Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1883-07-27
is arm and answered, serenely:

you must take Dack the property tHdl
ought never to have been mine. 1t is
yours in justice, and it shall not be
mine in law much longer. | can make
it over to you by deed Of gift, and in
taking it you VIII be fulfilling your
aunt's last wish
Hugh had been warned of Helen
Ashley's artfulness and insincerity,
had been told that she was finished
actress; looking down into her earnest
eyes, he murmured:
If this is acting, it is superb
Try me, and see if it is acting she
pleaded, passionately. Accept my Of
fer No ore will rejoice more than |
to See Il Darrell at Dangerfeld again.
The inheritance Of your race-your
old home that you love so well, and
that You lost though a cruel mistake
you will take it, will you not:'
lie stepped back and answered,
coldly:
Either You are playing a part or
you are Offering me charity. In either
case my answer is-No.
You will not take it: Is it fair and
manly to hate me for wronging you,
and give me no alternative. | will not
keep your property. 1t is a burden to
me | will lind some way Of making
YOU take it back, and until then | am
only your steward With which burst
Of anger she turned and left him.
Such a charming vision passed Oar
rell's windows daily nova vision of
a sweet, piquant face beneath its pic
turesque riding hat, graceful, round
figure, swaying easily to her horses
gait, and two dark gray eyes that
never fail TO flash look sometimes
sad, sometimes of gay defiance at
Hugh's closed shutters as she rode by.
Little did Miss Ashley know that
one Of these glances was lost on the
unseen witness Of her morning rides.
y bonnie lass said Hugh's old
housekeeper, one day, as she PASSED,
and good as she's fair
Why did you leave her, then, TO
come 10 me. who am certainly neither
good nor fair asked her master, sar-
donically.
All, she's not my own BARN, that |
held in my arms rs babe. | have serv-
ed with stranger, though it's kind
mistress Miss Helen is:
Then she has not won your heart
from me as she did my aunt's:
Never believe that. Master Hugh,
said the old woman, warmly. My
mistress cared for none but you TO the
end. As for the will, that were made
before ever she set eyes on Miss Helen.
She was bound 10 disinherit you, aud
Miss Helen were the daughter of her
oldest friend. Aiterward she sent for
Miss Helen 10 come and live at Dan,
geriield, and told her what she mad
done. She was going 10 add post
script like, 10 say that II ever Miss
Helen gave You penny she would
forfeit the hole of 1t. But my young
lady would have meme o that. Leave
your money 10 whom You please, said
She; Il don't ask you for it. But don,
burden it with any such conditions
If it is to be mine, | want ii mine &c
do what | chose with My old mis-
ir,ss she laughed. and said by the
time the money came 10 Miss Helen
she'd be in no hurry 10 get rid of it
The barrels was most long lived. We
all thought old mistress was good fol
twenty years more.
The next day Hugh watched in vain
for the horse and its wlnsome rider
and the next, and the next. Then be
heard that Helen Ashley was i'll. Hi:
old nurse told him this one evening
and went on TO consider the chance:
of her masters inheritance in case o.
Miss Ashley's death, although she adj
mitted that as yet there was nj
danger.
Hugh, though by no means fanciful
sat till late that night thinking Will
horror Of the possibility.
His old home would be hateful Il
him, he knew, should he regain it al
ter any such fashion.
He went to the window and drew
aside the curtain, as he often did, t.
look at Dangertield Hall, standing big
and black mile away.
What was that ominous glow. a!
if it answer to his thought, voices il
the street cried, Fire! and there wa'
sound of running feet.
In an instant Darrell was out O
doors, darting through the chill nigh
air with a speed that left all Others
far behind.
Was this deadly fear at his heart fol
the old hone or for the young mis-
tress:
When he reached the entrance, tn,
west wing was in flames, but the tir'
had not reached the rest OF the house
Yes, the young lady was safe, one o
the by-standers told him. She was ont
of the first rescued. That was be-
loom, pointing to room yet untouch
ed. although around it the fire rageo
hottest.
Darrell recognized the room-i
had been his in the old boyish days
There nothing for him to do. Ih'
servants were all out of the house. The
little band of village fremen, aided by
many volunteers, were laboring sue
cessfully to keep the fire from spread
ing. Probably they would save the
main body of the house. Most OF the
furniture, pictures, and valuables hae
been removed from the west wing, ant
lay in confusion on the lawn.
Darrell stood modify watching thu
progress Of the flames. In a short time
they would devour his room.
A great desire suddenly came ovel
him to see it once more ere it shoulC
be destroyed. Why not? He coult
do it at slight risk. Many time ha(
he climbed up that wall and through
that window for boyish freak.
Though daring, he was not fool
| g