New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-01

anu n"r vi, T., rsturn There was he answered
with a sch t of mockery in his y'i;e; ana vi H.
uumept he added BY George, Is u p%ncousnsI
said :. | hop she may remember you III Der , pray
ers, he SAID strangely Then he seemed 10 lorgsi
existence did nor interim 1'' Of dpomacy
moved Gu,ty at his elbow. till | heard Nun num-
ming TO himself listened. but conla not G h,'
m. ,orns. made out, however. that no was nun,
| ming n Gernian sorg. | more than once detected
| tho word angen which consulting the dictionary
| aT home discovered to signify eyes.
CHAPTER II.
| Not lcna after the unfortunate meeting IN inc
PARK. Lord Richard su ideny spoke to me OF inc
| neglected. borough of Mudbro. knew hdV onc,o
Was Likely TO be a vacancy there; nad Deen wait
| inc ior n good opportunity of insnuating my own
merits as a candidate; but had never eXpeJ Ii
thar the first suggestion OF INV stanulhg ior 81 "
mani would come from my friend. Oi course was
vel, aware that The influence of Lord Richards
family in MudbTo was practically decisive III Jug
present member were really bent on retirement ana
IL the family supported me cordially hugnS oap
I'm mome Mt into that position to when had long
| intended to climb. But my friends unsought sug
gestlol. frightened me- What could Do ms oD Jorsr
modestv "a doubt OF my own worthineSs surely
1 said you must know OF some more ihpor'an'
You'll do capital.y' he cried out With his big
voice. you're made for politics; yen don't MINI
rorking up details you're good Ut ierretihg ou'
things: you'ie not thin-sKinned.'
laughed in a de 2recatIng manner at his praise
Int srll INV mind was busy with questions oil his
motive. began to think that he wished 10 loose9
the cords which bound us to one another III seemeu
probable enough that with bls great acuteness ne
had decided that was learning too much oil himself
anu of his correspondence with polticai lrienus.
Of his real motive Tor banlshng me, CONFESS tnae
I mad not the slightest suspicion. AS looked al
him d0ubtfally he began to laugh as usual, ms
habit OF laughter. which while IT covers aWkWatu
pauses commits TO nothing. is OF great use ~
Lord Richard. He arranged Tor my linmediat' ue-
rariure. as if it the best joke in the world.
member. with the local lawyer with his own DIS
tIpguished father. The fact that l was 10 ne
guest in that famous family mansion naturally
weakened my instructive opposition to these sudden
scnemes Finally nv friend begged not 10 hurry
back | FASTENED to assure him that should make
no unnecessary delay: and that. II were ever .or
tunate enough to gain s'at III ire iiousei eVe wen
that Iced not prevent me from making myself use
ful TO him. / could still act as secretary, eai.
No. no. no-damn 1T. no he cried and hurried ouG
OF e. . | laughed at tile joke. Dut was sun
dIsquieted by doubts. How true my instinct was
has get to be shown. ~,
Alas! fingered at MudbrO. The c0rdality of the
amable # inefficient member for the borough the
stupidity of the principal constituents the iu1uly
of the Castle, IN which ] was guest All these
combined to prOlOng my absence from my irIenu.
Slowly and happily was winning nv way ihIo
popular favor: day by day in the leisurey HE OF
that qaiet spoI WAS Fccniirmlng ms position az tS
future representative; when on sudden was
awakened from nv pacldity by the news OF tie
gIeat catastrophe. IL in the library 81 MS an
cestral home that opened the paper with no pre-
sentiment aud read that Lord Richard had Deen
blinded by Il flash OF lightning. i cOuld scarceiy
brlleve my eyes. Such was my faith III the mans
craft and power, that | could scarcely Imagine nun
the victim of an accident. found IL hard 10 pc
lieve that anything had happened to hun when
y as not the result of ms own calc ulatlons Even
when had realized the dreadful truth, had no
suspicion of the extent of the misfortune which
had Defallen me- Indeed saw good in tho evil |
saw that Lord Richards blindness would make
him dOubly dependent on my care and help.
Although noel-as it is my habit to note details
ri " min hal
met with his terrible accident he was driving MN
self home from the suburb in which my cousin Tom
lived, | confess that | attached 10 Importance 10
the oct. IL no. for the sake of playing with
lightning that my friend bad planned my absence
in his native borough.
did not waste time in idle lamentations; left
that to the victims kinsfulk at tue Castle. Now
was the time for me to hurry to Lord Rlcharts
side No one knew better than what is expected
from friend had studied the subject. After all
proper expressions OF coincidence hurried from the
noble mansion where l had passed scch happy
hours
. A. soon as I reached London hurried to my
friends abode let myself in by means of one of
his latch-keys which always carried. | stepped
noIselessy upstairs; did not Know in what condi-
ton the nerves OF the Door sufferer might be. AT
the top of the stars turned aside into the little
back rUom; peeped cautiously round the heavy
curtain. which hung across the open doorway; i
feared that my sudden appearance might starue
the invalid. AS peered cautiously into the shaded
study, WAS treasured by tne sound Cf nv friends
voice lie was speaking in his usual tone, with
that blunt straightforward manner which enyled.
For moment thought that the whole story must
be false drew back my head, that | might con-
slider my position linen IL struck NE that ne hIght
be exaggeratiLg his MISUNDERSTANDING to be
wholly hi nd that he night excite To the highest
point the popular INTEREST and sympathy In this
| di hin more than credit.
| waited IN silence to discover to whom my friend
was talking. Presently | heard the voice of my
cousin Tom; and | let re q confess my i'll
of the situation. How soon, said To myself has
he found for the confidential journalist to
whom introduced him! / felt no doubt Il confess
III that he arrang ng with Tom how the story
should be told IN the metropolitan and in the
provincial press; how England might be made TO
thrill frum end TO the other by an account of
this sudden catastrophe. which had befailen ris-
ing public servant and OF the truly British pluck
with which the awful consequences were borne.
time To think of the popularity o. my position, 40
listened with all my ears behind the heavy curtain.
tie words which presently reached me would have
Tom ,A MY ' little DeliaH What was thisi gave
such gasp that thought it must be heard.
Could it be sort of cipher used by these two men,
lest there should be caves iroppersf Mo- The idea
was absurd. How could there he fear of caves.
drOppers in Lord Richards private looms /! As the
talk went on. all .Oubt was speedily removed. l
stood spellbound; | could not utter sound it was
impossible tor me to make ny presence known.
After a silence which seemed long. Lord Richard
spoke IL seems almost im possible to me, he said.
Il thought that did not jOt for all The
women in the world | was Iatner badly treated by
a woman. once. when | was % bow Alter that 1
made up my mind to do without sentiment; went
in for politics; thought was strong "a house
and il has come 10 this There something
both comIcal and pathetic in my friends voice |
could not think what he meant by this strange de-
partnre. ] did not try TO think; all my mind was
given to noting bis every word, to impresslng it
nv memory. My report is absolutely accurate. My
cousin Tom muttered sUIie words which did not
reach my ears; aud hen Lord Richard began again,
speaking slowly and low. as If he were thinking
alOu1. Sometimes OF late he said | had caught
myself IN a strange mood, wondering if had not
flung away the faIrest gift of lie, If il would not
be sad to grow old with no one near memo one 10
care for me 'nuch-nO one but some fellow who
served me for his own interest, climbed on my
shoulders. and would kick inc down when | could
help MIN higher Hoe morbid q line of Thought
was this into which Lord Richard pretended to
have fallen Surely be could ALWAYS command
Detter service than this which he flores nadu wed of
the sofienlng OF my cousin Tom. 1t struck me AZ
OverdOue.