The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-24

bothered by you. She i not cnllu, anu sue
stays here at her own desire"
II have only your bare word for that"
The door opened slowly and Dorothy en-
tered. a light in her eyes Pierce had never
seen before. She toyeI with the jeweled
cross az her neck with the hand that was
adorned BIZ he fathers masonic ring.
The two men looked at her as though she
was a being fr N another world.
PieIe. said entreatingly:
For G d's sake 60 to your room, Dor
otly. and leave me to deal with this man
alCnei'
Il will 60. T. erce, when have told him
that / stay here OF nay own free viii. You
saved me from being frozen to death; my
life my ova, arc yours. am your promis-
ed wife, by that dear bond beg y9E to pro-
tect me from that mans misusei power.
He has tried to make me a shame tony sex,
he has betrayed every tie OF truth, ana
friendship.
"To save myself from worse than death
left my home to wander away knew not
whittier, until you found me, hali-deaa III
the snow-drift, when lie made me desperate
by the wicked wrong he would have wrougDt
me had been weaker woman"
Dorothy looked hardly earthly, as she
stood Ike an accusing angel before the man /
her dead mother had counted as KING 1
among his fellows. and his bold eyes droop- /
ed beneath the sc0rnful fire OF hers. HIS /
voice was loITse as he Kissed:
'sYou must come home with me; thai maA /
has wife already"
1T is false! On, P.erc', my darling, tell /
( him it is false" she or ell in agonised ac-
! cents as she sank upon her knees before
/ them"
/ Pierce took her hand kindly, and, assist
ing Ter to Use, said:
( MY dearest. had a wife. but the law has
! freed me from her for ever, or should not
have dared to sue for this dear hand. Stand
up my love, and keep brave heart, no one
shall harm you"
But yourself. | suppose, sir. Don't listen
to him, Dorothy, he is telling an untruth-
saw his wife but few days ago."
You saw my wife, as you choose to call
her-you saw Alison Lee? FIR the love of
mercy tell me quickly, had she my little
child with her? Where is she9'
! Horace Middleton laughed unpleasantly
while Dorothy bent forward, her lips apart.
her hands clasped, as though to add to the
I fathers entreaty.
Il knowing nothing of the child The
| mother is a fine woman with plenty Of
| spirit in her She told me where to find my
truant ward. Come, Dorothy, be quick and
| sensible; the carriage is outside, put on your
Cloak and come. | have no time to spare"
Il will not cume-wild horses should not
drag me back 10 the awful fate you wish to
doom me to-
You would rather stay a. this mans mis-
tress, since son cannot be his vile. But /
/ viii not allow yen to drag the name Your
mother bore with honor into the dust. Come,
say; if you will not 1 shall carry y0iL"
Lay not finger on her, if you value
| your life, and beg her pardon on your knees
for the Insult you have offered her before
me. Down. say. or l will force you, you
cowardly liarw
Pierce threw himself upon him, and tried
to force him down on his knees. Blows were
struck, and curses exchanged, when quiet
voice said calmly:
Gentlemen. gentlemen. you are really
too old to play at leap-frog, and before
lady too Come away my dear"
Dr. Steel hastily led Dorothy out of the
room, then returned and said, as he tried TO
part the two combatants:
Come gentlemen, you can't keep all the
fun to yourselves. / like fight as well as
anybody; go and have it out in the road, the
servants Will hold your hats and enjoy the
fun. It's greedy TO keep all the excitement
bottled up in bit of place like this.
BY dint Of much struggling and getting
few blows the doctor succeeded In parting
the two men, who glGred at each other ike
two bulldogs when their collars are twisted
to choke them Off.
ssGentlemen, / do believe I've got the
worst of the battle, the moral of which is,
never NEEDLE with what may not concern
! Yourself Now | have word to say while
You pull yourselves together and that is
that if this row is about Miss Cover, as her
| I III, 4.
| be removed. Now can't you brother-masons
come 20 term5?'
Il wohid never treat with such scOun-
drel" said Pierce,
MY remedy is in the hands of the law"
said Horace Middleton.
Then let it remain there; tf.e remedy
may prove worse than the disease. Mr.
! Middleton, leave your ward in my hands.
! Pierce, dear boy, show the gentleman the
door"
But refuse to go unless my ward goes
| with me-
Refusal is ridiculous; an Eaglishman'.
| house is his castle. he can kick you out. Re
member Miss Cover, horses are waiting,
don't prove an unjust reward
Horace Middleton went white; DR. 5tee!
had said the last words with a strange sig
nifioance that made the man vince.
What do you mean, sir, by your base in
siuuation?'
Il mean that if the cap fits. wear it,"
Leave my house at once, and before you
! enter If again, remember that discretion Is
| a valuable weapon to WELD. Jane, open the
door for this gentleman"
Il will go now, but will return when you
sre cooler, Mr.. Penfold."
Which viii be all the worse for you, for
the cooler one keeps the better one is able
to keep ones head out of chancery. Are
You going, sir, or shall | assist your
Certainly not sir, unless you want your
neck broken"
u should be more likely TO dislocate my
ankle; | don't kick with my head"
Understand Mr.. Penfold, that / go to
appeal against this Illegal detention of my
ward. l will not consentto a vulgar quar-
rel, but the law is on my side and l shall in
sist upon having my authority respected.
Had not DR.. Steel informed me it would be
injurious to her health, should have COM
peIied Miss Cover to accompany M; as 1t
is | shall send for her in the course of few
days. and ii she still refuses to come, Unjust
, find means to ensure my authority being
respected. Young girls cannot be allowed
10 leave home and position, and forfeit the
cir good names just for a whim; such ca
prices are iusufferable."
. w III q great SHOW Oh diEllia llNitsOC
: Middleton went away, while DR.. Steel and
Pierce looked at each other and smiled.
CHAPTER xr.
''You had better come to meat once dear"
said Mrs. Steel when she heard of the scene
there had been in her absence.
> Dorothy lay, white and weary, OF her
couch. Pierce had been bathing her fore
/, head with some sweet essencs that made
the room smell like a tlower-garden.
The scene had upset her, and following it
came Pierces eutreaty for an early marri-
age
lie had told her his history in a few words.
While at Oxford he fell in love with a
girl who was at small boarding-school,
and, led away by boyish ardor, married her,
disregarding the fact that she was but a
, beautiful gypsy, whom her ambitious parents
wished to make fine lady.
She behaved pretty well the first year,
then boy was born. whom she simply wor.
SHIPPED. He died in childish Illness, and
instead OF being chastened by grief, she
seemed TO be made desperate.
She sought excitement far and near, visit
ed her own people, and TO P.erce's annoy.
ance, spent most Of her time with them
when they brought their circus to Cardiff.
One member of the company was hand
some athlete, man of splendid physique
and the brain of brute.