The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-10-20


which ornamented the carved door, and
waited.
Some moments passed. Annot, absorb
ed in her kitchen duties did not hear him.
nor any one.
But presently along an upper hall, and
down flight Of stairs, at right angles with
the doorway, he heard the tiny metallic
click of little boot heels, and the swish OF
siIken draperies, and then suddenly, in all
the old-time gorgeous attire in which she
had gone to array herself, Reda Wylder
stood before him.
The gentleman almost jumped, so star
tied was he.
Had the picture come out of its frame !
Reda read his thought, and laughing
light came into her dark, shining eyes, a
roguish smile curved the lovely, scarlet lips.
Raymond Searle quickly recovered him
self, and bowed low, hat in hand.
II sea bit of masquerading, he
thought. "Can this dainty, exquisite
creature be the little tiger-cat of whom my
father spoke?
Aloud, he said introduetorily;
II am Raymond Searle. My father
wished me to call and deliver message
from him to Mr.. and Miss Wylder."
As he uttered the words the laughing
eyes grew stern and flashing, the slender
young figure reared itself stateler.
II am Miss Wylder," said the sweet,
naughty voice.
And without any apology for her strange
dress she led the way to an inner room,
where her brother, We're Wylder, lay upon
couch drawn beside sunny window.
She explained briefly to him, and ma
jestically motioning their visitor to seat,
remained standing herself beside her broth
er's couch.
Raymond Searle, fattered darling of so
ciety as he was, had never been SO near
overwhelming embarrassment in his life.
Anything SO lovely as this slender, tall,
stately young creature, in her bravery of
silk and lace and gemmed attire, he had
never seen; and the invalid brother looked
like stricken eagle.
They both made him think of what his
father had said about the way the Wylders
had fought his claim.
"Well, sir," said Reda, loftily, "we will
hear your fathers message. My brother
is not strong enough for many words, so
you will please address yourself to me. I"
For the first time Raymond Searle felt
all the ungracious and ungraceful disagrea-
bleness of the errand on which he had
come.
He blushed, he hesitated, he sat over
whelmed with confusion Finally he said,
desperately:
"You know why | have come. wish
now | had not.
"You said you had message from your
father?" questioned Reda, haughtily.
81 prefer not to deliver it now" he
said.
"You do not need. We, my brother
and myself, can well imagine that it is only
some new threat to compel us to abandon
our home-our legal and rightful home
in spite of that decision of an unjust court
which pronounced otherwise !"
Raymond bit his lip.
"In justice to my father, then, he said,
"I must tell you that his message was no
threat He wished me to ask you when it
would be convenient to give him possession
of of,Wylder's Rock ?"
"Never !' rang like a bugle note from
Redas quivering lips "Go back to your
father and say that to him. Say that we
will die first We will die here resisting.
He shall never have Wylder's Rock while
we livel'
Raymond Searle rose from his seat, bent
his head tremendously to her, bowed low
to the brother, in whose eagle glance the
same fame leaped as in hers, and went 81
lently from the room.
Il think he meant to be courteous, " said
We're Wylder, when he had gone. Il
hope we were not rude"
'I hope not" said Reda, swift change
coming over the sweet, spirited face. "He
is not to blame His father has not told
him all the story, or he would not have
come I could see that. | liked his
look-did not you, Vere?"
eyes, | liked him, murmured We're.
'EHe would scorn to do such baseness as
his father is guilty of, believe"
II think he would, We're answered, and
lay gazing wistfully at his sister in her ra-
diant, young loveliness.
He was thinking how uncertain his life
was-how poor a one at best. He could
but say to himself
'Ah, if kind heaven would but send her
a protector, who was as strong and true
gentleman as he looked who had Just
gone !"
Raymond went back to his father with a
troubled face
"Sir," said he abruptly, yet with the
profound respect he always used toward
him, "you did not tell me all the particu-
lars of this Wylder case"
Philip Searle reddened Hewould have
rather not tell his son more than he had,
but if he must he was ready. What ground
had the Wylders for opposing his claim ?
Why, simply this:
1t was Raymond's grandfather who loan
ed the money to Guy Wylder, and took
mortgage on the Rock He and Wylder
were old and close friends Wylder claim
ed that he paid the money the very day he,
old Raymond Searle, was stricken with the
mortal illness of which he died before the
following morning Searle could not at
that moment put his hand upon the mort
gage-he was notoriously careless with his
papers. Both men were easy natured, and
they trusted each other implicitly. Searle
was not feeling well, and it was agreed that
Wylder should come again the following
day and finish up the business.
That day never dawned for old Ray
mond Searle, and the mortgage never
turned up till years afterward.
This was the truth of the matter, but
this was not exactly the way the father
told it to his son.
The money could not have been paid, he
insisted 1t was all nonsense about the
mortgage having been mislaid.
The pair were close friends, true, and SO
old Raymond never pushed it.
But then it was black and white, and
only the single word of Guy Wylder to
show that it had been paid off.
Young Raymond listened, and grew
graver and graver He believed that the
Wylders had the right on their side, and
that the money had been paid as Guy Wyl-
der had said, and died fighting to prove his
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