National Republican., 1884-04-07

After that he asked his lOrdship TO buy him
commission in regiment which had just
been ordered to India. Sir John didn't 1etly
refuse nor did he give his assent, but he gave
another lecture, which tho lad took with
very i'll grace, and ho took IL thus because he
knew that her ladyship was at the bottom Of
it,"
"From all of which," said Jason, ''I infor
that her son Harold aims at being the heir;
and in order to accomplish this he must got
rid of his rival"
" You are right, Jason"
"But" said Jason, eagerly, "don't you
moan to do something2 Isn't there some way
in which you can lend the young man help
ing handT
the watch. We'll open Sir Johns eyes soon
enough"
"And should soy the sooner you opened
them the better"
i 1--WE must have something positive, you
know, to work upon. We old servants have
to work carefully"
aye, there's the rub" cried Smart, starting
up from his seat. "While you are working
carefully tho bolder ones will como in with
| strong horses and win the race. But come
| I'd like to look through the old park. We can
| talk rs we walk"
| The lodge keeper arose and led the way
out into the broad avenue, aud whom his COM
| panion had surveyed tho familiar scenes
about the gate they turned toward the man
sion, taking one of the foot paths. They had
| gone but n short distance when Peter pulled
his companion by tho sleeve and drew him
behind the shrubbcry.
Hold back, Jason! Now you'll see sight
Don't move, but look sharp"
AS the keeper thus spoke man and woman
came in sight. The man was of medium
height, broad and heavy Of frame, and in
clined to obesity. His head was small and
the face was lowering and sinister. His age
might have been anywhere from 6ve-and-
thirty to fortyI
The woman was older, and though she bore
| some features in common with her companion,
| especially about tho eyes and mout h, yet she
was what the world might call h andsome-
that 10, handsome for one who had passed
the meridian of life.
what do you think of that woman ~
asked the keeper, after tho twain had passed
| on.
II don't know about tho woman. amt q
judge Of the sex. But should say the man
was villain. Who is he"
He calls himself the Honorable Harold
Berwick"
"And the woman is his mother ~
Yes; she is the present Lady Birch
NEAR"
"And can't you sec by tho looks of that
mans face and by the way he whispers what
he's got to say that hos concocting some sort
Of villainyW
"If he isn't he's out of his regular line"
u should say 80. And she don't look like
n saint. See how eager she is. tell you,
| Peter, IL there's villainy sfoot she's got as
much interest in it as he has. Mark my
words"
When Lady Birchmear and her son had
passed from sight the keeper and his COM
panion came out into tho path and pursued
their way toward the mansion.
And now, while the two old servants are
/ VII 60, rNlI
Birchmear and hor son. They had entered
upon secluded spot, away from the principal
paths, whero they had stopped and where
they pursued the conversation in which they
had been engaged-pursued it to point upon
which they had not ventured while in moro
exposed part of the grounds.
"My mother" said Harold, in voice
scarcely raised above whisper, "what we do
must be done quickly. 1t is very evident
that Sir John still cherishes n lingering lovo
for Arthur, in spite Of his designations"
II think he does Harold" returned her
ladyship meditatively.
81 know he does" asserted her son. "He
cherishes for the boy an instinct of love above
me, just as he remembers the boys mother
with a warmer feeling than he bestows upon
my mother"
Lady Birchmear clutched her hands and
breathed quickly:
"You need not mention that, Harold. ]
/
its treasures of empty remembrance where
he will, so that bend his outward acts to my
purpose. III all things but this he is my
abject slave"
~ know" said Harold, with an evil smile,
"that you have entire control of all that can
affect your individual interests, and now it
only remains for us to gain control of tho
rest. Shall we let Arthur gain commission
in the armyp
"Now answered the lady, emphatically.
"You, my son, must be heir of Birchmear,
and that you will never be if Arthur leaves
us and enters the army"
"You speak as though you had full assur-
alce, my dearp
aye, Harold, and have full assurance. I
knew Arthurs father, and had no lived one
poor month longer he would have been a
general of brigade. His son il like him. Let
Arthur go out to India with a commission and
he will make record of which Sir John will
be proud, and the old mans sluInbering love
for him will be rekindled."
III understand you," said the son, with an
uncomfortable look upon his face.
He could not deny tho premises, and yet il
was cutting TO be brought thus face to face
with his youthful rivals excellencies.
"And, furthermore" pursued her ladyship,
~ have undertaken a work, and 1 shall not
shrink from any ordinary means necessary to
its accomplishment. You know that have
sought to poison his lordship's mind against
the youth, and have SO far succeeded that if
we can bring about something that shall fall
crushingly upon him, we may got him out of
the way. And this you must do. You know
how anything like contention or open strife
jars npon Sir Johns nerves. Now can you not
fasten quarrel npon Arthur? l think his
peculiar temperament is more open to that
| means Of attack than to any other. Mark
me: II Arthur inherits Birchmear-"
| y "He shall never do i'll" interrupted Harold,
with an oath. " have set my heart upon the
pr ize, and will win it, or, at all events, the
son of the first wife;shall not win ii from me-
You spoke of engaging him in quarrel. That
idea opens the way to q new mine. plan
already begins to shape itself in my mind.
Let me think"
He walked away by himself and when he
returned there was new look Of hope upon
his evil face.
He had hit upon fendish plan for destroy
ing Arthur Berwick, his noble young rival
| and US he untolded it to his mother her face
glowed with Satanic delight. The above we
| publish as specimen chapter; but tho con-
tinuation of this great story will be found on ly
in the n. Y. Ledger. Ask for the number
dated April 49, which can now be had at any
news office or bookstore. If you are not
within reach of a news office, you can have
that number of the Ledger mailed to you by
sending six cents postage stamps will do) to
Robert Bonner, publisher, 1872 William street,
New York. The New York Ledger is the
| Great Family Paper, full Of good and inter-
esting reading,
| IN the absence of suitable materials or the time
! to prepare IL people often 10 without dressing
| for salads. Buy Dulkees Dressing and you will