Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-09-09
wYLDER's ROCK.

WYLDER's ROCK.
+. had been long and tedious litiga-
.;.n The Wylders had literally fought
sssrv inch of the way. spent all they
V.sseaaed in contesting the suit, and los,
philip SearIe had apent good deal
80. Int then he was a money king-iI
.icar parIance, rolled in gold-and be
- von. which meant more money, "a
:. ,sry we'll knew when he produced
ss,,n amid some musty old papers that
s..aneelled mortgage of which he had
sacvu for years, but never thought OF
..shirg till he discovered that the barren
- hitherto considered worthless acres
= the Wylder's Rock property rested on
sdratum of solid wealth; in short, were
an A vast coalbed.
The Wyldsrs had lost-and who were
they? The poorest and proudest family
I. tbe county-the proudest, at any rate
and they possessed only competence
-hsn tbey went into this legal contest,
-h,ch had swallowed it all and ended in
total rout for them.
There we're five in the family when the
aruople began-the father, three sons
and one daughter.
Tvo of the Sons, brilliant young men
.nd uromising lawyers, had been killed
n railroad accident on their way TO the
rtv an business connected with the IA
nous suit.
Worry over the suit, and the horror of
losing his beautiful boys IN 80 terrible a
manner, had brought an attack of fever
ou the father, and he died the very day
lie suit was decided against him, leaving
With his dying breath the stern charge
"a his remaining children never to give
up-never to yield Wylder's Rock to the
Ssarles!
The Wyldsrs really seemed an un-
iucky family. The remaining son was
! sufferer from spinal disease, confined
% bic couch or wheeled chair most Of
his life.
Apoor creature he was to resist any
thina, much less the enforcing Of that
decision of the court which bad given bis
home TO another.
aIvill resistr' declared his young sis
tsr. ~ will never yieldr'
And she looked as If she would be no
mean antagonist, girl of sixteen thous b
she vas.
Slight, dainty and sweet, a child in
looks az she was in years, there WAS yet
q spirit shining out of her big black
eyes, determination in the lovely, curs-
ing mouth, that BODIED i'll for the success
Of Philip Searle's plans il she could de-
feat them.
The money king sat in his gorgeous
library, in close and confidential CON
verse with his only son, who had just
returned from n three years sojourn in
Euf0pe.
He was young man of fine and noble
presence, handsome and gallant enough
70 make the heart of any man leap with
pride TO call him son.
Philip Searle had just been giving him
in rough outline what he called sketch
Of the Wyider case.
You see," he said, % 1t has been just
like fighting nest Of eagles all along.
They haye balked and hindered and
resisted the thing till l am out of all
manner Of patience. There are only
those two now, the sick fellow and the
Girl, but she's a regular little tiger cat,
by all accounts have served the reg
ular legal notice on them; have warned
them 70 go, bat they won't. If it were
nsn I was dealing with, / should
kn0w what to do; but a child and a
isk man"
aYou wish nae to go and see thsmT''
Questioned Raymond Searle, lightly.
"vesy veil; will go at onoe. dare
say ] can induce them to listen to
He spoke with the self-confidepce his
indulged and fiattered life had taught
him. He vas in the habit Of being
yielded 70; not because he was dictate
rial or selfishiy exacting, but because
be was rich, young, handsome, sunny
natured and warm hearted. Most men
liked him, and most women, too, for
that matter.
Wylder's Rock, from which the prop
erty took its name, WAS rugged, stony
sminenoe, with evergreen clothed side.
The house, perohed like an eagles eyrie
M the very top, was picturesque, ivy
clad stone structure, built in the palmiest
days of the family, now seemingly in its
decadence. II had once boon spls mildly
furnished within, but now contained
only the faded remnants of its former
magnihceuoe.
Al the hour when Philip Searle talked
with his son. Keda Wylder stood with
their onfy servant, an old woman Of
seventy years, who had always been
with the family, before n picture which
hung in the low, wide entrance hall Of
tbs house.
Il was the portrait of an ansestross, a
woman who must have been superbly
beautiful, with her night like eyes, her
snowy skin, her diadem of silksn braids.
Ia. o..
lowed about the perfect figure. and in
her hair and on her breast were gems OF
price.
:" You are her image. child-hsr very
image" old Annot was saying. IL you
we're dressed like that, you might get
into the frame there, and no one would
know the difference"
Reda laughed merrily.
have a mind to try IT," she said.
The very clothes she wore for this pic-
tuIs are up there in the cedar chest.
A she ran away Annot's old eyes fol-
hved her fondly.
Light hearted and lion hearted, like
~ Of her race" Annot murmured, and
vent her way kitchenward.
4 little later gentleman came slowly
up the walk. hesitated at the vineolad
saalit doorway. and glanced within the
open hall.
HIS gaze fastened admiringly on the
picture Of RedA Wylder's beautiful an
cestress, IA, seeing no bell, he lightly
lifted. twice or thrice, the d-fashiones
ebony and bronze knockor which orua
mented the Cal we'd door, and waited.
Some moments passed. .Anuot, alb
sorbed IN her kitchen dsties, did not hea
him, nor any one.
But presently, along an upper hall an'
down q flight of stairs at right angle
With the doorway, he hoard the tiny me
hliic click Of little bootheels, and th'
svhh of silken drapcries; then suddenly
10 all the oldtime gorgeous attire whicl
she had gone to array herself IN. Red
Wylder stood before him.
The gentleman almost jumped, he wa
% started. Had the picture come out o
its frame?
Rsds read his thought, and Laughing
light came into her dark shining eyes,
roguish smile curved the lovely scarle
lips.
Raymond Searle quickly recovere'
himself and bowed low, hat in hand.
sea- bit of masquerading." b
thought. "Can this dainty, exquisit