The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-03-28
TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

His dying words were: "Go home, my
poor girl, to your Aunt Arlingford, at
Elmsley, near London, and stay with Ter
until You are married to Walter"
For General Guild and Colonel Cary had
been friends together, and comrades in
many battle, and had long ago affianced
their motherless children to one an
other, the wedding to take place as soon
as the young man had attained his ma
jority.
So here was the orphan girl nearing
the end other journey, and gazing visit
fully at the strange and unfamiliar land
of her birth.
There was one Clause in her dead ia
theirs will which had required to Doras
mind with ever present pain, ever since
she had first heard it; and that was,
should she, upon making the acquaint-
ance of Walter Cary, refuse to marry him
the bulk of her fortune should he passed
over to her cousin, Penelope Ariinetord.
That her dear father should think it
necessary to coerce her into compliance
had rung from her many a tear. Wholly
unvcrsed in the strong minded ways of
some English maidens, she had never
dreamed of disobcyiug him, or of choss-
ng mate for herself
The journey was over at last.
Miss Guild found herself in a quiet
country house, surrounded by the most
. tervent assurances OF welcome from her
sole surviving relatives. who of course,
knew all about her affairs, ana treated
her with the most delicate consideration
Mr.. Arlingford was bluff and hearty
gentleman farmer; Mrs. Arlingford a re-
served lady, who, however seemed kind
ness itself; while Penelope. the only
daughter, and Dora's possible rival tor
the fortune, was a gentle faced, chestnut
haired girl Of twenty, who greeted Dora
by winding her arms around her and lay
ing her cheek to hers without word.
in The course of the evening of Miss
Guilds Arrival, while she was giving her
aunt some account of her voyage from
India, she observed her cousin Penelope
sanding out on the lawn, talking earn
estly with gentleman.
1t was brilliant night in midsummer;
the moon, white and searching as great
time-light, shore on the pair, and showed
Miss Arlington's companion to be not
0n.y young and hansome, but also a
lover.
His hand held hers, and his stately
head was often bent in unmistakable
alteration close to her tresses, while she
leaned towards him in all the loving
confidence of a returned affection.
Very soon theyentered the parlor, and
Walter Cary was directly presented to
Miss Guild.
And the lover of Penelope!
Dismay, CONSERVATION, fell upon the
heart Of the orphan. There could he no
mistake-every look, every action of the
two betrayed it.
another.
The cold touch of his hand on hers,
the distant salutation, as if she were the
merest stranger, proclaimed that he was
resolved to ignore the contract which was
between them.
Dora shrank into the darkest corner of
the room, and bitter disappointment fill
ed her SOUL
Very soon however, the conversation
going on round the table arrested her at
tention. Walter Cary was telling Mr.
Arlingford and Penelope an account of q
strange murder which had lately occur
ed.
1.-THE man. said he twas rather.a clever
chemist, and accomplished his purpose
in a manner savoring more of the exploits
of the Arabian Nights epoch than those
of our day. He got possession Of he1
Journal, and impregnated its leaves with
a sort Of volatile poison, which she OF
course inhaled the first time she made 4
record in the book, the result being a
mysterious death which no one could &C.
count for"
=. The eyes Of Penelope Arlingford were
fixed upon the narrator with pulsatine
cagerness which arrested the attention Of
the orphan.
"What could it have beep?" she almost
whispered.
"Dont believe it," remarked MI. Ar.
lingford sententiously. s:<
The lovers were gazing at. each other
and there was half smile on the features
of each.
Soon after this, Dora, being considered
weary after her railway journey, was con.
Quoted to her bed chamber by her cousin
who seain embracing her in mute, cling.
ing fashion, hoped she would rest we'll
and left her.
Not one word had been said about he,
betrothal to the young man in the parlor
Her claims had been wholly ignored. He1
cousin was likely not only to rob her of
her inheritance. but of her husband also
The young girl retired to bed with q
feeling OF desolation at her heart which
may be easily Imagined, and fell asleeu
weeping bitterly for her old, happy In.
dian life, when she was the idol Of her
father, and darling of her ayab.
he woke-or, rather, she. struggled
back to consciousness--witht these words
running through her mind-"the result
'beinga mysterious death, which no one
could account for"
vi 1t was disagreeable remark to occu,
to one in the middle of the night, and it
reused her to a preternatural wakeful.
ness.
She began to ponder over the events Of
tn past evening, when suddenly some
hing struck her ear which sent the blood
tngling to her heart.
lit was like the trailing of a long mus
lin robe over the thick CARPET which COW
cred the floor, and a cautious rustlinR of
paper; the one sound following the other
with the slow and regular monotony of a
machine. ;G.: -. ,> "a. 4. &
The night was at its darkest, and the
head Of the bed was in an alcove, so that
"a view OF the room could not be had; but
Dora OWNED, with 4 choking Of the
breath, tie meaning Of the strange
sounds, ST.