The daily gazette., 1878-08-06
| Skeleton in the Closet

"Braudon Coylel Are you mad ?"
She had stolen up behind him noise
lessly, she had snatched the loaded pisto
from his desperate hand aud hurled it
through the open window into the bay
below. And not one instant too soon to
save him from the crime of self-destruc-
ton.
He wh'rled around upon her, and they
ing defiance.
How like, yet unlike, were these fierce,
beautiful creatures-twin sister and bro
ther!
She, with her slender, well-rounded,
and clear, deadly-pale yellow face, dark
ened by great, deep. hollow black eyes
the whole overshadowed by heavy, clus.
tering auburn curls-a subtle, wistful
face.
He, somewhat taller, fuller, and more
supple, like another human snake, of a
little larger growth, with paler COM
plexion, darker eyes, and darker hair.
They were the orphan neice and ne.
phew of Christopher Coyle, Esquire, an
old bachelor. Living ON his. ancient, patri-
monial estate Of Caveland in the North
OF England.
Now they stood glaring at each other
| full minute in silent menace. Then
both spoke ut once;
"Aspirita!" " t'
"Brandon!"
Chow dared you stop me ?"
mhow dared yon ys . raise your hand
~ dare do what please" he answer.
ed, sulkily.
$50 do oI-except-exceptt to rush from
life to death-from the known to the un.
known p she retorted, solemnly.
"rhero can be no more perfect perdi.
ton than 1 suffer now! Why did you
stop me ?" he cried with groan of an.
guish
"Because 1 would not have you destroy
yourself for the sake Of peevish girl
Come, Brandon. Rouse yourself! DO
be a man !" she exclaimed. ....,
~ acannot live without Arielle p he
walled.
"What a mooncalf you are, to be cry.
ing after a girl! If you cannot live NTH.
out her, then why don't you live uiM
I her 2" scornfully demanded the girl.
1 "'Live with herr You know she is
to be married to Vladimir Desparde to
morrow" replied the young man.
"She is to be married to-nporo,o; but
| this is today; and there's many a slip
'twixt the cup and'-but proverbs are
vulgar, and you know what 1 mean,'
"You must stop the marriage, Bran
donp
"'Stop the marriage? wish could
Stop the marriageP How am L to do
| that, pray you?"
here on the sofa by me, and / will tel
you what to do to break off this mar,
riage, near as it is, and to win the bride
| for yourself, much as she is now devoted
to her affianced lover" whispered the
girl.
The suicidal phrenzy in him was laid
| for the moment, even though it mighi
return.
"Now attend to me, Brandon. Before
he became your successful rival in the
favor of Lady Arielle Montoie, Valdi
mir Desparde was your most intimate
friend, was he not?" inquired Aspirita
"Of course he was" exclaimed Bran
don, grinding his teeth,
"You were in his entire confidence 2"
| eyes"
"You have often heard him regret, de
plore the unfathomable mystery tha
hangs over his own aud his sisters child
hood?"
"Oh, to be sure. Haven't told you Sc
often enough?"
"And he rather resents his guardians
Lord Beaudevere's, reticence on this sub
ject? ?'
eyes, yes but what has all this to dt
with the question of this detestable mar
riage ?" exclaimed Brandon, impatient
1 ly.
at has everything to do with stoppin.
it. But you must be patient, my lad
Calm yourself, and collect your thoughts
animation, and then feel my way"
81 don't understand you"
"No? But you will as go on. Tel
me, first, exactly how much Valdimi
IDesparde really does know of his earl,
history? He has told you, 1 suppose ?"
eyes; but it Is very little. He know
only 80 much rs he remembers. He ha
heard nothing. Lord .Beaudeyere, tn
only person in possession of the facts
firmly refuses to speak one word on tn
subject"
"1ord Beaudevere's reserve is yer.
merciful."
"What do you say?"
"Lord Beaudevere's reserve is yer
merciful to Vladimir Desparde and hi
sister,"
"what do you mean, Aspirita?"
, and tell me all Vladimir Desparde ha
told you of his early life, Brandon"
"Let me think. Ohl He remember
living with his mother and his little 81,
ter, in very poor lodgings, in the narro'
street of great city, whose name he ha
: forgotten, even II he ever learned it"
"Was 1t in this country?"
l ."No, for he crossed water to com
here"
ii "In France, then?"
"No, for they were English-speakin
people who inhabited the city, and the
had black servants. He thinks 1t mus
, have been New York or New Orleans, @
t some other American city"
"New Orleans, probably if they ha
many blacks. But go on"
"The name ofthe city, and even of tn
y country,is lost to HIM in the morning mis-
of his drawn of memory.
"There was something concerning hi
father, the elder Vladimir Desparde
whom, however, he does not remembe
e ever to have seen. But his mother neve
G held up her head again. She used to or
= over him and his sister, and pray to tn
+ Lord to take them out of this world, an
p save them from the evil to come"
1 "Ah % gasped Aspirita, as she hstene
to every word of this little story.
CAT length the mother took to her bee
from which she never arose again. On
day minister came and sat by the be
n and wrote letter for her, which was sen
f away. After that she grew weaker
n Another day gentleman arrived "a straf
4 Ger who afterwards DrOyed TO he LOr