Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-03-30

greater part OF his Clme, 10 MS own
apartment, his doctor and man-servant
being in constant attendance. This
encounter in the hall was, therefore, q
rare event; and Blanche, who had every
reason to respect and admire his amiable
qualities, fastened to pay her respects,
and rejoice in his ability to leave his
| room.
"My dear child" said Mr.. Irving,
showing considerable emotion, sit is an
occasion of much Importance that
arouses me. My son Donald will sleep
under my roof to-night, for the first time
in many years. Yes, my dear, he writes
to announce his coming"
If Blanche had looked at the post
mark, she might have seen it was a city
note he held: but she was too anxious
to reach the library to think of anything
else.
! And when Mr.. Irving still further
detained her, to mention her diamonds,
! she was almost impatient.
"They will be brought up before the
bank closes this afternoon, my dear
| Blanche, and at two or thereabouts, if
you will be at leisure, I will fulfill the
letter of my instructions by delivering
them to you
"Certainly, sir, answered Blanche.
| And this time she reached the library
uninterrupted.
Mr.. Guy rose and bowed low at her
| appearance. There was a curious sup
preston in his manner. He looked
| down, changed color, and seemed
laboring under some restrained emotion
while she-poor girl!-was not less
| disturbed than he, but, with a woman's
native tact, concealed her feelings bet
| ter.
When he rose to take his leave, she
raised her eyes for the first time to his
face, and saw that it was deadly pale;
but the swelling of her own poor heart
did not permit her to observe him.
A hasty summons from Mr.. Irving
came as relief to both.
Blanche broke hastily away, and
found her guardian waiting at the door
of her boudoir. with large, old-fash-
toned case in his hand.
Here are the diamonds, Blanche"
he said, when they had entered the
room together. ''It is necessary for you
to look at them, and then give the clerks
below receipt"
She did as he directed, and blaze of
light seemed to flash out on her as the
sunlight fell on the open case.
But there was neither joy nor triumph
in the possession to her. She turned
from them, sick at soul, for such splen-
dor only reminded her of the hollowness
of the future.
can empty life, borne meath a gilt
tering exterior" she thought, as she
wrote the receipt.
Mr.. Irving seemed very much agitated
and ill ut ease. Congratulating her in
few hurried words on coming into
possession of such rare gems, he took a
hasty leave.
Turning from the Jewels, that lay
open on her dressing-table, Blanche
flung herself into an easy-chair and gave
herself up to dreary reflections.
The wedding was to be entirely pri-
vate. Its preparations she had spared
herself by giving an order to competent
to belong to the outfit of a young lady
in her position, consequently her rooms
were full of unopened boxes, packages
and packing cases, the contents of
which Mrs. Waltham, to quote her own
words, "was just dying to inspect"
but which as yet had no interest for their
fair owner.
Zoe entered, by and by, to announce
dinner, from which her guardian ex-
cused himself on account of the agita-
ton he had undergone that morning.
Poor Mr.. Irving! An excellent gem
tleman and a capital man of business,
he had committed the error of retiring
to private life on finding himself pos
sessed of princely fortune; for, owing
to the lack of his former business slim
ulant, he had become confirmed mono
maniac on the sub ject of his health, and
now passed his time in imagining him.
self ill of all manner of diseases.
Blanche fingered long in the drawing
room, gazing out into the twilight street,
through which carriages and foot pas
sengers hurried on their way home
ward. She had ordered tea in her own
room, aud presently assembled the stair
case, signing as she went; for some
how she had hoped till the last that the
tutor would have spoken, and his con-
strained silence, while his looks and ac-
tions told so much, pressed heavily on
her heart.
1t was quite dark, and old Ralph, her
guardians favorite servant, told her,
as he lighted the halls, that ssthe young
master had come"
At these tidings, she hurried to her
room, glad to be spared meeting him
that night, and closing the door as
quickly as if some one was in pursuit of
her, breathed freely to find herself alone.
Alone! 1t was we'll for Blanche Beau
voir that she came of q strong-hearted
race and inherited some of the nerve of
her ancestors. just as she turned to
see that the door had closed behind her,
the fire upon the hearth shot up into
sudden blaze, and by its light in an
opposite mirror she saw a brawny
mulatto, armed with a long knife, which
she recognized as one of her guardians
collection of arms and weapons, step
quickly behind a curtained alcove, which
entirely concealed his figure.
The same light revealed her diamonds
lying open on her dressing-case, and in
an instant she realized her danger and
its cause. Her first impulse was to fly;
but the man knew she had seen him,
and-horror of ors!-parted the