National Republican., 1878-08-06
A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET.
BRANDON Coyrr, ARE YOU M.pr

window into tho hay below. Aud not one in
| slant too soon TO save him from the crime Of
self-iestruction.
He whirlcd around upon hor, and they stoo |
facing each other with eyes flaming defiance.
How like, yet unlike, were these fierce, bcau-
tiful crcaturcs-twin sister and brOtherl
She, with her sleuder, well rounded, lissom
form; with her small, fine features, and clear,
deadly-palo yellow face. dArkened by great,
deep, hollow black eyes the whole oyershad- =
owed by hcavv. clustering auburn curls-a
subtle, wistful face.
He, somewhat taller, fuller, and more sup.
pie, IKE another human snake, of little larger
growth, with palor complexion, darker eyes
and darker hair.
They were the orphan niece and nephew Of
Christopher Coyle. esquire. an old bachelor
living ou his ancient patrimonial estate of
Cayeland, In the north Of England.
Now they stood glaring at each other full
minute In silent menace. Then both spoke at
once
"Aspirtaw
Brandon ~
"HOw dared you stop meP'
"liow dared you raise your hand against
your own lifer'
81 dare do what please" he answered,
sulkily.
so do 1-cxcept-except to rush from life
to dcath-fron the known to the unknown !"
There can be no more perfect perdition
than suffer now Why did you stop me 7" he
cried, with Rroan Of anguish.
Because ! would not have yon destroy your-
self for the sake of u peevisb girl. Come,
Brandon; rouse yourself! DO be n man ~ she
exclaimed.
"I cannot live without Arieilc =! he walled.
What mooncalf you are to be crying after
a girl! II you cannot live witLOn her, then
why don't you live Tih herY' scornfully de-
manded the girl.
Live with herr You know she Is to be
married to Vladimir Desparde Tomorrow" re-
Piled the young man.
"She is to be married tomorrow; ; but this is
to-day; aud there's many Il slip 'twixt the
cup and but proverbs are vulgar, and you
know what mean"
II do not !"
"IOu must stop the marriage, Brandon"
80 Stop the maTTagcT ! wish / could
Stop the marriage! How am | TO do that, |
pray your"
Hush, Brandon! Come and sit down here
on the sOla by me, and / will tell you what to
do to break OF this marriage, near Ms It is, and
TO win the bride for yourself much us she is
now devoted TO her aflianccd lover" whispered
| the girl.
The suicidal phrenzy in him was laid for the
moment, even though II might return.
Now attend to me, Brandon. Before he
| became your successful rival in the favor Of
| Lady Ariclle MOniiOie, .aldimir Desparde was
your mot intimate friend, was he notr' in.
quired Aspirita.
"Of course he was," exclaimed Brandon,
| grinding his teeth.
You weio in his entire con6dencer
"Ics."
You have often heard him regret, dep'ors
the unlathomable my stery that hangs over his
own aud his sisters childhood ~
IN h..s Haven't I toll Al nj ftan
onoughf"
ard lie rather rcscnts his suardian's Lord
BCaudrvere's, rcticencc on this suhjrciY'
"fcs. yes Tut what has all this to do with
the question Of this dctcstablc marriage y cx-
| claimed Brandon, impatently.
at has everything to do with stopping It.
| But you must be patient, my lad Calm your.
self, aud collect your thoughts; for must put
you through a crOss-examination and then
| feel my way"
Il don't understand you."
"NOr But you will as | 90 on. Tell me,
iirst. exactly how much Vladimir Deslarde
really docs know Of his early history Ht has
told yoA, suppose"
YES; but Il is very little. lie knows only
so much MS he remembers. lie has heard
| nothing. Lord Beaudevere, the only person in
! possession Of the facts, firmly refuses TO speak
one word on the subject"
Lord EoaudvyeIe's reserve is very merci-
full"
| What do you say?"
| Lord Beaudcvcrcs reserve Is very merciful
| to Vladimir Dcspar'ic and his sister"
| what dOyOn mean, Aspirita?'
81 will explain presently. But go on and
| tell me all Vladimir Drspaide has told yOW Of
his early life, Brandon"
let me think. Oh lie remembers living
with his mother aud his little sister, In very
| poor lodgings, in the narrow street of u great
Intt h.a hua
ever learned it"
WAS 1t in this countryr"
"N0, for he crossed water to come heroY'
"ln France, them
"No, for they were English speaking people
who inhabited the city, and they had black
servants He thinks 1t must have been New
York or New Orleans, or some other American
city"
New Orleans, probably, If they had many
blacks. But 90 on
THE name of the city, and even Of the coun-
try, Is lost to him in the morning mist of his
dawn OF memory.
There was some thing concerning his father,
the elder Vladimir Dcsparde, whom. however,
he docs not remember ever 10 have seen. but
his mother never held up her head again. She
used to cry over him and his sister, and pray
to the Lord to take them out Of this world,
and save them from the evil to conc"
"Ah'' gasred Asprita, us she listened to
every word oi this little story.
AT length the mother took to her bed, from
which she never arose again. One day n min
ister came and sat by the bed and wrote let
ter for her which was sent away. After that
she grew weaker. Another day gentleman
arrived, stranger, who afterwards proved to
be Lord Bcnudevcrc"
well, Brandon, why don't YOU 70 on o.
eagerly demanded the attentive girl, seeing
that her brother paused.
II am trying 10 remember what Dcspardc
told m" Of this stranger oh he did not know
who he was until long afterwards. Lord Beau
dCvcrc had this mother and her children i'm
mcdiatcly removed to a more comfortable
house, AVID provided them with everything
they could want. Desparde remembers dis |
tinctly his mothers peaceful death while Lord |
Beaudcvere stood, with Niviennc in his arms
and Vladimir by his side, promising the dying
woman to be II father to them while he should |
live Then followed the funeral and the black |
dresses, Then long, long voyage in suiling
ship, all vaguely remembered by Vladimir"
did his sistcr-did Niyicnue recollcct moth
ing Of thisY'
Nothing Her earliest memories date from
thoir life at Cluudlsmd, whittier their guardian |
took them Immediately on their arrival in |
England"
And we know all the rest from hcarsay-
how the bachelor, Lord Buaudcvere repre-
sented these children to his ncighbOrs as his J
4. L. L