Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-20

"There have been family differences
Madge."
oh! 1t will be awkward when We ar
married if | may never see Nlltrld.
wonder what he will say when he hears
am going 10 marry you?
= A sort of shiver passed over Trevor Lane
INV brother Wilfrid is scarcely the sor
of man with whom / should care lor my
wife to be on intimate terms, he SAID.
ooh, yes, l know he is a Vaurien; bu
t that can't hurt me, and he isvery amusing
Quite a treat 10 see his dear OLD handWrlt
ing in your drawer
He ruined Cousin Barbara-that's why
she is here, persisted Trevor.
Very likely. He ruined my father, anc
my father ruined him; that's why | am
poor. Yet owe him NJ grudge, Trevor
why should you?" and once more she
looked into his eyes with that strange mes
merle power she had, which set every nerve
in his body vibrating.
And from talk of Wilfrid Lane they
drifted back once more to themselves and
their own affairs, murmulng together soft
! " in the light of the pale moon, which had
risen and cast magic spell over the scene
broken at last, however, by little scream
from Madge.
What is it? I heard something NOV
ing. Is 1t a bogv or Cousin Bah"
cousin Bab!' And Trevor, indignant
lest Bah should have been listening went
through the portieres into the painting
/ room: the moon. as it were, followed him
no one to be seen-out into the garden
he passed Barbara was in her room-he
could see the reflection Of her form on the
drawn blind. Instead of returning to the
spot were he had left Madge he walked
down the garden and called to her to come
to him. THE night was SO beautiful, the
moon 50 bright" he said, it was better
there than indoors
From the garden they strolled into an
adjoining wood, along a pathway leading
to the village where Miss Craigie dwelt
The vicar was her uncle, and she was on
a visit there for awhile. Nor did they come
back to Treyors cottage chat evening. On
the contrary, he went into the vicarage and
STAYED talking to the vicar till past 10
! o'clock
How he should tell Barbara that he was
! absolutely engaged to Madee Craigie puz-
! zled him not a little during his walk home,
( and probably would have engrosSed him
even more had not his thoughts been di-
verted from it by almost feeling Of annoy
ance that his Madge should be on friendly
| terms with the half-brother whose very
name was never mentioned in IIeathheld
/ Cottage.
When he reached home all was as silent
| as the grave; the glass door leading from
| the sitting-room to the garden was ajar, as
| Miss Craigie had left it when she joined
| him, the lamp was still burning on the
Writing-tabie, everything as he had left it.
! NO-the draw was still wide open, but
| the papers had been touched. He noticed
it at a glance those which attracted Madge
Craigie's attention, with Wiltrid Lanes
name on them, were gone.
| Pearly drops burst forth on Traycr's brow
as he perceived il, and staggering into the
seat which Madge had recently quilted, he
remained there for some time immOVable.
/ What did she know of Wilfrid Lane was
! the question he asked himself over and
| over again. Were the details of this mans
shameful past known 10 her-had she
aught to do with them Could it be posi-
| bic that she had made the excuse Of send
ing him away in search of bOgies, while she
! possessed herself of letters and documents
duplicating Wilfrid Lane? No-no-the
| thought was madness.
Yet the papers were gone, and that they
did inculpate Wilfrid Lane very heavily
there was little doubt, since more than one
of them was forgery Of his half-brother's
name, and it was by the holding of them
that Trevor succeeded in keeping the vau-
rien out of England, and his own hearth
and home in peace.
Cousin Barbara warnings against Miss
Craigie rose like specters into his mind, and
would not be chased away let him strug-
gle az resoutelv as he would Madge and
none other had been in that room, and the
papers were gone-tlN case was conclusive.
And he had promised TO marry this wO-
man What should he 90? Go to her as
soon as possible. accuse her straighJiOr-
Wardly of the theft demand the return Of
the stolen papers and then Spurn her i'm
age forever from his heart.
That was the decision he arrived at while
he sat gazing at the open drawer. and the
clock struck four before he attempted To 90
to bed.
To bed. but not to sleep; and when he
met Cousin Barbara nj breakfast he looked
pale and haggard, and wGs very silent,
while Bah grumbied away in her usual
style over the thousand and one petty an
noyanccs which she managed to find at
every turn.
At last Trevor rose and took up his hat
Going out, Trevor, instead of to work ?''
He leaned over her and kissed her. "Ay,
only for little while, dear cousin. | shall
soon be back. ana we VIII have some long
hours together in the painting room"
" \ cs-silent hours, while you are dream
ing of that Miss Craigie's false, bewitching
face. You will rue it, Trevor-you'u rue
it, as ] am a living woman"
He was gone but her words followed him
all through the woods seemed to be echo
ing through the leaves.
In the viCarage garden stood Madge, fresh
and pure and lovely looking, in the daint-
lest of blue muslins. She kissed her hand
to him when from some distance she per
ii l. Ia. ,r1
saIutation as coldly as he intended, for at
the sight of her more than half his suspi-
cions seemed to disappear.
"Oh, Trevor she cried out when he
was within hearing; "such glorious news
] have for YOU Your brother Wiltrid has
not so utterly ruined my father as was at
first imagined? Some of the property is
saved. and shall have dot, and not come
to your home an utter beggar."
" | do not want money answered Ire
vor. scarcely gracicusy. i have enough
for both
Why Trevor, what has happened?
How gloomy ana stern you look
Something has happened which has
upset me exceedingly. Those letters
Wiiidd's letter, that you saw in my drawer
last nj Sht-arc gone and he looked at her
very fXedly while he spoke.
" GOne-what do YOU mean %
Some one has taken them away; do
you know who It is?'
" Trevor, your irighten me-don't glance
at me like that-buj tell me-whose inter
est would it be to take them? What are
they about2'
81 am afraid You know full well what
they are about
4! Why, it was only last night dis
covered that Wilfrid Lane was your
brother
All, You are a good actress Miss Craigic"
Trevor great heaven, Treyor-you do
not believe that oh this is too absurd! %
" You know nothing of the disappear
ance of those letters
Nothing, upon my word; rs | stand
here living woman, ! swear il.
He shook his head; her very determined
assurance made him doubt her more, and
he Turned away
las Miss Craigie that ! should live to
say IT, but until those letters are found !
can enter into no further engagement
Robbiug me Of them could be the act of no