The Portland daily press., 1884-04-09
Glenalpine's Oath.
A story of Trial and Adventure ON shore,
mt Sea, and i'm the Jungle.

v
Oldest and most extensive in England. The
manor-honse was grand old mansion.
The domain was ample. There were fail
lawns AMI gardens, and extensive parks and
preserves, broad meadows and fruitful slopes
and many mile of dense old forest.
lt was towards noon of pleasant day late
in the summer that two men stood by the
lodge gate of Birchmear 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:
snow, Peter, want you to tell me about
the family. Let me see It's almost 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 l hear he has done it."
Eyes" said the keeper, slowly, che has
doneit twice-which was just once too
much.
"You remember that his lordship lived
those many years bachelor on account of
a bitter disappointment in early life. He
had made up his mind that he would never
marry; but helfound reason to change his
purpose. Out in India there was certain
Tom Rainsford, to whom his lordsbip was
particularly attached. This Tom Rainsford
was colonel, and he saved the division of
individual forethought and daring. But he
himself fell-shot, just as the victory 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 a roick-
ing, free-hear!ed fellow, and had left moth
to- So L
his debts. So his widow accepted Sir john 8
offer, and came home to England and to
Birchmear. She had one child-a boy, three
years old-a boy named Arthur,-and one
of the brightest and keenest little fellows |
ever saw. The servants all fell in love with
him.
81 saw Isabel Rainsford when she first
came, and a sweeter creature / 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, and called him Arthur Berwick.
"Their married life was happy one. Sir
John loved his young and beautiful wife
with all his heart, and she was sincerely at
tached and devoted to him. But their hap
piness was not to last long. In FIVE years
after their marriage Lady Isabel died, and
for time Sir John was like one distracted.
About this time the government had occa-
sion to send a commissioner upon important
business to India, and Lord Birchmear was
selected for the Office. He accepted without
hesitation, and at once made preparations
for his departure. He left the manor in
charge of his sister, Agatha, and in her
keeping, also, he left Arthur, now grown to
be ten years old.
"Sir John went out to India, and there
fell in with Lady Helen Travers. This
woman was the widow of Sir Theobald
Iravers, who had gambled away a fortune,
and died deeply in debt. She was past the
middle somewhere about tifty-but of
that peculiar vital temperament, and of that
tenacity of vigof 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 a
son, named Harold, in the army, with cap
tain's commission; and for some years Cap
tain Harold Trayers had managed to make
enough at the gaming to give his moth
er a seemingly comfortable support
SIT was said by those who protested to
know that much of the captains good luck
at whist and ecarte was due to the covert aid
of Lady Helen. | WON'T pretend to assert
anything about Lady Helen's aptness at
cheating at cards; but / can swear she played
a strong game with Sir John, and if 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 Hell
en- 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
at work upon Sir Johns good graces and
found his way into them. And when his lord
ship prepared for his return to England he al
lowed the captain to sell his commission and
bear him company And ne did more: he al
lowed Harold to drop the name of Travers
and to take that of Berwick in its place.
thus recognizing him as an adopted son.
You must understand that Sir John was
now past sixty, and more easily worked up
on than formerly. He fancied that he was
never so firm OF will, and never SO indepen-
dent; but there was one at the helm that
knew how to govern him.
''When his lordship, with his new family,
reached home, Arthur had grown to be a
youth Of sixteen, and he was acknowledged
by all who knew him to be the handsomest,
and the bravest, and the strongest boy of
nto yOalo III Jul tluIllSs liz ndu Cub up SOlAS
wild pranks, to be sure, but nothing that
came of an evil disposition. The new Lady
Birchmear pretended strong love for him
and Harold was openly very kind to him.
Within few months after Sir Johns re-
turn Arthur was sent away 10 school at Ok
ford; and there he has been most of the
time until three months ago, when he came
home with the resolution to study no more.
Eat first Sir John had only planned thai
ali.
would fit him for public political life, anC
then we fancied that he meant to make the
lad his heir--for you will understand tha
his lordship has had no children of his OWL
but after a time, in three years from thu
lads first entrance at college, Sir JohI
changed the plan, and wanted him to pre-
pare for the church. When the old ses
wants heard Of this-and they heard of il
when Arthur came home at vacation-the!
were sure that Lady Birchmear had been a
work, and that the son of Isabel RainsforC
was not sure of inheriting the manor.
However. Arthur resolved that he would
not be churchman, and when Sir Johl
was satisfied that his opposition could not b.
overcome, he proposed the bar instead
But the youth would not have that either
He would enter the army. In fact, it wal
his earnest wish to join the army, and h.
once said to me, said he: Peter, when my
school Jays are over shall go into the army
would rather go in as private, and carry
musket and knapsack, than be hanger.
on at this place, and in this company
knew very well what he meant. l knew
that he knew that Lady Birchmear hated
him, and that Harold, with all his smiling
surface, was bitterly jealous of him.
But won't spin it out longer than l car
help. Three months ago Arthur came HON,
from college, and he came home in debt
He had been wild and extravagant. Si
John paid his debts and gave him lecture
Arthur knew that some one had been under
mining him, and he took the lecture badly
After that he asked his lordship to buy hin
commission in a regiment which had jus
been ordered to India. Sir John didn't fatl
refuse, nor did he give his assent; but b.
gave another lecture, which the lad tool
with very Ill grace, and he took it thus be
cause he knew that her ladyship was at tn
bottom of it.''
''From all of which, said Jason, 81 infe
that her son Harold aims at being the heir
and in order to accomplish this he must &c
rid OF his rival?''
You are right, JASON"
But ssaid Jason eagerly, don't yo
mean to do something? Isn't there som
way IN which you can lend the young man
helping hand?''
BE sure there is, Jason. He has friend
on the watch. We'll onan Civ Tnhn,S ave