The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-03

n41 tIpkt. EfpIeA1tonht9 ktnethlly Luuut
tullerand less 1erky stroke, mot allowingth
oar 70 leave the water 20 soon.
OF this Brandon had been warned BY hi
trainer, but In his usual puffy manner u
/ sou Of Fairyiew's great magnAte had aftlrnie
that be believed he knew what stroke b
could make the most speed at, and that va
In fact the stroke he wanted and intended 4
adhere 70.
II was really not bad stroke, and woul,
have required no ordinary professional 4
equal II, and among the gamblers Brandon
was the fayoFite.
There were three pittsd against him, one
whom was Tom hathaway, and Rockies
Tom was The only opponent Brandon hat
cause TO fear.
Il was not really known whether. Ton
would participate In the race or not, nothing
having been learned from him since the pre-
Vious night.
He was not upon the river this morning at
the customary pull, and this fact gave Bran
don much satisfaction.
1.-THE impudsnt puppy he muttered, q
be rounded the upper two.mile stake and
glanced homewArd over the clear, simmer.
ing surface Of the lake. Zone thing In my
favor he will not be In practice. Perhaps
he will not make an appearance, when tie
race will surely DO mine. hope, though,
that he will DO present, for know l can beat
him, and II will be great sattsfacttou to me
10 do so."
Tom at that moment was pacing the shore
ct Crystal Lake below The boat.hOuse In q
terrible whirl Of perpl0xity aud doubt
II was not the approaching race that
troubled his mind, but the prospective duel
which weighed mostheayily upon his con.
science.
Conscience whispered to retrace his steps,
apologize, and seek TO settle the affair AMIGA
pride impelled him onward 10 the verge Of
the fearful abyss.
He dreaded to meet Minnie Stockwell, al.
though It was not possible that news OF the
affair had as yet reached her ears.
He felt an overwhelming sense guilt and
told himself that he would never dare look
her in the face again.
He had come down TO the lake to take his
regular exercise at the oars, but so troubled
was the state Of his mind that he could not
compose himself sufficiently TO enter the
boat-house, and so had sought the solitude OF
q little strip OF sandy beach Just below the
boat-honse, where growth Of oak came
down to the waters edge.
he paced restlesSlysup and down, wrapped
In thought, and noted not how fast the time
passed until suddenly be heard rustic in
the shrubbery on the bank above his head
still to perceive Minnie Stockwell, the beauty
Of FairView and his pledged love, gazing
down upon him in surprise.
Why, Toni" exclaimed the beauty.
What are you doing here Ia this strange
place? have been looking all about for
you. Your services are much needed, |
think, ut the boat;house. There Is much
decorating yet to be done, and nobody knows
how to do that but you.
YES" said Tom, huskily, after several in.
edectuai efforts to clear his throat. Eyes,
Minnie, will now go, Igot into one OF my
thinking moods and forgot myself. BY
gracious did mol know It was 50 late.
One hour Of noon! and the regatta Is to com.
mence at two o'clock"
Minnie, keen little maiden, gave Tom
searching glance as he scrambled up the
bank to her side.
With a kind Of womanly instinct she
Guessed that there was something wefghty,
upon her boy.lover's mind, but she betrayed
not the knowledge.
"feS, and, my brave knight, II iseyen nigh
time for you to don your armor and enter
the lists. See, have chosen your color for
you. May 1t give you good luck
81 pray heaven 1t may" said Tom, in an
unusually devout tone. Then, as though he
had forgotten himself, II thank you for the
good wish, and will Try TO prove myself
worthy knight"
But his inadvertent tone had not escaped
Minnie, and she was not deceived by his as.
sumed air Of gaiety.
"rom, she. suddenly exclaimed, stopping
ere they had got two-thirds OF the way 70 the
boat-house, ''wait right here. What Is the
mi HttNlN Tall ~
surely have right 10 know"
"Yes-nO, nothing Is The matter with me-,
stammercd Tom, feeling very uncomfortable.
Have you been betting heavily upon this
racer"
Tom suddenly assumed q solemn EXPIRES
sion of cOunten4nce.
NO, not one cent, Minnie. But, hang 1t,
might as well tell you what Is the matter
now as any time. Great heaven, it Is fear
full! Minnie, you eau be nothing more to me
now"
Minnie stockwell's beautiful face turned
ashy pale.
what do you mean, Tom2,'
IL have hopefessiy disgraced myself"
I'm allowing myself to get mad and chal-
lenge Hartley Brandon 70 duel"
You challenged him2"
HE understood it so, and when he picked
1t up could not back out"
"0h, Toni"
II know 1t; it is an everlasting disgrace"
II am very sorry"
Tom could not bear the tone OF reproach,
and he covered his face with his hands.
But only for moment did our heroine u.s.
sume reproachiul attitude. Then sha adj
vanccd and put both arms around her lovers
neck.
why should not be as much toyou now
as ever, Ton?"
"After dissracing myself" and Tom un.
covered his face in surprise. II
YES, Tom am very sorry that You we're
led into the duel. But were l not true TO
you in need, would be truly unworthy your
love-"
THANK heaven ~ was oil impulsive Tom
said, catching the form Of his true love in
his strong arms and straining her 10 him In
one passionate embrace.
And that afternoon no happier man pulled
an oar to the starting.line on Crystal Lake
THANH njudiCious and hasty yet generous and
noble-hearted Tom Hathaway.
In the start Hartley Brandon obtained the
lead and kept II to the stake, which he also
turned, first. Matters now looked as though
he bad AN easy victory.
But an experienced eye would have per.
CelFeu u b!Auce lHAt tDe race was lat from
being decideds Tom Hathaway had been
pulling long, regular, careless stroke Keep
ing att uniform distance, while Brandon,
thinking himself hard.pushed, had pulled
for all he was worth, making truly i tre-
mendous race and leaving the remaining two
contestants far down the course and virtu.
ally out OF the race, Tom smiled as he
turned his stake and cut skilfully across
! BrAnd0ns stern. Not until within half
mile of home did he begin to- exhibit his
tremendous powers
Then he drew long breath, strengthened
his broad shoulders, and, with couple OF
marvellous lightning strokes, shot up notch
nearer to his adversary.
But Brandon rallied, and bore down with
In hundred yards Of home length in ad-
vance.
CHAPTER ".
TOM's REVOLUTION.
Brandon has It! Brandon has I'll" yelled
the excited crowd on the shore, as the con.