The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-07-14
CHAPTER XVII.
THE ACCUSATION DENIED.

which he vainly e,dcavored to resist,
he seized the hands Of Violet and, drew her
to his side, :syx
care you suddenly l,ereft of your sense,
Mr.. Aubrey" he ste,nly demanded, g that
you come into my house, and utter such
ridiculous nonsense before my friends
We're it not that I feel some compassion
forNou,sas disappointed man, 7 should be
disposed to call in my servants, md bid
them expel you! !"
This bold speech, reasured tho panic
stricken guests, and they began to gather
around Mr.. Derwent and his pale bride,
and cast resenful glances at the auducious
intruder
But now Charles Malcolm sterpcd for
ward, and b:fore his stc;,'iy gaze the eyes
ot Nioiet's guardian fell. lu5 his grasp
on the trembling girl ii: htcn.l; and he
partially interposed himself b tween her
and those who would have wrcst,l her from
his held.
"Mr. Dcrwent,' said Malcolm. in the
firm, eluable tones which always command
RESPECT and attention. Mr.. Do.went, you
viii 10 vel! TO dismiss lollr Vi itors, and
to un!and th..t youns. ady. The mar
rage You lttve contemplated cannot take
pilce.H
"CrM4ot, sir? I have Miss Lindsly's
posl I'VE l'i@''ge to become mine within this
hour; and rcithcr your uncalled-for in
tcrIcrcncc nor the rawlings Of your mad COM
panion shall prevent it being fulfilled !"
Then you compel me to speak openly.
Miss Lindsly, your guardian has been false
10 his trust He has abused the confidence
reposci in him, and tampcred with your
property! 1t is to conceal his guilt that he
strives to wed you
Mr. Derwent smiled contemptuously.
"hliss Lindsly already knows the circ'lm-
stances On which you put so harsh con-
strucll"n. She is aware that my affec-
tlonnte eldelyors to make her happy, and
to surround her with everything she could
crave, led me into expenses beyond my
means; to meet which in an evil hour,
made Use of my powers as co-trustce, to sell
out some OF her property, which, regret
to sly, have not been able to replace.
have confesse this to Violet, and she has
nobly, generously forgiven NE. Have YOU
not, my d:arys;?'
She bowed assent, for she could not COM
mand her Voice sufficiently to make any
Other reply.
Vernon Aubrey understood now all that
ptrp.eXed him so in her conduct. Mr..
Derwent, we'll aware that when she took up.
her ''ole with Sir John Lefroys, all his
speculations would be detected, had thrown
hlms.I upon her mercy. lie had wrought
upon her by his assurances that it was for
her he had sinned-that his oyerwecIline
love had made him half ruin himself, to
surround her with luxuries, and indulge
the ightest wish she formed. And Violet
had not heared him unmoved. Sadly con-
WINGED Of Aubrey's gilt, and regarding it
as her duty to save her guardian from the
consequences Of the guilty acts into which
his love for her had betrayed him, she had
maze herself the sacrifice, and vowed TO
keep his secret.
Charles Malcolm's next words ruthlessly
destroyed the illusion under which she had
been laboring; and, in spite of herself,
suspicion began to creep into her heart that
She had been duped.
''Tltis tale did very well for an unsuspect-
ing girl, who had no means of testing its
truth, and was generously ready to think
the best Of her guardian. But | happen
to have learned, in some inquiries l have
instituted in the City, that Mr.. Derwcnt
has dabbled in s,mdry speculations not
very cred;table to him; and that the sums
procured By the sale of stock standing in
his wards name were paid into tie firm Of
Gulson and Rougcm, whose frauds have
just been exposed in the daily papers,
Violet began to shiver in Mr.. Derwent's
fierce clasp, and to look anxiously and fear
fully in his lowering face. He saw this,
and spoke to Ler in hurried whispers.
"You hear what he says? Well, it is
false-all false! 1t is parr Of cruel plot
to ruin me in your estiIr '';on Go to your
own room, my beloved, for few minutes.
7 will Get rid Of these base slandcrers, and
join you there"
He would have led her away, saying,
"Miss Lindsly does not choose to listen to
any more Of these vile insinuations.
She prefers to retire TO her own apart
ments."
But Sir John Lyfroyc, who had made
several attempts to get hearing, now an
grily and fusa:ly in.crposed.
al is quite time that exercised my all
thority. l have been too yiclding-too
good-natured. [ ought to have insisted
upon taking Miss LinAsly away when I
came here before. Violet Lindsly. in the
name of your dead father l commtnd you
to quit the side of that bnl man, and plAce
yourself under my protection
"Convnce me that Mr.. Dprwent has
played the dishonorrnle part you inpute 10
him, and l will obey" she answered., firm
ly. "But [ will not retract my promise
until assured OF his unworthiness. would
Sonff ft,,.,,
sertions as you have been making; how,
then, shall break my VOWS to one whom
have always trusted and rcspected?'
"My assurance that Mr.. Derwent is a
bad man ought to be sufficient for you !'
Sir John exclaimed, drawing himself up
with more than his usual pomposi;y.
"Perhaps it ought; b"t l have bean
taught to hold my word sacred, ard shall
continue to 30 So
Yet, while Niolct-truc to her honorable
teachin"S-was saying this, her blue eyes
eagerly sought and questioned tile agitated
ceuntenance OF Vernon Aubrey. She long
to fly to his. side 10 know herself free from
the bonds which linked her to another ;
and more and more hateful became the
thought of the marriage she still consider
ed herself bound to contract.
Mr.. Dcrwent smiled exultingly as he
listened to her.
"Miss h;n1sly speaks like her own, no
BILE, generous self! !" he cried. "And now
who shall dare to hinder our union Come,
my friends; we have let these highly re.
spectacle gentlemen detain us quite long
enough"
Charles Malcolm WAS bafflel by his cool
ness. He WAS unprovidcd with sufficient
corroborative testimony of Mr. Dcrwent's
turpitude, for Millicent's brief telegram
had bidden him CONC to Norwood without
delay. Neither had he been able to see
her since his arrival, and learn the reason
of her hasty summons-for Vernon III his
impctuosity, dragged him at once into the
apartment where tae bridal party were as
sembled.
As he was about to propose to Miss
Lindsly that she should postpone her nup-
tials, and give him time to prove the jus.
tice of his allegations, Vernon Aubrey
Lrok.. in upon him.
'Eiolct, you cannot-you must not unite
u61r.nlf tf thic II I b,l nt