterious football was on
wu more heard.
ON Il shall call the old steward Gioccl