The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-20

strengthen into stronger emotion,
An increased pallor aud sudden COM
preston Of her perfect lips brought Lord
Glenham hastily to her assistance. Her
wound was but slight, aud when Lord Glen
ham had completed bis small attempt at
surgery, and the wounded arm had been
well bandaged, Cecil Russe thanked him
| courteously and avowed her intention of
fastening home.
| I'VE will accompany you, Miss Rosse,"
said the earl. "NO, do not refuse You
are not able to go alone. Lean upon me-
else ! shall think that you have not forgiven
me"
Cecil took his arm and led the way by the
| forestpath in the direction of her home. A
| few minutes walk brought them out upon
the steep village street and very near the
| parsonage. AS they entered the little gar
den-gate, the old housekeeper, Gretchen,
| came out TO meet them with loud express
ions of alarm at the evident weakness Of her
young mistress. She fairly worshiped the
pastors niece, and Cecil forced a smile and
disengaged her arm from its support as she
said:
"Hush, Gretchen, you will alarm my un-
Gle. l AN not seriously hurt"
She hastened to explain the recent acci.
dent, and then invited her companions to
enter the house.
"Not now," answered Lord Gieuham.
"But we will avail ourselves of your kind
invitation tomorrow"
He raised his hat courteously, aud wait
ed until Cecil had entered the dwelling with
old servant, and then he led the way down
to the village.
At a little distance from the parsonage
Lord Glenham halted and looked back, a
new light in his eyes, a new glow on his
face.
80 he loves her too p thought Grafton,
his soul convulsed with baf1l ed fury. But
he has not won her, and he never shall.
For | love her, too-this patrician beauty
of the Black Florest-I love her, and l
swear by all that is holy that she shall be
my wife. My wife, and not his. He will
WOO her openly; that l cannot do, lest he
know me for his rival. Yet it shall go hard
If l do not undermine him, cause her to re-
fuse him, and then win her for myself.
The first thing to be done is to discover how
this EDgliSh-looking and English-spesking
young lady hsprens to be the niece of a
German pastor. All, my lord, cherish your
little fancies, dream your little drcame,
while step in and win the prize before
your very eyes !"
The next day the young Englishmen call
ed. Their interview with the old pastor
was pleasant one. Cecil was transcend
entity lovely. Beth of the young men were
desperately in love with her, and each re-
solved, If possible, to win her for his wife.
They settled themselves comfortably at
ZorlItz hunted in the forest, and visited the
parsonage daily. Absorbed ir his books,
the Herr Pastor paid little heed to the visi
tors whom Cecil entertained. June faded
into July, and August came and went, and
still the Englishmen fingered at ZDrltz.
No one but sharp-eyed old. Gretchen sus-
pected that they we're the lovers of "little
Cecil, or saw the change In her young mis-
WoT2nnsn saiu " uv.so.., =. ~.
"And he loves her. The Herr Pastor is
failing-no one can see it but but when
he dies the little fraulein will have grand
home and protector, and will not be driv-
en- to earn her own living, as i have often
artd"
1t was plain to Grafton that the young
earl was the favored lover of Cecil, but this
conviction by no means dampened the ar
dor of his own love, or caused him TO de-
sist from his suit.
81 shall win her !" he said to himself,
grimly. 81 can work and wait. In spite
of any obstacle in my path, in spite of
Glenhsm's beauty, rank, and wealth, in
spite of the fact even that the girl loves him
and dislikes me, / will win her / devote
myself, mind and body, heart and soul, to
the task-but If l should fail-as | shall
not-I would utterly destrCy the girl before
| any other should possess her! !"
The hard, evil look in his eyes attested
| to the truthfuluess Of this declaration.
AS the month of August drew to close,
Lord Glenhsm began to make preparations
| to quit Zorlitz; as he had to return home to
keep his engagements with party of
guests whom he had invited to spend the
menth of September with him at his shoot
| ing-box in the Scottish Highlands. On the
eve of his departure he called upon Herr
| Broken, avowed his love for Cecil, and
| asked for her hand in marriage. The old
pastor was deeply moved, and after cousid-
cradle hesitation, revealed to the young no.
| blemau secret which affected him pro-
| foundly. On recovering from the shock,
| he asked
"Does Cecil know her history ?"
"No: have not dared yet TO tell her.
"Then keep ii a secret still from her. She
must never know it. And give her to me,
Mein Herr, If she will marry me, and let
me guard aud protect her"
you are generous, my lord, but this can
not yet be. You shall not marry her on
generous impulse. Besides, she is too
| young. Go back to your own country for
one year, leave her to me, aud If, another
summer, you still love Cecil, come and
claim her. But now you must not speak
to her of love. She is but a child-she is
| only seventeen"
| Lord Glenham was forced to acquiesce in
the old pastors decision.
Cecil was called in, and the earl took
leave of her IN her guardians presence.
His lordship's tongue was silenced upon the
subject OF love, but his eyes told the tale
his lips had been forbidden to utter, and
the girl'S soul thrilled under his worshipirg
gaze
II am going away, Cecil" said his lord
ship, with a tenderness he could not re-
press 81 am going home TO England. but
| | shall return next summer. Good-by,
Cecil-good by, my darlipgI"
The sorrow in her sweet eyes robbed him
Of his self-control. He caught her to his
breast and showeTed kisses on her pure
young face in an irrepressible agitation.
Then, gently putting her from him, he
wrung the pastors hand and dashed from
the house.
An hour later Lord Glenham and Maldred
Grafton left Zoritz on their way to Eng
land, the latter promising to himself a
speedy and secret return.
That evening, as the good old pastor sat
alone in his study, meditatlng upon the
great event of the day, the door opened and
old Gretchen came in, bearing in one hand
a lighteu candle. in the other small pack
ct upon which was impressed the London
postmark.
The pastor tore open the packet as soon
as Gretchen had retired. Two English
banknotes fell upon his knee, and folded
sheet of paper, upon which he saw hand.
writing, followed them.
The old scholar started, recoiling, his
gentle face growing troubled aud lerplexed,
"a letter 7" he muttered. "The first let
ter l ever received from Cecils former
guardian. l have received fifty pounds
from him every year. but never a scrap OF
| visiting hefora What has he To aav To meI