The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-05-18

vinced that Myrtle had some sorrow OF
which they knew nothing. She often
found her in tears, and once she came
| upon her crying over q crumpled bit ol
paper written over in a mans firm, dash
| ing hand.
She told Hamish what she had seen.
The impetuous young fellow wen,
| straight to Myrtle with all the passion o.
a loving, noble nature expressed in his
face.
"Darlingr' said he, "tell me all your
grieis. / love you. Let mine he the
| task to guard and shield you."
Instead of falling upon his breast as
he had hoped, the poor girl shrunk iron
him with wild look Of terror.
"My Godf' she gasped, ooh, why
could not this misfortune have been
spared me7 Must l lose my only
| friendsW
"ls it a misfortune to love?" =
eyes, to love me-" she cried, wildly,
and hid herself away from him, with
such white, scared face, he dared not
molest her further.
Presently a ringing step bounded up
the stairs-a mans firm, determined
tread. Hamish heard Myrtle's door open
and then cry, as Of mortal anguish:
"Richardl You here? Oh, may God
be mercifulw
The door closed sharply, and only the
low murmur of voices and the sound of
weeping reached the listening ears be.
low. A half-hour later, man came
down the stairs-a bronzed, bearded fel.
low, with restless, coal-black eyes and q
wicked mouth. He shot Hamish a quick,
| suspicious glance in passing, then de-
scended to the lower hall and left the
house.
Hamish sat before his desk, white and
shaking from head to foot, with some in
detinable terror. This doubt, uncertain
ty, despair, was telling upon him.
l. Suddenly great cry arose in the
street without-a murmur OF many
voices. He rushed down stairs. At a
ing up a crushed, helpless figure. He
ran forward, and one glance told him it
was the man who had passed out just
before him. A graceful figure, clad in
gray, followed. Then came shrill, wild
scream Of terror, uttered in a woman's 8
voice, and Myrtle Verne leaned, white
and gasping, against the wall.
"Oh, my Coup
Hamish clutched fercely hold of her
arm.
"what was that man to youw he de-
manded.
"My husbandw
Then little by little she told her story.
Friendless, helpless, alone In the world,
with none to advise her, she had married
him. 1t was fatal mistake. Richard
Verne was thoroughly bad man-gam-
bier and villain!
Several days later, when the first hor-
rible impres sions caused by the affair
had worn off O little. Mrs, Tretherick
said to Myrtle:
"Have you no relatives, child, who will
be anxious about youW
"None," was the sad reply; "my father
ana mother are dead, and they were all
l had"
"What was your maiden nameW
"Eloise Myrtle Bernard"
"Eloise Bernardo shrieked Mrs. Tre-
therick, starting out OF her chair.
You can imagine her CONSERVATION, for
Eloise Bernard was the name OF the new
owner of Tretherick Hall. Little by lit
tie the truth dawned clearly upon her
mind. She had purposely cut of all
with her lost home, and
had not known whether the present
heiress had taken possession Of it or not.
How strange-hov passing strange
that she and Hamish should have stum-
bled upon her, and here, of all places in
the wOrldi
Why make long story OF the little
that is to be toldP Myrtle was the
heiress of Tretherick Hall. She married
Hamish, six months after the events
cnronicled in this sketch, and SO the
liking had his avn again." and Mrs.
Tretherick was restored to her home
she had deplored SO bitterly.
Bamish will persist in calling his sweet
little wife the ghost OF the Trethericks,
for was she not the harbInger OF good
fortune, after ailf