The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-12
FROM THE GATES OF DEATH.
CHATTER I.

1t was a very hot day; hot to OPP
pressiveness. The day was one blaze
of yellow sunshine; there was not q
breath OF air. not Il rustic in leaf, not
sound save the monotonous hum OF
the bees ransacking the blossoms. A
dead Stiffness reigncd without the
house of Brocklehurst, although within
there were both noise and excitement,
for the morrow was the wedding-day of
Hester Kyrle, the sole child of John
kyrle, millionaire, and the heiress of
Brocklehurst estates. But there were
two rooms within the house that noise
and excitement did not reach. They
were apparently sacred from intrusion;
and even the mother of the bride elect
did not venture to invade their pre-
cincts. One of them was the study Of
John Kyrle, and the other was the
chamber of his daughter Mr.. Kyrle
sat in his study in deep reverie.
He was exclusively that which is un-
derstood by the term man of the
world, thoroughly mundane to the back
bone. He slept and he ate and drank
under the connubial roof. and with q
stereotyped icy smile paid the house
hold bills without question or a COM
ment ever crossing his thin lips.
But as far as any of the ordinary feel
ings or influence that the magical word
''home" is supposed to exercise over
man, he might have been q celibate.
A very long time ago he had discovered
that his marriage had been fatal mis-
take. Both he and his wife were of
the world, living for the world; but
with this one fact, the bond of sympa-
thy between them ceased entirely.
John Kyrle was cynical, clever, and
very ambitious. Mrs. Kyrle was fool
ish. frivolous, and dreadfully under
bred.
At the present time there was as lit
Gle unison of sentiment as usual between
the ill-matched pair, for Mr.. Kyrle's
sharp-cut physiognomy bore upon it a
marked contrast to the colnplacent
round face of his better-lalf. In lieu
of peatific smile of content, such rs
she " ore on the eve of her daughters
marriage with Mervyn Tyrrc'l-a man
after her own ,heart-Mr. Kyrlc's lips
were tightly compressed. while an om-
nous shadow bestrided his lighL-gray
eyes and his high brow
There had been an appeal made to
him on the preceding night an appeal
most passionate and most eloquent,
with that powerful eloquence that truth
and feeling can give even to the most
trivial words. while the voice that ut
tered it was the one THAT was dearest to
his ears.
He had faithfully pledged himself to
consider the subject forced upon his
attention by the p!aintive sohbing tones,
and he had passed several hours shut
up in his study to carry out the promise
he had made. But for once his keen
intellect seemed entirely at fault; the
difficulty he desired to solve remained
still unsolved, and he was sOrely per-
picked. A timid knock aroused him;
he hesitated an instant before bidding
his visitor to enter. and he felt almost
like culprit aud craven when al last
a light football crossed the floor and
paused close to his side. Then he mus
tered up courage and turned to look up
| with a sternness that was feigned in
| his glance. and a resolution that was
mock on his mouth.
| Before he could address her, she was
| down in q white heap on the floor, with
her white arms resting on his knee.
You will not make me marry him,
! father; you will have mercy upon me,
! and send him awayr
The wailing cry reached even the
heart that had grown somewhat hard
and insensible by contact with the
world
Chester, listen to me;" and MIR.
Kyrle leaned forward and took her
trembling fingers into his own firm
grasp.
1 '.Yeu are going to be cruel, father"
she gasped, with her color all flown
and her face showing up an ashy white
s.Do not excite yourself like this, y hs
4 said quietly, still holding her hands
but she dragged them away hastily ane
began wringing them In her excessive
agitation.
TEL me, win you. or will you not
save me from worse than deathP' sh'
asked, with passion in her voice.
81 will tell you nothing, Hester, unit
you choose TO be calm "
She drew herself together, as it were
with q visible shiver passing over hel
whole frame.
81 am calm now she said in accent!
that were comparatively steady.
eff you had told me a month-nay
even week ago that in pledgins
yourself to marry Mervin Tyrrel 20,
were acting under coercion, / coult
have, and should have. stopped tn,
matter at once. To me it seems mos
iniquitous marriage when a woman
swears to love her husband, and DELHI
erately periures herself. But under
stand that you accepted him voluntar
ilv. and that his attentions were agree
able to vou.'
ST was a miserable coward, father, a
i told YOU last night. He and wer
| thrown so much together that 1t scenes
impossible for me to refuse when n
almost demanded me to marry him
And then my mother said that my re
fusal would break her heart. "
4 ..7e,. heart !'i broke in John kyrle
with an ill-suppressed cynicism in hi
voice.
..And have tried-tried hard-t
reconcile myself; but the more see
him, tile more / .dislike-nay. hate
him. shall go mad if 1 have to maj
ry -thfst man.
.sAnd what can be done to prevent
at the eleventh hour--on the very ey
of the bridala Hester. i have though
| over it, as promised you. and find
| must be- | can do nothing.
..Nothiag 70 she almost shriekee
rising from her knees, her slight figur
swaying.
] Mr.. Kyrle caught her in his arms
and with one hand turned up her fac
towards him so that he might scrutiniz
it. -, .
..CIlild, do you love some other mans
he questioned gravcly, with q kee
glance. But her eyes looked back
him with frankness in their limp
; depths. ..,.