Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-07
A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET.

BRANDON CoYLEl ARE YOU MAD?"
She had stolen up behind him noiselessly,
she had snatched the loaded pistol from his
desperate hand and hurled it through the
open window into the bay below. And not
one instant too soon to save him from the
crime of self-destruction.
He whirled around upon her, and they
stood facing each other with eyes flaming de-
fiance.
How like, yet unlike, were these fierce beau
tiful creatures-twin sister and brother!
She, with her slender, well-rounded, lis
som form; with her small, fine features and
clear, deadly-pale yellow face, darkened by
great, deep, hollow black eyes; the whole
overshadowed by heavy, clustering auburn
curls-a subtle, wistful face.
He, somewhat taller, fuller, and more sup
pie, like another human snake, OF a little
larger growth, with paler complexion, dark
er eyes and darker HAIR.
They were the orphan niece and nephew
of Christopher Coyle, Esquire, an old bache
| lor living on his ancient patrimonial estate of
Cleveland, in the north of England.
Now they stood glaring at each other a full
minute, in silent menace. Then both spoke
at once:
"Aspirita."
"Brandon!
"How dared you stop me?"
''How dared go" raise your hand against
your own ifeP'
81 dare do what 1 please" he answered,
sulkiy.
80 do I-except-except to rush from life
to death-from the known to the unknown
she retorted, solemniy.
There can be no more perfect perdition
than l suffer now! Why did you stop mel"
he cried, with groan of anguish.
Because | would not have you destroy
yourself for the sake of peevish girl. Come,
Brandon, rouse yourself! Do be a mani"
she exclaimed.
81 cannot live without Arielle," he walled.
"What mooncalf you are to be crying af-
ter girl! If you cannot live tcithOM her,
then why don't you live icith her?" scornfully
demanded the girl.
Live with hertz You know she is to be
married to Vladimir Desparde tomorrow, "
replied the young man.
''She is to be married Tomorrow, but this
is to-day; and there's many slip twixt the
cup and'-but proverbs are vulgar, and you
know what mean"
81 do not.
"You must stop the marriage, Brandonr'
''Stop the MARRIAGE! | wish could stop
the marriage! How am to do that, pray
you?'
'Hush, Brandonl 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 affianced lover, :" whis-
pered the girl.
The suicidal phrenzy In him was laid, for
the moment, even though it might return.
NOW attend to me, Brandon. Before ne
became your successful rival in the favor of
Lady Arielle Montjoy, Vladimir Desparde
was your most intimate friend, was he not?"
inquired Aspirita.
'Of course he was" exclaimed Brandon,
grinding his teeth.
''You was in his entire confidence?
eyes"
"You have often heard him regret, deplore
the unfathomable mystery that hangs over
his own and his sisters childhood?"
''Oh, to be sure. Haven't told you so Of
ten enough?"
"And he rather resents his guardian 8,
Lord Beaudevere' s, reticence on this subject"
"Yes, yes; but what has ali this to do with
the question of this detestabe marriage?"
exclaimed Brandon, impatiently.
1T has everything to do with stopping it.
But you must be patient, my lad. Calm
yourself, and collect your thoughts; for
must put you through a cross-examlnation,
and then feel my way"
81 don't understand you"
mo? But you will as go on. Tell me,
first, exactly how much Vladimir Desparde
really does know of his early history? He
has told you, | SUPPOSED"
eyes; but it is very little. He knows only
so much as he remembers. He has heard
nothing. Lord Beaudevere. the only person
in possession of the facts, firmly refuses to
speak one word on the subject
Lord Beaudevere' s reserve is very merci-
full
"What do you say?''
Lord Beaudevere's reserve is very merci-
full to Vladimir Desparde and his sister"
"What do you mean, Aspirita?"
81 will explain presently. But go on and
tell one all Vladimir Desparde has told go" of
LET me think Oh! He remembers liv-
ing with his mother and his little sister, in
very poor lodgings, in the narrow street of a
great city, whose name he has forgotten, even
If he ever learned it"
''Was it in this country?"
mo, for he crossed water to come here.
''In France, then?''
mo, for they were English speaking peo-
pie who inhabited the cit, and they had
black servants. He thinks 1t must nave been
New York or New Orleans, or some other
American city"
New Orleans, probably, if they had many
blacks. But go on"
1.-The name of the city, and even of the
country, is lost to him In the morning mist of
his dawn Of memory"
''There was something concerning his
father, the elder Vladimir Desparde, whom,
however, he does not remember ever to have
seen. But his mother never held up her head
sister, and pray to the Lord to take them out
of this world, and save them from the evil to
come"
.'Aht' gasped Asplrita, as she listened to
every word of this little story.
cat length the mother took to her bed,
from which she never arose again. One day
a minister came and sat by the bed and wrote
a letter for her, which was sent away. After
that she grew weaker. Another lady and
gentleman arrived, a stranger, who after
ward proved to be Lord Beaudevere."
"Well, Brandon, why don't you 90 on?"
eagerly demanded the attentive girl, seeing
that her brother paused.
81 am trying to remember what Desparde
told me of this stranger. Oh! he did not
know who he was until long afterward Lord
Beaudevere had this mother and her children
Immediately removed to a more comfortable
house, and provided them with everything
they could want. Desparde remembers DIS
hnCtly his mothers peaceful death, while
Lord Beaudevere stood, with Vivieune in his
arms and Valdlmir by his side, promising the
dying woman to be father to them while he
should 1--we. Then followed the funeral and
the black dresses. Then long, long voyage
in a sailing ship. all vaguely remembered by
Vladimir"
did his sister-did Vivienne recollect
nothing eff this?''
Nothing. Her earliest memories date
from their life at Cloudland, whittier their
guardian took them Immediately on their ar
rival in England"
And we know all the rest from hearsay-
how the bachelor, Lord Beaudevere, repre-
sented these children to his neghbors as his
little cousins and wards; how he sent Valdi-
mir to Elton, and afterwa:d to Oxford, where
the young man distinguished himself as
much by devotion to study as by skill in ath
letic sports; how the guardian sent him on
his continental tour, and at his return cele-
brated his majority at Cloudland, presenting
him to the tenantry as the heir; how the
baron procured the most accomplished gov
erness and masters for Vivienne, and took
her to London and had her presented to the
queen. All this we know of these two indi-
Viduals, whose earliest days were passed in a
squalid tenement-house in foreign city,
said Aspiri5a," scornfully.
''Well, the fellow is the heir-pr esumptive
of the title and estates of Lord Beaudevere!