The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1879-02-26

Il hope it's not moping you arc
after that dark stranger, Marion.
He's uaught attractive 10 MY
way Of thinking. He'll net be
back: either, for be got more from
me than he looked ior."
"Oh! father! Tell me, what do
you mean %
The blue eyes looked unnatu-
rally bright as they gazcd up into
the old mans stern face.
II lucan that what | told him is
true, and the sooner you put
thoughts Of him out Of your mind
the better it will be for your peace.
No lad from foreign parts, with
such a bIackamoor face, can mar
~ my snow-while lass"
A sudden joy kindied the pale
face and looked out Of the wide
eyes.
"Oh, father, did he ask you for
nc? Then Heaven be praised !
l read his looks and acts Alright.
Oh," she, sinking down upon her
knees and catching her fathers
horny hand and kissing it. Il
had lost my faith in human ma
ture, and you have given it back.
Bless you for it! Oh, father, if
that face could tell q false story,
then the angels themselves would
5e untrue u
"Caim yourself, Marion," inter
rupted her father, sternly. Did
you not hear me? It's all at an
end. You cannot b? bis bride.
It would DO like the mating Of
the crow and the do1e.'
Il care not, so he loves me-;
murmured Marion, softly. Hear
my VOW" she added, suddenly |
and again she sank Ypea her
knees ald raised her pure, child
like but resolute face TO his. y
will never marry Louis De Nor
nay without your consent but |
will love him my life long, and
die maid for his sake if cannot
be his wife,"
II Was too late to check her. |
The VOW bad been taken, and |
would be kept. The strict old |
father himself would rot have
dared 70 ask her to break it.
Matters went on about the same |
at the farm. Several years passed
by, during which Louis was con-
stantiy changing his location, as,
indeed, it was necessary for him
to give personal supervisors to
bis various estates.
During this period Of unmiti-
gated prosperity to the wealthy
young land owner, farmer Nc
Gregor had been gradually but
surely going down in the world.
A succession of bad crops, dis
ease among mis- fine Durhams, un-
til scarcely a poor half dozen re-
NAMED of his large herd, and a
murrain which proved fatal to the
sheep, left him at last in a very
strained condition.
Still ha managed to get his rent
money together. The payday was
near, and the farmer had put the
hardly earned money in e leathern
wallet preparatory 20 start.
"Well, wife," he said with a
sigh, "here's pay for the last year.
It's main doubtful, though, where
the next will come from.''
keep up, Duncan" was her
cheerful answer. Its all for the
best, though one cannot always |
know why"
So he started away to the laird's
county seat on his stout cob,
without a weapon Of defence !; for
it was q peaceful country, and he
had no fear of M molestation.
But his ionrney was not hall
over when in some lonely woods
through which the road ran, an
escaped convict seized his oppor-
tunity and knocked him scnseless
from his hoyse, rifed his pockets
and mounting, rode rapidly away
with all his plumber.
About half an hour later ne
was found by the game-keepcr Of
an adjoining estate end taken at
once 70 the big house and cared
for. The master was away but
the house-keepcr was kind and
eficieut, and under her good offices
he soon came to consciousness,