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

without WaJer-marK or imprint OF any sou
whatever. The handwriting was coarse,
and slanted backwards, with evident at
tempt at disguise. There was no date to
the letter, which was as follows:
"HRRR BROKEN 1t ia now fourteen
years since l left with you the little, name
less child whom you agreed to bring up,
and In all that time / have never written a
line to you, nor have l heard from you d.
rectly, but l am aware that the child is, I'M
fortunately, still alive. / have RENTED
regularly to you for her support the sum of
fifty pounds per annum. l remit that sum
herewith, as usual, in bank of England
notes. As she is now about seventeen years
old, aud quite able to make her own way,
shall not send any more money for her.
AS this Is the first, it will also be the last
communication you will ever receive from
me.
al suppose that she has been brought up,
Ia accordance with my instructions, as o
German peas ant-girl. lsuppose, also, that
che is contented with her lot, since she has
never known any other. If she should
marry some wood-carver of your people.
then my best wishes for her welfare will
lave been fulfilled.
at is scarcely necessary for me to repeat
what told you fourteen years ago, that
the girl has no friends save those she may
ldNC ulduO ~ LOlllNLi III lCldbhOuo uhu
that the best she can do for herself is to
live and die in the obscurity of the Black
Forest. My care and concern for her end
herewith. Neither she nor you will ever
Lear from me again"
There was no signature to this epis'le.
Herr Broken read ii owe the second time
and sighed heavily.
"The unknown guardian washes his
hands of Cecil" he muttered. "All con-
;lection between the girl and her early past
ls now completely severed. She will never
tolve the mystery, will never know her
origin. l almost wish that had not sent
Lord Glenham away, and yet L could not
30 otherwise. According to the traditions
End usages of the world, a girl like Cecil,
10 matter how great her beauty, genius,
and goodness, is no fitting wife for a great
lord"
The door opened while,his eyes were riv-
eted on the paper, and Cecil came III SLOW
ly, half-shyly.
The pastor made a movement to put the
letter in his desk, but changed his pur-
pose.
"My DEAR" he said, 'you seem some
how less of a child to me than usual to-
night. My heart is hesvy and sore with
many burdens. Shall l lay them upon your
young shoulders? ?"
Nv hNhNN JOeh6 wv ~ OASS EhS
stronger, with a gravity and courrge that
touched the old scholar.
81 did not know that you were bearing
escret burdens, uncle" said Cecil. "Let
me help you. Do you need money"
The pastor glanced at the two bank notes
on his desk
mo, dear, it is not any fear of poverty
that troubles me" he said, gently. 81 feel
strangely weak. l realize tonight that 1
;am growing old. l may not live another
year, aud there are things you ought to
know. | will tell them to you now. Cecil,
this handsome English lord asked me to-
day for my consent to address you as your
%suitor."
The girl blushed and paled, and her eyes
glowed with q swift and dazzling splendor.
"Wbat did you say, uncle ?" she whis-
pered- after a little pause.
81 babe him wait a year. l told him that
you were too young to marry"
'He loves me He loves me !" Cecil
said to herself softly, her glorious young
beauty radiant as a star. "And he is CON-
ing back next year Oh, uncle, l am the
nappiest girl in all the world tonight !"
The old pastor sighed aud stroked her
hair with a shaking hand. A great strug
gle was going on within him.. At last a
look of decision settled upon his careworn
features, and with his trembling hand rest
ing on Uecil's head he told her her history
as far as he knew it. He also informed
her that he had told it to Lord Glenham.
and that it seemed to make him love her
all the more. He then handed her the let
ter from her unknown guardian, closed his
eyes and leaned back in his chair. His
face looked singularly worn and sorrowful
in the dim light, and there was a WEAKNESS
in the dropping features that told of ex-
Ara,,o vItvo,Mal x1AatyAAaa NJ A-a 49, rlal
the rapid change of expression in the young
face at his knee, the passionate anguish in
the sweet eyes, the tense lines about the
lovely mouth, the bitterness, horror, and
despair indicated in all her perfect features.
The letter fell at last from Cecil's hand,
and the bright head dropped to the pastors
knee, while Cecil gave way to a burst of
passionate weeping.
my child" said the old scholar, arous-
ing himself with his former bewildered ex-
preston, ''hush, dear, you pain me. !
would have kept this from you if l had
dared. Lord Glenham may come back.
Goodness, beauty, and genius are Of more
value than ancestry. Put the letter in your
pocket. 1t may prove a clew some day."
He took from the desk a small packet,
which he opened.
"My good wife wrote out the history OF
your coming here" he SAID, ''and here il
is. We both signed 1t. And the good
wife, who wa, clever with her pencil,
made that night, after your guardians de-
psrture, a sketch of his face. Here it is
1t can perhaps do you no good, but as the
mar might have been your father, we pre-
served it for you"
Cecil seized the paper eagerly, and star
ed at the picture with great, devourine
eyes.
1t represented a young man with a fair,
English face; a heavy, cruel mouth; small
blue eyes, the left one having a peculiaI
droop; aud with a large mole on the left
cheek. The face was hard, cold and un
pleasant, and Cecil ehnddered as she stud
led 1t, feeling a quick sense of repulsion to-
wards it.
do you think that he was my fathera'
she asked.
1.-THE good wife thought not. But hi
might have been. Men can be very crue
to their own flesh and blood when they arr
supremely selfish. Keep the picture, dear,
And now, Cecil, we must say good night,
Cecil knelt down beside him, and he lay
his hands on her head and blessed her.
Then he embraced her tenderly, as She
arose, and dismissed her.
The old pastor leaned back in his chair
His long, scanty locks fell around his ven
cradle face, and his eyelids dropped wear
lily.
"Poor little Cecil !" he said to himself
yet without seeming to realize his words
81 seem to have the gift of second sight to
night. A terrible future yawns befor,
her. Poor little one! God shield her !"
When morning daWned, he still sat in hi
easy chair, but his head was thrown back
the gentle smile was frozen on his features
which were rigid as marble.
The old pastor had gone to JOIN his goo'
wife. He was dead, and Cecil Rose wa
lett alone in the world to meet the terribl,
perils in store for herl
The grief of Cecil, when the next morn
ing, she discovered the old pastor sitting
dead in his char. was understandable. Shl