National Republican., 1877-02-20

Haa,cd her own living, as have oiten
II wasp ain to Grafton that the young earl was
m ,s ed lover Of Cecil, but this conviction by
eau ed him to des.t from his suit.
a., shall win her" he said to himself, gtimiy.
IN y pst IN ans sp,o or sss,ss sny Ie',sse
aud wealth IN spite q the fact even tina, the girl
tho task-but if 1 should iaii-as shall not-I
would utterly destroy the girl before any other
The hard, evil look In his eyes attestcd to the
truthfulness OF this declaration.
aic,sam Seyan 10 maso prsners,,oGs 10 hpr, on,,
| Iorlits, as he had to return home to keep his
ns With party Q, sus'.s Whom he had
him at his shootingS Sox in the Scottish high
lands. On the eve Of his departure he allied upon
asked tor her hand n marriage. The old pastor
| was deeply moved, and, after considerable hest
sCh , b LD 'nc SSnnK % seSrst
| fIom the shock. he asked:
docs Cecil know her hlstoryrr
mo, have not dared yet TO tell her,
Then keep II q secret still from her She must
never know u. And give her to me, Mein Herr,
u ,he will marry me, and let me guard and pro-
"You are generous, my lord, but this cannot
| yet be. You shall not marry her on = generous
,tG 10 your own country for one me year leave her to
me, and ig anC!hea hummer, you stili love Cecil,
SDS d her Of oyS shs Is sSs IS
| only seventeen"
Lord GIsnham was forced to acquesce in the
Cecii was called in. and the earl took leave Of
| her in her guardians presence. HIS lOrLship's
| tongue was silcnced upon the subject Of love,
hut his eyes told the tale his lips had been for.
biddcn 10 utter and the girls soul thrilled under
Il eRGs am gplpg away, way Cecil" said his iord.hrp,
with atendern.ss he could not rcpress. 81 am
! going home to England, but shall return next
summer. Goodbye, Cseil-good.bye, my dar-
Inc sorrow in her sweet eyes robbed him of his
| showcrcd kisses on her pure young face in an
irrcpIcssIblo agitation. Then, gently putting
her from him: he wrung the pastors hand and
An hour later Lord dlenham and NIaIdred
Grafton len I0rlltI on thcsr way 10 England, the
return.
That evening, as the good old pastor sat alone
The day, the door opeaea and old Gtstahen came nc
| In, bearing IN one hand a lighted candle, In the
other smHii pscke, upon witch was impressed
Gieichsn had retired Two English bank notes
| upon which he saw handwriting. followed them.
The old scholar started, recoiiing. his gentle
se SSs,srsa sns r.t
ever received from Cecils former guardian. 1
have received my pounds from him every year,
| but never a scrap Of writing before. What has he
to say to met Docs he intend to take the chilli
from me? Is the long mystery Of fourteen years
I ~
| Herr Broken uniolded the mysterious letter, a
strange agitation qulyerlng through all his
threshold OF the solution OF the strange mystery
| ofCscirs origin. A blur obscured his vision. He
| removed his speetaeles and wiped them with a
trembling hand. Then be spread out the sheet
OF paper, ais eager old eyes fairly devouring its
The letter, as he noticed alter reading It, was
written upon plain white paper. without water
mark or imprint Of any sort whatever. The
| handwriting was course and slnnted backwards,
| ~ at tgm nj at TharR
| date TO the letter, which was as follows:
| "HKRR BRocKEN It Ism W fourteen years since
| LEFT with you the little nameless child whom
you agreed TO bring mp, and In all that time
have never written q line TO you, nor have heard
@ haTs tSs rsms$ iai.$
regularly to you for her support the sum of ftty
pounds Per r. snsI%. p ~ ,ts remit that & sum herewith
now about seventeen years old, aud quite able to
make her own way, shall not send any more
be the last Communication you will ever receive
Il suppose that she has been brought up, in ac
cordanee with my Instructions, as . German
tented with her lot, sincs she has never known
ARE will have been fuinlled.
told you fourteen years ago, that the girl has
no friends save those she may have made at Zor-
tz; no relations; and that the best she do for
Black Forest. My care and concern for her end
herewith. Neither she nor you will ever hear
There was no signature to this epistle. Herr
Broeken read 1t over the second time and sighed
'The unknown guardian washes his hands Of
Cecil" he muttered. "All connection between
the girl and her carly past is now completely
never know her origin. almost wish that had
not sent Lord Glenham away. and yet could
and and SsuSses q the world sri m Ike Cecil nc
matter how great her beauty, genius, and good
nc Sg sS SSs T lsr
on the paper, and Cecil came in slowly, half
The pastor made movement to put the letter
in his desk, but changed his purpose.
my dear" he said, 'you seem somehow less
child Ito to me than usual tonight MY hear.
lay them upon your young shouldersc"
The tender young face at once grew stronger,
with gravity and courage that touched the old
II did not know that you were bearing secret
burdens, uncle, said Cecil. "Let me help you.
The pastor glanced at the two bank.notes on
"No, dear; It is not any fear of poverty that
troubles me, he said gently. ~ feel strangely
weak. realize to night that l an growing old
70 sHS@ VIII c scn ar' 10
| now. Cecil, this handsome English lord asked
me to-day Tor my consent TO address you as your
The girl blushed and paied, aud her eyes
glomsd with q swiit and darling sPlendUr.
|
| aher little pause.
II bade him walt year. told him that you
| were too young TO marry.
| ''He loves me. He loves me.r Cecil said to her.
self softy, her glorious young beauty radiant as
| star. "And he Is coming back next year. oh,
uncle, am the hsppiest girl in all the world to-
| nieht!r
The old pastor sighed and stroked her hair with
| shaking hand. A great struggle was going on
whhin him. At last 4 look OF decision settled
| upon his carewOrn features, and with his trem6-
| ling hand resting on Ceel's head he told her her
| history ms far as he knew It. He also Informed
| her that he had told II to Lord Glenham, aud
that II seemed TO make him love her all the more.
| He than handed her the letter from her unk nown
| guardian, closed his eyes and leaned back In his
| clair, His face looked singulaily worn and sor-
| rowiul In the dim light, and there was a weari-
ncts In the dropping features that told OF extreme
| physical weakness. No one marked 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 bitter
ness horror and despair indicated In all her per-
feet features.
The letter ieIl ut last from CIells hand and the
bright head dropped to the pastors knee, while
Cecil gave way TO o burst OF passionate weeping.
"My child" said the OLD scholar, arouslng him.
self with his former bewildered expression,
this from you II I had dared. Lord Glenham
may come back. Goodness, beauty and genius
are Of mere value than ancestry. Put the letter
In your pocket. lt may prove clue some day
He took from the desk small packet, which