Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-06
A Skeleton In The Closet.
BRANDON CoYLE. ARE you MApg''

stant TOO soon TO save him from the crime OF
SELF destruction.
lie whirled around upon her. and they stood
iaSing each other with eyes flaming defiance.
=, how like yet Unlike were these fierce, beau
utMl creatures-twin sister and brother!
sue que Win her slender, well-rounded, lissom
i aaa Wild her small fine features and clear,
deep. hollow black eyes: the whole over
shadoWed oy heavy. clustering auburn curls-
subtle wiStful face.
He somewhat taller, fuller, and more sup
pie, IKE another human snake, of little larger
gro S win paier complexion, darker eyes
They were the orphan niece and nephew Of
Christopher Coyle, esquire, a. old bachelor
living on his ancient matrimonial estate of
Cleveland i'm the North of England
Now they stood glaring at each other full
minute in silent menace. Then both spoke at
once:
"Aspirita."
Brandon"
:. How dared you stop mer"
How dared you raise your hand against
~ dare do what please" he answered,
sulkily;
to death-from the known to the unknown"
she retorted, solemnly.
There can be no more perfect perdtion
than suffer now? Why did you stop me-" he
cIIed, with grown of anguish.
Because [ would not have you destroy
yourself for the sake of a peevish girl. Come.
Brandon, Rouse YOURSELF DO be man! "
II cannot live without Arielle " he walled.
What mooncalf you are, to be crying
after girl! II you cannot live iotttout her,
demanded the girl
alive with herr You know she is to be
married to Vladimir DeSparde tomorrow" re-
pned the young man.
"She is to be married to n,orroc; but this is
today; and there's many slip 'twixt the
cup and'-but proverbs are vulgar, aud you
know what mean"
" 8. SN must stop the marriage, Brandon
Stop the marriage! How am to do that,
| pray your"
Hush, Brandon! Come and sit down here
on the sofa by me, and will tell you what to
do to break off this marriage, near as it is and
| to win The bride for yourself, much as she is
now devoted to her afiianced lover, whispered
| The suicidal phrenzy in him was laid for the
| moment, even though it might return.
| Now attend to me, Brandon. Before he
became your successful rival in the favor of
Lady Arielle Montjoie, Vladimir Desparde
was your most intimate friend, was he not p
''Of course he. was.' exclaimed Brandon.
| grinding his teeth.
You were in his entire confidence
"You have often heard him regret, deplore
the unfathomabe mystery that hangs over his
own and his sisters childhood ?''
oh, to be sure. Haven't told you so often
And he rather resents his guardians Lord
Beaudevere's, reticence on this subject?''
6g tbs What has all this to do with
claimed Brandon, impatiently.
lit has everything to do with stopping it.
But you must be patient, my lad Calm your
you through crOSSeXamlnation, and then
II don't understand YOU"
| No? But you will as / go on. Tell me,
first, exactly how much Vladimir Desparde
really does know Of his early history? He has
Yes. hut Il iS very little Ha knows only
so much as he remembers. He has heard
nothing. Lord Beaudevere. the only person in
possession OF the iasts firmly refuses to speak
full
"What do you say?''
Lord Beaudevere'S reserve is very merciful
to Vladimir Desparde and his sister,"
What do you mean, Aspirita?"
will But 60 and
his early life, Brandon"
"Let me think. Oh! He remembers living
with his mother and his little sister, in very
poor lodgings, in the narrow street of great
city, whose name he has forgotten, even If he
"Was it in this country"
mo. for he crossed water to come here.''
sin France, them"
"No, for they were Enplish,speakng. people
servants. lie thinks it must have been New
l York OF New Orleans or some other American
city" o
~, Ne" Ne. Orleans, probably, if they had many
country, is lost to him in the morning mist of
his dawn OF memory.
There was something concerning his
father, the elder Naldimir Desparde, whom,
however, he does not remember ever to have
seen. But his mother never held up her head
again. She used to cry over him and his sis
this world, and save them from the evil to
come"
"Ah!" gasped Aspirita. as she listened to
every word Of this little story.
AT length the mother took to her bed, from
which She never arose again: One day min
istef re- came and sat by the bed and wrote let
she grew weaker. Another day gentleman
arrived, stranger, who afterwards proved to
be t %n9l Bsaudsyere." 40,
that her brOt...ler paused.
told l ,, am crying to rememScc r what Desparde
sIia ne Of It this lis stranger. Oh he did moi
Immediately removed to more comfortable
house, and pro ,vided them with everything
they could want Desparde remembers dis
Lord Beaudevere stood with Vivienne in his
arms and Vladimir by his 81. 'e' promising sing the
Gydng woman to be a father to nem while ne
the black dresses. Then long ,n ISna voyage
| talQlnlr.
%Rid his 81, sster-did vivienne recolIect
Nothing. Her earliest memories date from
their life at ClOudland, whittier their Guardian
TOOK them Immediately on their arrival in
And We know all the rest from bearsav-
how the bachelor, Lord Beaudevere. repre-
scented these children to his neighbors as his
little cousins and wards; how he sent Valdi
mir to Elton, and afterwards to Oxford. where
the young man distinguished himself as much
Dy devotion to study as by skill in athletic
sports; now the guardian sent him on his con-
unental tour, and at his return celebrated his
majority at ClOudland, presenting him to the
| tenantry as the heir; how the baron procured
the most accomplished gOverness and masters
Tor Vly1enne and took her to London and had
her presented to the Queen. All this we
know OF these two individuals, whose earliest
DAYS We're passed in a squalid tenement house
| In foreign city. said ASpirita" Scornfully
| wen, the fellow is the heir-presumptiye of
| !ne title and estates of Lord Beaudeyere, IF
| II were not so, he might never have dared to
| aspire to the hand of the Lady Arielle Mont.
| l0le. Or If he had, his aspirations would have
| been treated with contempt"
| Then il he is the heir of the Barony of
| Beaudevere he must be so through his mother
I0r he cannot be so through his father. since
the name of Desparde is not to be found IN the
tentiouSy. 'e"