The Evening critic., 1884-04-07
GLENALPINE,s OATH.


oldest and most extensive in England. The
manor-house was a grand old mansion.
The domain was ample. There were fair
lawns and gardens, and extensive parks and
preserves, broad meadows and fruitful
slopes, and many mile of dense old forest.
IL wos toward noon Of n pleasant day late
in the summer that two men stood by tho
lodge gate of Birchmcar Park. One Of
them was Peter Brun, the keeper, and the
other was Jason Smart, an old friend of
Peters. Both were men past the middle
age.
AS soon as they had exchanged greetings,
Jason said
Nov, Peter, want you to tell me about
the family. Let mo see. It's almost a
score of years since / left Birchmear. Sir
John was then hale and hearty, and full
fifty years old and we thought he never
would marry, but hear he has done it,"
"Yes,' said the keeper, slowly che has
done it twce-which was Just once too
much.
"You remember that his lordship lived
those many years bachelor on account of
a bitter disappointment Ia early life. He
had made up his mind that he would never
marry but no found reason to change his
purpose. Out in India there was q certain
Tom Rainsford, to whom his lordship was
particularly attached. This Tom Rains
ford was colonel, aud he saved the divi-
sion of Sir Jasper Wallace at Hajepoor by
his own individual forethought and daring.
But he himself fell-shot, Just as tho vic
tory was won.
"Sir John heard of the death of Colonel
Tom Rainsford, and he also heard that
widow had been left and he sent out word
to the widow that she might come and find
home at Birchmear If she wished. 1t
seems that Colonel Tom had been rollcS-
ing, free.hearted fellow, and had left moth
ing Of property-not even enough to pay
his debts. So his widow accepted Sir Johns
offer, and came home to England aud 60
Birchmear She had one child-a boy
three years old-a boy named Arthur
and one of the brightest and keenest little
fellows l ever saw. The servants all fell in
love with him.
~ saw Isabel Rainsford when she first
came, and q sweeter creature l never laid
my eyes upon. Sir John took to her at
once; and she, in turn, was devoted to him.
At the end of two years Sir John offered
her his heart and his hand, and she accepted
both, and thus became Lady Birchmear
Of Birchmear. And he gave the boy his
own name, axd called him Arthur Ber-
wick.
"Their married life was happy one. Sir
John loved his young and beautiful wife
with all his heart, and she was sincerely
attached and devoted to him. But their
happiness was not to last long In i've
years after their marriage Lady Isabel died !.
aud for short time Sir John was like one
distracted. About this time the govern
ment had occasion to send a commissioner
upon important business to India, and Lord
Birchmear was selected for the Office. lie
accepted without hesitation, aud at once
made preparations for his departure. lie
left the manor in charge Of his sister
Agatha, and in her keeping, also, he left
Arthur, now grown to be ton years old.
"Sir John went out to India, and there
fell in with Lady Helen Travers. This
woman was the widow of Sir Theobald
Travers, who had gambled away fortune
and died deeply in debt. She was past the
middle age-somewhere about fifty-but of
that peculiar vital temperament, and Of
that tenacity Of vigor and healthful flow
of blood, which preserve the stamp of youth
far into the meridian of life. She was
handsome, and she was bold and above all,
she was clear-sighted and calculating. She
had son, named Harold, in the army, with
a captains commission and for some years
Captain Harold Travers had managed to
make enough at the gaming table to give
his mother a seemingly comfortable sup
port
at was said by those who protested to
know that most of the captains good luck
at whist and ecarte was due to the covert
aid of Lady Helen. won't pretend to as
sert anything about Lady Helen's aptness
at cheating at cards; but l can swear she
played strong game with Sir John, and II
she didn't blind him, then she must have
taken him upon very weak side. In just
five years from the death of the sweet Lady
Isabel he made wife of this woman-this
| Lady Helen Travers. But her whole game
| wasn't played when she had won his hand
and his name, She wanted something for
| her son.
"This Captain Harold Travers was a man
| very much after his fathers stamp He
| was reckless and heartless, and had enough
| of polish to make his way in society. He
| went TO work upon Sir Johns good graces
his lordship prepared for his retIrn to
England he allowed the captain to sell hi
commission and bear him company. And
he did more -; no allowed Harold TO dro,
the name of TraveTs and to take that o
Berwick in its place, thus recognizing him
as an adopted son. You must understand
that Sir John was now past sixty, ant
more easily worked upon than formerly
He fancied he was never so firm of will
and never so independent but there
was one at the helm that knew how Il
govern him,
"When his lordship, with his new fam
lily, reached home, Arthur had grown to b.
youth of sixteen and he was acknowl
edged by all who knew him to be tn
handsomest and the bravest, and thu
strongest boy of his years in our riding
He had cut up some wild pranks, to b.
sure, but nothing that came of an evi
disposition. The new Lady Birchmea
pretended q strong love for him ant
Harold was openly very kind to him
Within few months of Sir Johns return
Arthur was sent away to school at Oxford
and there he has been most of the tim
until three months ago, when he cam
home with the resolution to study no more
"At first Sir John had only planned tina
Arthur should pursue course of study tina
would fit him for public political life, AM
then VIC fanced that no meant to make tn
lad his heir-for you will understand tina
his lordship had no children of his own
but after time, in three years from tn,
lads first entrance at College, Sir Johi
changed the plan, and wanted him 30 pre-
pare for the church. When the old sery
ants heard of this-and they heard of |
when Arthur came home at vacation-the!
were sure that Lady Birchmear had beef
at work and that the son of Isabel Rains
ford was not sure of inheritlng the manor
However, Arthur resolved that h
would not be churchman, and when 81
John was satisfied that his opposition coult
not be overcome, he proposed the bar in
stead. But the youth would not have tina
either. He would enter the army Il
fact, 1t was his earnest wish to join TIL
army, and he once said TO me, said he: Peter