The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-07-11
TitE PLOT AGAINST HAWLEY.
CHAPTER !.
how THE PLOT oRreINATEB;

HOW THE PLOT ORIGINATED.
Near noon, the 9th of September, 1859,
man laboring under great excitement was
walking hurricdly up Broadway, New York.
His features were flushed and convulscd, his
glances wild and restless, his whole mien in
dicative of keen anguish.
Turning to the right into Blocker street, he
soon reached plain three story and basement
brick house, to which he gave himself admit
tance.
"Are you there, Ruth ?" he called from the
hall
A step was heard overhead, followed by the
rustling of a dress, and young lady descended
the front stairs. Despite several points of
marked contrast, there was family likeness
about the couple that proclaimed them to be
brother and sister.
"Why, what's the matter, Luke ?" cried
the latter, starting at sight of the disturbed
countenancc that met her view. care you
ills"
ave just received bad news" replied the
brother, leading the way into the parlor-
"news which has given me terrible shock"
"ShockedY You! What has happenedy"
"Marricdw echoed the sister, rccoiing.
| Clara Aymar married Is it possible ?"
"Yes, married. the girl I've been laying
siege to for years past-the only girl l ever
cared pin for. Imagine the shock this event
gives me- I'm nearly crazy"
"Then you really loved her?"
"Loued herl must have porshipped her,
or else this thing would not have SO completely
| upset me-"
"Oh, as to that, the loss of thing always
| gives us an exaggerated notion of its value,"
| said the sister phosophically, as she sank
| languidly 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 mat
| ter"
| "Don't, Ruth !" implored the brother, sink
| ing heavily into the nearest chair. "Clara
| Aymar is more to me than my life My love
| for her is delirium It's no such passing
| fancy as you suppose, but an everlasting pas
sion-a rage-a flood 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 you"
"No of course not. She has never given
me any encouragement. But l am none the
less surprised. l supposed that everything
was favorable enough to my wishes. l knew
that she was still young to marry-an orphan
without money and without triends-pre-
sumably without suitors and flattercd my
self that she couldn't always remain insensblc
TO my attentions"
"You reasoned wisely enough, of course,
Luke but reason never decides these matters, u
declared the sister, with sort of contemp
tuous compassion. b" whim-a chance meet
ing-a smile or word-a moments weakness
any trifle-these are the things by which
marriages are brought about. But who is the
bridegroom ~
| N haiti n al, t1,ot ,tlI Il,
tie, l think. Can't you guess who he is w
81 haven't the least idea"
"Wcll, then, he's Will Hawley."
| The sister sprang abruptly to her feet, clasp
ing both hands to her heart. The changing
colors of her brother his agitation, his anguish
all passed to her own features
"Wll. Hawleyy" she gasped "Oh, yol
don't mean it, Luke!"
"But do, though. It's Gods truth. Clar;
Aymar and Will IIawley are husband ant
WIFE"
A heavy fall succeeded The sister ha,
tainted. She lay upon the floor as one dead.
Did she think that much of Hawley y
muttercd the brother, astonished 81 didn'
suppose"
$ lie fastened to bring pitcher of water ant
{ bathe the white features, and then set himsel
to chatting the clenched hands.
Capt. Luke Pcddcr was twenty-seyen year
of age, with an originally light complexion
3 bronzed with exposure to wind and sun. Hi
Q form was of the average size and height an
= his features of the most ordinary type. III
) was singularly selfish and inscriptions, bu
: of geIftlcmanly manners, being well educate
and used to good society. His ability as
3 navigator was fair for a man of his age and eS
e periencc, but he owed his position rs con
= mander of fine Australian clipper, more t
respect for his late father and to sympathizin
, favor than to his own merits.
Miss Ruth Pedder was two years youngC
than her brother, and consequently twenty-tiy
Q years of age, although she owned to onl
@ twenty She was tall thin, and a little incline
: in her outlines, as in her temper, to angularit,
. She was not particularly bright, but was Dol
: and INSCRIPTIONS, and possessed fierce enc
u gy which was capable of compensating in an
n emergency for lack of genius.
t The father of the couple had been a prom
q ncnt ship-Owner and merchant But in his In
ter days the senior Pedder had been unfortul
ate and had finally been broken up completed
e "A result hastencd, it was whispered, by Il
q wild ways and financial Irregularities of Ii
J. son. The old mans failure had soon been iC
> lowed by his death, and already-for such
fame he was generally forgotten.
l. "How odd it is !" calculated Capt. Pcddc
g as he rubbed his sisters cold hands. " S,
madly in love with viii. Hawley, and era,
after Clara Aymar And now Win. and Cla
:. are married, and Ruth and / are left out in Il
u cold"
l. Under the vigorous treatment he had adoI
20 ed Miss Pedder soon recovered her senses.
le "Are you sure they're married 2" she
"a manded.
"Perfectly. / learned the fact half an no
since from IIawley's ommander-Capta
n Greggs, you know. Captain Greggs was at 4
n wedding. 1t took place last Friday evening
d the first evening after IIawley's return fro
10 his last voyage 10 Rio. 1t was quiet aifa
, Only few friends were invited But let Il
e ask you question. Did IIawley ever propo
Il to you?"
lie "No. But l expected that he would so
e, do so. lie has been here often enough"
id "Yes, he came several times to ask me fol
berth in my clipper. l promised to think
him at the first opening, and | really meant
help him, for | knew i'll general way that y
liked him."
~ thought he'd realize that you could be
as ..',.'"a to him." explained Miss Pedder.
" LIod -ht he'd remember that mother left !
n this house and few thousand dollars to do
- pleased with. l was conscious, too, that
ii' possessed fair share of personal attraction
x And as / supposed him to be entirely hea
We free, / took it for granted that | should
X him His attentions seemed marked enough
h. "He treated you politely, of course, int
ia | rupted Pedder, "and he couldn't have W
done less, after asking me TO befriend hi
But he never made any formal declaration p
at No, he didn't. As mate of q Rio ship,
h. was away seven-eghths of the time, and
er didn't expect regular courtship. But l to
pt it for granted"
~ Pedder made an impatient gesture.
- "Weve deceived ourselves" he mutter
IN "We've been carried away by our feelin
ny The girls rejection of me was really intend
81