The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-05-01
A Terrible Mistake.


Dora Guild was the daughter OF an
Indian General who died covered with
fame, and left her alone and literally
friendless in Bombay, where he broathed
his last.
His dying words were "Go home.
my poor girl, to your Aunt Arlingrcrd,
at Elmsley, near London, and stay with
her until you are married to Walter"
For Gen. Guild and Col. Gary had
been friends together and comrades in
many battle, and had long ago affianced
their motherless children to one another.
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 of her journey, and gazing
wistfully at the strange and unfamiliar
land of her birth.
There was one clause in her dead
fathers will which had recurred to Do
ra's mind with ever present pain, ever
snre she had first heard it and that
was, should the, upon making the ac-
quaintance of Walter Gary, refuse to
marry him, the bulk of her fortune
should be passed over to her cousin,
Ienelope Arllngford.
That her dear father should think il
necessary to coerce her into complianc,
had rung from her many tear. Wholly
unvcrsed in the strong-minded ways OF
some English maidens, she hal never
dreamed of disobeying him, or of choos
ing II mate for herself.
The journey was over at last.
Miss Guild found herself in quiet
country house, surrounded by the most
fervent assurances of welcome from he,
sole surviving relatives, who, of course,
knew all about her affairs, and treated
her with the most delicate consideration
Mr.. Arlingford was bluff and hearty
gentleman farmer; Mrs. Arlingford q
reserved lady, who, however, seemed
Kindness itself, while Penelope, the only
daughter, and Dora's possible rival for
the fortune, was gentle-fac d chestnut
haired girl OF twenty, who greeted Dora
by winding her arms around her and
laying 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
standing out on the lawn, talking earn
estly with gentleman.
1t was brilliant night in midsummer:
the moon, white and searching as a great
hme-light, shone on the pair, and showed
Miss Arlingfords companion to be not
only young and handsome, but also a
lover.
His hand held hers, and his stately
mead was often bent in unmistakable
alteration close to her tresses, while she
leaned toward him in all the loving con-
tdence of a returned affection.
Very soon they entered the parlor,
and Walter Gary was directly presented
to Miss Guild.
And the lover of Penelopel
Dismay, CONSERVATION, fell upon the
heart of the orphan. There could be no
mistake-every look, every action of the
two betrayed it.
She was affianced to man who loved
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
filed her soul.
Very soon, however, the conversation
going on around the table arrested her
attention. Walter Gary was telling Mr..
Arlingford and Penelope an account OF a
strange murder which had lately oc-
Cured.
"The man." said he, "was 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
posse ssion of her journal, and impreg-
mated its leaves with a sort of volatile
poison, which she of course inhaled the
first time she made record in the book,
the result being a mysterious death
which no one could account for.
The eyes of Penelope Arlingford were
fixed upon the narrator with pulsating
eagerness which arrested the attention
OF the orphan.
"What could it have been? ?" she al
most whispered.
Don't believe it." remarked Mr..
Arlingford sententiously.
The lovers were gazing at each other,
and there was half smile on the feat
ures of each.
Soon after this, Dora, being consid-
cred weary after her railway journey,