Daily globe., 1881-07-31
GERALD MYKTLkMORE'S ESCAPE
CHAPTER 1.

and mOn0t0n0uS as rumOr Says GU III"
and again, even in his case, the dead
level is broken by an exciting eplsooe.
Such was the one l wish to relate. IS
Gerald Myrtlemore had known from
his infancy; known and-if the word may
be used without ridicule, by grabbed
old bachelor-loved. At the time OF my
story he was tall, handsome young fel-
low of seven -and-twenty, sturdy OF limb,
and stout of heart,
At his fathers death, some five years
previous, Gerald had come into posses
sion of much property; but an unfortunate
speculation connected with the downfall
of certain bank, whose name has still
an ugly flavor on mems lips, had we'll
pirh ruined him. His mothor had
married again, and was now in Italy He
had only one other near relation, broth
er, who, being of a rowing and scientific
turn of mind, had gone with party of
British and Continental savants to ex-
plore the wilds of South America. Ed
gar was seldom heard from. Gerald lived
alone with an old confidential house
keeper 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 l was lonely; and, more
over, as l was his chief assistant in the
aforementioned attempt, we were drawn
much together. Of winter evenings
possibly after brisk run with the Crox-
by hounds-we sat in my home, and
smoked and talked our gossip and politics
by the hour. Oflate, however, l had no.
tlced change in him, and, with the keen
eye of the lawyer tracked it to its
cause-Gerald was in love- A terrible
malady is that "tender passion Of
how many bosom friends and jovial COM
panions it has robbed me during these
last thirty years an outsider would have
small idea know, for away in the ar
chives of my memory keep list, long
and mournful catalogue.
Gerald Myrtlemore was certainly in
love- 1 had made diagnosis of the dis
ease far too often to be misled. His visits
were less frequent, and he was almost al
ways absent-minded when he did come.
remarked great extremes in his dress
at one time he was wonderfully polished
and precise, at another very lax. Then,
too, had caught him more than once in
the streets of Ashdale talking very ear
nestly with Miss Tranton, an arrange
ment in pink and white, with whose
charms geod many young men seemed
smitten. Naturally l laughed at him,
and, equally, accordidg to the rule, the
laughing aggravated the symptoms. ]
was sorry, though for another reason be-
yond the purely selfish one of losing a
blithe-eyed friend.
A strong presentiment of evil lay upon
me. Miss Tranton might conceivably be
next door to an angel; but her father,
Captain Tranton, of Hollies Hall, was
best described as an avaricious autocrat
knew him well; in an official capacity
had had many dealings with him, and
had found his GOODNESS only equaled by
his pride, his infexibility only mastered
by his greediness for gain.
He had certain reputation in the viz
lage as money lender, veritable extor.
toner; and although his dignity kept it a
secret, had ample reason to believe its
truth. Solicitors are not accustomed to
trust much to chance; but wouH have
wagered any day my whole professional
reputation that Captain Tranton would
never be brought to hear of match be-
tween Gerald Myrtlemore and his daugh-
ter. In family, of course, Gerald was
been settled in Brakeshire for more than
three centuries B ut Gerald was poor,
and he was rich, and that alone the mag.
nate of Hollies Hall would find to be an
insuperable objection.
AS to rebellion on the maiden's part.
that, too appeared unlikely She was
not of age-scarcely nineteen-and was
ruled at home with arod of iron.
The inprpaSinr p1OOm IN NV friprH,c
face, and the resentment against the
. grinding bond of straitened circumstances
that now and again burst volcano-like
through his ordinarily placid mood. gave
a new force to my vague dread Of trouble
/ made, at last, bold bid for his secret
/ offered him sympathy that was very
genuine, and, recognizing it as such,
Gerald told me the whole story.
1t was dull, leaden afternoon in early
Autumn, and the blinds were down in my
cozy room, the gas alight, the logs blaz-
ing. 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 grasp
ing tightly chairs back, his gray eyes
seeking mine. / heard him to the end
without an interruptionra brief, concise
avowal, wherin passion wore the dress of
simple words.
"Millicent and have been acquainted
for long," he said. "We have met often,
and she seems to favor my advances. 1t
is with her father that the difficulty
threatens. You know Captain TrantonY
think he begins to suspect
"Ah! As yet, then, you have not def
nitely enlightened him?'
81 have taken, up to this momeut, no
decisive step whatever; but 1 shall.,'
"And if he refuses?''
eff he denies me his consent, and Milly
is still favorable, shall preserve"
''She is Tranton's only child, and a
considerable heiress, no Doubt 1 said.
ga marriage-with her fathers good will
would set your estate in order again,
and many people,
With CLEAN of scorn he broke my
carefully adjusted words asunder.
s'It is invariably money, filthy lucre!''
he burst out. "The world has set up it's
idol-a great golden Moloch!-and every
body is IN hurry to bow down; and the
struggle is, who snail succeeded in max
ing the deepest obeisance You are a
lawyer, Parke and like the rest. / ought
to have remembered that
"You will pardon me if am trife
~