Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-11-26
CHAPTER V.
URGING THE SACRIFICE.

the door. bell, and told the servant that ne
wished to see Mr.. Royden on business, and
would prefer, therefore, to see him alone.
Such visits and messages were not uncom-
mon, as the head Of the house, being Presi-
dent OF leading bank, was often too much
occupied during the day to do all that he
wanted to do il his official parlor down
town. The Count was shown in few
minutes into the library in the rear of the
house-the room was detached from the
other rooms-and was there joined by Mr..
Royden, who looked troubled as he en-
tered.
He tried to look pleasant, however, and
held out his hand in kindly manner. as
he said, I'm happy to see you, Count,
though I had not anticipated the pleasure
of receiving visit from you tonight.
You got lin low tone) the five hundred
dollars in bank notes sent to your hotel
did you not"
81 did. Many thanks. What 1 wished
particularly to talk to you of, this evening,
was my marriage with your charming
daughter"
The bankers brow clouded, as he re-
piled you're aware, Count, that that
matter has been decided upon. My daugh-
ter has given her consent, and you can de-
pend on her keeping her word. Mine,
too, has been passed, and w. Neville Roy
den has never been known to swerve from
his averment. You should rest content
under the circumstances.
81 am content as any man might be in
my situation. But love your daughter
devotedly, and hesitate to delay my hap
piness any longer than is necessary really.
The young lady is, hatter myself, also
fond Of me-she has grown fonder of late
and am sure she would not too long
wish to delay our mutual felicity. Can you
not name day within month p
An expression OF mingled pain and dis
gust. flashed into the bankers eyes while
his companion spoke there was a nervous
twitching of his fingers, as if they were
eager to fasten on his throat He con-
trolled himself, however, and said with
only faint tremor in his voice, &C. leave
that matter to my daughter to decide. I
do not wish, after ordering the sacrifice, to
compel her to fix the date of It's occurrence
80, my good friend, you should not call
80 blissful an event as a wedding by SO
harah name. I am very DESTROYS to address
you as Father The day when 1 may do
so shall be the fairest of my life. I have
already asked the lovely Margaret to name
the wedding day, and she has referred me
to you, as dutiful child should"
81 will not name the day." exclaimed
Royden, almost fiercely 81 have already
sinned too much against her.. Would to
heaven I could lift this crime from my
burthened SOUL"
(which crime, my friend l know of
several but there may be some crimes you
have had the pleasure to do of which
have not the honor to be informed"
"You take advantage, Count, OF your
power over me to insult and torture me.
You are villain y
''Be not so harsh You should not give
SO hard name to the gentleman who is
anxious to address you as father. VIII it
please you to name the day."
al never will, come what may"
"But you will, my friend, if 1 ask it.
Do not be too precipitate, pray. Bear in
mind that I am your friend, and that 1
would never do you harm unless you might
compel me to. wish you well always"
"Wish me well Is it wishing me well
to haunt me like specter to render my
life miserable; to make me regret that 1
have ever been born?''
"By my faith, you do me wrong All I
ask is that you comply with your promise. "
What promise You have exacted SO
many promises of me that l cannot remem-
Der them ALL You have nearly turned my
brain with your internal prosecutions.
"You have promised 1 should have your
daughters hand before the winter is over. "
"And suppose should break it. You
certainly have repeatedly broken your
promises to me.
" The result, Mr.. Royden, would be SO
deplorable as 1 should regret it exceed
ingly. The Babylon Bank would lose its
President and I very much fear you
would be compelled to exchange this hand
some house for residence at Sing-Sing or
Auburn"
"No, no !" exclaimed the banker fercely,
''it should not come to that. 1 would
blow my brains out first, as I've often
been tempted to do
"That would be awkward and needless ;
for I still should be in possession
Do not name il"
81 will not, if you should not compel
me. Nor are you alone, my friend, we'll
distinguished banker; you are also Illus
trious as Christian. What would the
fashionable congregation of the Church of
the Crucifed Redeemer say, if they might
hear that their honorable vestryman had"
"Yielded to a terrible temptation, and
suffered the consequences ever since"
"Ah fear me they would not think
of the temptation, only of the transgres-
sion. Christians are often the httlest
charitable, the last to forgive. If you were
to be arraigned for your crime before a
court of sinners, wouldn't they be more
Ienient than the pious members of the
Church of the Crucifed Redeemer %
"God only knows Ii the world knew
what had suffered, it would not, it could
not, judge me harshly.
"The world has nothing to do with
your case, as it stands. It is the law that
shall deal with you when you are discov.
cred" n