Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-08-03
(From the London Times.l
Gerald Myrtlemore's Escape.
CHAPTER I.


now and again, even in his case, the
dead level is broken by an exciting
episode.
Gerald Myrtlemore I had known from
his infancy; known and-if the word
grabbed old bachelor-loved. At the
time of my story he was tall, handsome
young fellow of seven and twenty,
sturdy of limb and stout of heart. At
his fathers death, some five years
previous, Gerald had come into possess
sion of much property; but an unfor-
tunate speculation connected with the
downfall of certain bank, whose name
has still an ugly flavor on mems lips,
had well-nigh ruined him. His mother
hai married again and was now IN Italy.
He had only one other near relation a
brother, who, being of a rowing and
scientific mind, had gone with party of
British and continental s0Uans to ex-
plore the wilds Of South America. Ed
gar was seldom heard from. Gerald
lived alone with an old confidential
housekeeper In a neat little house called
after the village, Ashdale lodge. Here
he was on the spot, looking after the
wreck of his estate, and trying hard to
bring order out OF monetary chaos. He
was lonely, and [ was lonely; and, more
over, as / was his chief assistant in the
aforementioned attempt, we were much
together. Of winter evenings-possibly
after brisk run with the Croxby
hounds-we sat in my home, smoked and
talked gossip and politics by the hour.
OF late, however, [ noticed a change In
him, and with the keen eye of a lawyer,
traced it to its cause: Gerald was in
love. A terrible malady is that tender
passion" Of how many bosom friends
and jovial companions it has robbed me
during these last thirty years an out
slider would have small ideas. / know,
for away in the archiesv of my memory
[ keep list, long and mournful cata-
logue.
Gerald Myrtlemore was certainly in
love. / had made diagnosis of the
disease far too often to be misled. His
visits were less frequent, and he was
almost always absent-minded when he
did come. [ remarked great extremes
In his dress; at one time he was wonder
fully polished and precise, at another
very lax. Then, too, I had caught him
more than once in the streets of Ashdale
talking very earnestly with Miss Tran
ton, an arrangement with pink and
white, with whose charms a great many
young men seemed smitten. Naturally,
I laughed at him, and equally, accord
ing to the rule, the laughing aggravated
the symptoms. I was sorry, though,
for another reason beyond the purely
selfish one of losing blithe-eyed friend.
A strong presentiment of evil lay upon
me. Miss Tranton might conceivably
be next door to an angel; but her father,
Capt. Tranton, of Hollies Hall, was best
described as an avaricious autocrat. I
knew him well; in an official capacity I
had many dealings with him, and had
found his GOODNESS only equaled by his
pride, his inhexibility only overmastered
by his greediness for gain. He had a
certain reputation in the city as a money
lender, a veritable extortioner; and al
though his dignity kept it secret, I
had ample reason to believe its truth.
Solicitors are not accustomed to trust
much to chance; but would have wa
gered any day my whole professional
reputation that Capt. Tranton would
never be brought to hear of match be-
tween Gerald Myrtle1nore and his
daughter. In family, of course, Gerald
was fully his equal; the Myrtlemores
had been settled in Brakeshire for more
than three centuries But Gerald was
poor and he was rich, and that alone the
magnate of Hollies Hall would find to
be an insuperable objection.
AS to rebellion on the maiden's part,
that appeared unlikely. She was not OF
age-hardly 19-and was ruled at home
with a rod of iron.
The increasing gloom on my friends
face, and the resentment against the
grinding bond of straitened circumstances
that now and again burst volcanic-like
through his ordinarily placid mood gave
new force to my vague dread of trouble.
made. at last, bold bid for his secret.
I offered him sympathy that was genu-
inc, and recognizing it as such, Gerald
told me the whole story.
It was dull, leaden afternoon in early
autumn, and the blinds were down in
my cosy room, the gas aEght, the logs
blazing. Gerald made no effort to seek
the shade; he was long past the period
of blushing self-consciOusness. He
stood upright, to the left of the fire.
place. his firm white fingers grasping
tightly a chairs back, his gray eyes
seeking mine. I heard him to the end
without an interruption; brief, con-
else avowal, wherein passion wore the
dress of simple words.
sfMilicent and I have been acquaint.
ed for long," he said. owe have met
often, and she seems to favor my adj.
vances. 1t is with her father that the
difficulty threatens. You know Capt.
Tranton? [ think he begins to sus-
pect.
"Ah! As yet, then, you have not
definitely enlightened him?"
81 have taken, up to this moment, nc
decisive step whatever; but I shall"
"And if he refuses?"
"And if he denies me his consent. ano
Milly is still favorable, I shall perse
vere."
"She is Tranton's only child, and &
considerable heiress, no doubt, I said
GA marriage-with her fathers good