The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-09-06

conVu'slVe clutch at him as he goes crash
ing by, and then, after a couple of somer-
saults in the air, comes down with heavy
thud, and lies motionless and>still. Harry is
upon him in second, and, with appraised
stock, is about to give him his quietus, suffi-
Gent at any rate TO put an end TO the pursuit,
when, starting from the fallen form, he con-
tinues headlong course to the bottom OF the
fell. The mans face had been towards him,
and in the starting eyes and open mouth,
from which blood was pouring fast, he saw
death, death!
How he reached his uncle's house, he
knew not;. faint, dizzy, and covered with
blood, he had confused idea that two men
were hard alter HIM. As a matter of fact he
had been pursued for quite halt a mile by
B;lly's companions, now eager to dispatch
him, and to give them time to quietly leave
the country, tor moments inspection had
assured them of their leaders, fearful end, and
they dreaded the consequences of immediate
discovery. Poor Harry he fastened through
the strawberries; and then leaning against a
little iron gate leading through the garden,
he paused for moment to collect himself,
anc thought of his miraculous preservation.
As he passed his hands though his matted
and blood stained hair, the irghtful appear
ance he must present occurred to his mind,
and the necessity of gaining his room before
any alarm should he given to the house. lie
therefore bethought him of the easiest by
path that would conduct him most quickly
and secretly round, not through the open
grounds. With wary eye and anxious breast.
he sped along. and on sharply turning a cor
ner he nearly ran into Maud's arms. There
was one dreadful scream; it was heard all
over the place. "My darling, it's nothing.
it's nothing" he cried; ''Pm all right; but
as he advanced his face turned as into stone !:
with open ewes, and parted and blanched lips,
Maud seemed to repel him with her hand, and
then, with another piercing AID heart-rend-
ing shrek, she fell senseless on the ground.
At that instance there appeared upon the
scene the gardener, housemaid, Harry's
uncle and the butler. Of course the house
maid went off into Mysteries. They bore
poor Maud indoors. In less than an hour she
awoke 10 consciousnt SIS, but not to reasoL.
Day after day she wonld lie and murnur:
Poor Harry! poor Harryp' Harry, poor
fellow returned that week TO town. His uncle
bad heard his explanation; IN his grief had
pitied, reproached him; had kissed him and
cursed him. But when, on sending body
of servants to the fell, no trace of the dead
man was to be found, he broke out into Bit
ter words of grief and ;nvective, hard to be
borne. Nothing was to be heard OF the three
Williams at all; the scramble for lite must
have been an ballucinalion or an invention
of VernOn's own brain, LATTER meeting with the
accident which had left such severe marks
upon him. Such man as Billy had, indeed
been noticed in the neigbborhood, and now,
most OF all when dead, might have been
expected to remain for few hours on the
fell, until he was discovered: but he was
nowhere to be found. Harry returned to his
sympathizlng, but perpleXed and distracted
father. Billy preceded him to town by three
bx,h boy ~ I,
ing accomplished much during their poaching
expedition in the country. He bore such
mark upon his visage as made him look more
rnffianly than before the adventure, which
had caused the breakage of blood vessel
and temporary insensibility. 1t is satisfa
tory to know that he not long afterwards
paid the penalty for being concerned in some
fresh misdemeanor against the laws of the
lani in which he lived. A certain deep scar
upon his face gave conclusive evidence as to
his identity, and he was transported TOR life.
Harry yearned for the good news which new
er came; Maud continued in the same wretch
ed state. Before the year was out, to crown
the misery which preyed upon poor Harry,
his uncle died, he bad never recovered from
the shock of that day, which brought such
wretchedness to his house.
In answer to a letter which he at length
ventured to his aunt, he was told that Maud
was under more careful treatment THAI his,
and that she should prefer to hear no more
from murderer aud destroyer. Young Yer
non, for a few weeks, gave way to an in
describable melancholy, and it was only
through the tender sympathy of his father
that he survived. He then devoted himself
to hard reading and passed very creditable
examination; and to his men and superior
officers in India, as young lieutenant, was
ONLY known as the strictest discipnaran,
and the sternest and most uninteresting COM
panion in the mess. The unhappy state of
bis mind had The usual effect on his heath,
and hen ce his return to London and his ap-
peal to my sympathy and friendship. As a
dying man he requested me, when he was
gone, to search out his aunt, and convey to
her his last message OF forgiveness for the
harsh treatment he had experienced at her
hands; whilst he assured me that if by his
piness TO his once bright and merry darling he
would have died long since. And now at
length his tale was told. He gazed at me
with earnest eyes. could only press his
wasted hand, and promise that l would
sacredy carry out his wish. He slept. |
watched over him that night. The succeed
lug day he slept continuously. Toward eve.
ming the doctor called. He had seen from
the first that he could do little in such a
case. He looked fxedly at his patient as he
lay in sound slumber, felt his pulse, and
then, turning TO me, said: you are MI.
Lawrence?"
Eyes," l replied, 81 am.''
"Ah!' he said, "rve heard him mention
you. You see what your poor friend is suf-
fering from? You've done him pounds
worth of good Already
And what had done? By being quiet
and sympathetic listener had brought that
feeling Of relief TO the poor sufferer which
undoubt eddy ensues when the burden of sor-
row is lightened by being borne on the Shout
ders of two, Instead of being endured by the
strength of one alone. Harry and Ispent
that week quietly enough; he slept and I
read and thought. When awake he always
sought me with an anxious look, which i'm
mediately changed to peaceful smile, when
| cheerfully spoke or affectionately pressed
his hand; but he never spoke of getting bet
Ter. When he thought of life, the old
wretched look came back, when he thought
of the grave. eternal rest seemed all that he
desired. My thoughts at last took definite
shape. l explained TO Harry that he must
allow me day for business in the country,
and that then would return to him. The
next day took the train for Stonebridge, a
small town in Devonshire. Acting upon
what could CLEAN from Harry's uncertain
information, strengthened by the Postal D-
reclory, was about to play the last chance
Mrs. Vernon had, some time since, sold
everything, and left the neighborhood OF
Waterthwaite; and now, as l walked through
the principal street OF Stonebridge and neared
the good lady's supposed residence, 1 felt as
though walking into the lions mouth.
"Does Mrs. Vernon live here?,'
eyes sir" answered very respectable
looking housemaid; "but she's out for a
drive, sir. aud wont be back for some time. -
had pulled out my card-case; and seeing
me look very much annoyed and perplexed,
as indeed 1 was, she added: 'But if it's any,
thing important Miss Hamilton is at home,
sir''
Miss Hamiltonw I exclaimed; "Miss
Maud HamlltonP
YES sir" timidly replied the astonished
maiden. -.
knew not what to think of it; the gill
must be an idiot TO imagine that could have
any business with the poor, imbecile Maud.
However, stirred by some inward feeling,
perhaps only wish to see the unfortunate
lady, in whom I now felt, on Harry's behalf,
SO great an interest, sent up my card, and
requested to learn from Mrs. Hamiton's lips
when l might expect the return of Mrs. Yer
non, as had important news. This was fol-
lowed by a request to walk up stairs into
The drawing room, and in another second the
side door opened and young girl advanced