The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-11

Why are you so unhappy anu OH teii
me, I beseech you, by what power Maj
Egan controls you and threatens me
Brother, brother, do not ask me to marry
that wicked man! Anything else, any
thing, I would even die for you, my
Harryp
"And did Dick Egan dare to threaten
you?" asked Harry, his eyes flashing,
and his whole frame trembling with
anger; "he shall account to me for it, il
I am sold to him body and soulW
90, Harry, Harry! do not say you are
sold to that dreadful man! Tell me all =?
tell me quickly, or I will go crazy"
"Hush, hush, sweet sister," said Harry,
soothingly, 'I will not tell you anything
if you look SO wildly at me-" Then, as
briefly as possible, he told, as the reader
already knows, the story of the borrowed
money and the mortgage of Berkley
Hall. "And now," he said, "the money
borrowed is due, and I have it not to
return. Egan can foreclose the mortgage
in June, and proposes to do so unless
you will promise to marry him. He
thinks you will marry him sooner than
have the old place Sold"
"And is that allp said Marion, with a
sigh of relief.
Gall, Marion yes truly it is all; and
how much worse could it 2" said Har-
ry, gazing upon his sister in amazement.
cit is very unfortunate. But, oh
Harry, I thought it was something dis
graceful. To give up the old place will
make us very, very sad, but many others
have had to part with their loved homes,
and we will be rich in each others love ;
and, oh! Maj. Egan said the honor of
the Mahams was at stake"
"And so it is," said Harry, bitterly,
"the last Maham, like cowardly pol
troon, Sinking his heaven-assigned work,
upon foolish throw has risked and lost
the home of his fathers But that is not
the worst. In the eyes of the world I
will be common defrauder. The mort
gage is worthless, because I did not OBJ
tain your and my mothers consent, and
although Egan was not deceived, he
threatens to hold me up to the public
scorn as treacherous friend and faith
less son and brother. He will press the
mortgage, valueless as he knows it to be,
to stain the name of Maham, unless you
will promise to marry him. He urged
me to persuade you, but I told him I
would not be such villain as to ask my
sister to sacrifice her affections for my
welfare. No, not if it saves my neck
from the ganows Egan told me you
had rejected him with scorn, and he left
Berkley Hall yesterday in a passion.
But did not know he had offered you
threats. The cowardp
'Thank you, dear Harry, for your love.
knew my brother could not act dishon-
orably. Dear mamma and I will, OF
course, yield our claims to the property,
and then no suspicion of dishonor can
rest upon you. After all, we were a
party in your risk; had you succeeded,
we, too, would have been gamers, and it
is but right we should share your loss.
We will, of course, shed few natural
tears over the dear old house and its
sweet, sweet memories, but both you and
I are young, and can work for dear man.
ma, and it will be such pleasure to care
for her."
"Ah, that is the bitter DROP" ex-
claimed poor Harry, ''that I, her only
son, her protector, should have robbed
my poor mother of her all-her home
No, no, Marion, it cannot be mamma
must never know anything about it
The disgrace is mine, have merited and
I must bear it. That poor pitiful thing,
moral coward, I will not consent to be-
I will meet the finger of scorn; mamma
must be spared"
20, Harry, you can never be yourself
until you are freed from Maj. Egan's in,
Auence. I will undertake to tell your
whole story to dear mamma in such q
way that her grief in parting with Berk'
ley Hall will be swallowed up in an mex.
pressible thankfulness that her children
have escaped the snare laid for Their
unwary feet"
"Thank you, Marie" said Harry, kiss
ing his sister, "you have always, even
when we were children, tried to bear my
sorrows and cover my faults, and 1 feal
you have spoiled me. I don't think
can agree to your plans. To me they
seem very selfish. But" he continued
seeing that Marion looked disappointed
eve will talk of it another time. With
such mother and sister cannot stray
far"
"And such a sweetheart interposed
Marion. "Now go, dear Harry, and
make clear breast to Jessie. Poor little
thing, she has been grieving sadly over
your moody looks and ways. She has
even imagined that you had become
weary of her love. Only yesterday she
said: 'Ah! Marion if I only knew how
to do it, I would release dear Harry from
his engagement. People, I have heard
do make mistakes sometimes, and he and
have always lived in such affectionate
and familiar intercourse, it is natural
IT,. .l.,,1l l,oyo tbonobt bo loync