Evening star., 1884-04-07
GLENALPINE'S OATH.
n Story Of Trial and Adventure on
shore, at Sea, and i'm the Jungle.

Shore, at Sea, and i'm the Jungle.
The Manor OF Birchmear was one or the Oldest
and most extensive in England. The manor-house
was grand old mansion
Inc domain was ample. There were fair lawns
anu gardens and extensive parks and preserves,
oroad meadows and fruitful slopes, and many a
mile OF dense Old forest
was towards noon CT a pleasant day late in the
summer that two men stood ny the lodge gate Of
ihn1Ll BirCLnear PARK one OF them was Peter Bun.
sne heeper, and the other Was Jason smart an OLD
age.
As soon as they had exchanged greetings Jason
said:
Vow, Peter. want you to tell me about the
taInliy. Let NE See. Its almost - ore Ol years
SINCE ielt Blrchlnear. Sir John was then hale
ana hearty. and fun tfty years old; and We thought
he never would marry, but hear he has done IT.
les. said the keeper. slowly. ..he has done ft
t".ee-which Was just once JJo m,lrh
You remember that his lord>hip lived those
nlau! years bachelor on account oI a hrIgT li-sp-
polhtnleht IN early liie He had made 10 lis n.ud
lhdt ne would rever marry; but he found rcason 10
change his purpose. out in India here MS a csr-
tain Iom kainSIord, TO whom his .ogI,AipwaS par
tlcuiarIy attached This Tom R,duslord was a col
ohe. and he saved the division Of Sir Jasper Wal
lace at Halepoor by his own Individual ful.I a0IE N
ana daring But he himself fell-shot, just as ihe
victory was won.
''sir John neari Of the Death Of Colonel Tora
Ralneford. and be also heard that a widow had
been lett AMI he sent out word 10 the widow that
She might come and ind Il home At BirtAlnear II
sne wished X seems that col. Tom hqd been a
foihckfng. hearted fellow, ana had elt nothing
OF property-not even enough to pay IA, debts 10
his widow accepted Sir John offer ana CAME home
10 England and 10 Birchmear. She had ua, child
a noy, three years eld-a boy naIieG ArlAIr.-and
one OF the brightest ana keen->t .-tli- Ic..ows 4
ever saw. The servants All Tell IN love wlth him.
II saw lsabei Ra!nsiord When sue lir9t came, and
a sweeter creature never laId my eyes upon. sir
John took TO her at Once: and She IN turn was de-
voted TO him. AT the end of twO years Sir ], lc
offered her his heart and his hand. ana size
Ta.fr-
Birchmear. And he gave the boy LIS own nalne
called him Arthur Berwick
"1heir married life was a happy one. sir John
loved his young and beautiful wife with al. niS
heart and she Was sincerely attached aHd devoted
to him. But their happiness was hot TO last long
In i've years alter their marriage Lady Isabel died
and Tor a time Sir John Was IKE one distracted
About this time the government had occasion TO
send commissioner upon important business TO
lndla, ahd LORD BlrchlLear Was selected lU- the
oflee. he accepted without hesitation, auI at
once made prep ratons for ais departure lie len
The manor In charge OF his sister, Agatha. and IN
1er keeping, also, he lett Arthur, NON grown 10 DC
ten years old.
kSir John went out 10 India, and there fen in
with Lady Helen Trayera This woman wa. lie
bed away fortune, ana died deeply ia debt. she
was past the middle age-somewhere about nuy-
but or that peculiat vital temperament. and o1 III II
tenacity OF vigor and heainiul nJw OF blood.
which preserve the stamp ot youth Tar into the
meridian OF life She WAS handsome, ,,3l Size us
bold; and, above AZ, she clear->lglIei and
calculating. She had son. named h.iLld IN tA,,
army, with a Captains commission; and Tor some
years Captain Harold TrayerS had m..naEed TO
make enough at the gdLling-tdbc To gAe his
mother seemingly comfortable Support.
"lt was said by those who urOlt.9>eI 10 know thar
much OF the captains good hsck at whist and
ecarte was due To the covert aid Uf Lady He.eE /
won't pretend TO assert anything about LADY,
Heiens aptne,S at Cheating at cards; bat | can
swear She Play Ell strong game W.tA sir John
and ii She didn't bind hill, then size must 1--we.
tiAen HIN upon Ie-y weak size Ia ll,f I'VE
years from TIE death u Tie sweet Lad, IsaDel Ae
adj n M hs
ITaEerS. But her whore sa..lc wasn't played wien
s!ie hau VOL his h,tliJ and Ills name. SIZE wanted
something Tor her son.
This Captain Harold Travers was man very
Nncn alter his fatAtrs Stalup. lie WAS kiess
and hedrlless, and had enough or polish to make
his Way ia society. he went at i,a.k anon Sir
JonnS good graces, and IUuud his Way mo theln
Ana Wien his lorGolIp prepared I0r Als return II
England he allowed the captain TO sell his commits
Sion and bear him company. And he did more: lie
aiowed Harold 10 drop tne maine ct irafega aud TO
take that of Berwick i'll its place, thus recognizing
him as al adopted sOa. loI must undcrst,ihd that
Sir Jonn Was now past sixty, and more easily
worked upon Than formerly. lie tdacled JIat lie
Was never 80 ilrln OF Viii, and nUyvT ludepeI.-
dent: tut there oue al The uelu. tuL klew now
10 govern him.
NV hen his iordShp, with his new family. reached
nome, Arthur had grown 10 Ue L youth uI sixteen
ana he was &ckEowiedsed0 by al WHO uew A.lI 10
oe The hantsoltst. and tie braSe>t, and the
strongest boy OF hls years ia our riding lle lad
cut Up some wild pranks. 10 Ue sure, uut notAIn,
that came or an evil disposition The new LADY,
Bicnncar pretended strong love Tor hl,a: and
Harold was Openly Very hlnd 10 him. HilLia 4
lew mont-lS alter sir JVlns return Arthur was
sent away 10 school at oxford; ana there he has
been most or the tine until three months a.o
when he caiie home Wlth the Resolution tc study
no more.
"At first Sir John hai only planned that Arthur
Should pursue course of study tsI would lit him
1or puplc political life. aud then Iauclpd tltL
he meant 10 make the lad his heir-Iur You VIII
understand that his loiolslp has had 10 children
or his oWn-but. alter TINE, in three years frOm
the lads first entrIce at college, sir John changed
a ahe plan, anu wanted hlin 60 prepare Tor the
Church When the old servants heaIl OF this--aud
they heard OF IL when Arthur came home a yaca-
tion-they were sure that Lady bircLmedr had
been at work, and tnat the OF Isabel itansiurd
was not sure oT lnierlting the manor
'.However, Arthur resolved thaI lie would not be
churchlnan, AID when Sir john was satisfied that
his opposition could not be overcome, proposed
the Oar Instead. But the youth wUG.d lIut have
that either. He would enter the army. In fact IL
was his earnest wish 10 join The army, and he once
said 10 me- said he: peter. when hay sceol-d Ays
are over shall 80 into the army. I would rather
go In as private. and carry muoket and a knap-
sack, than be hanger-on at this place and in
this company knew very We'll what le AZ, ant
knew that he knew that Lady Rircnmear hated
him, and that Harold, with all his smiling surface,
was bitterly jealous or him.
"But wont spin it out LONGER than can help.
Three months ago Arthur came home FROM college,
and he ca:ie home III Debt He had been Wild and
extravagant. Sir John paid his debts and gave
him lecture. Arthur Knew that some one had
been undermining him. and he took the lecture
badly. After that he asked his lordShfp TO huy L.In
commission in regiment which had lust been
ordered TO India Sir John didn't fatty refuse nor
did he give his assent: but he gave another lecture
which the lad took with very IL grace and IA. look
II thus because he knew that her laGysiip T.,s at
the bottom OF it
"From all OF which" said Jason. 81 Infer that her
son Harold aims at being the heir; and iD order 10
accomplish this he 10 -lst get III OF his rlvai!a
"lou are right, JASON
"But," said Jason. eagerly. "don't yOIl nl'an TO
90 something? Isn't there some way in which you
can lend the young man Il helping hand?"
"Be sure there Is, Jason. iie has friends on the
watch. NeN open Sir Johns eyes soon enough"
And should say the sooner you opened them
the better"
1--WE must have something positive, you know, TO
work upon We Old servants have TO work care
fully"
"Aye.-there,s the rub" cried Smart. starting I'D
froin his seat "Mhiie YOU are working carefully,
the o0lder ones VIII come in with strong horses and
win the race! But come,-Id Ike 10 look through
the Old park We can talk as We walk"
The lodge-keeper arose. and led the way out into
the broad avenue, and when his companion had
surveyed the familiar scenes about the gate they
turned towards the ndllsOn. taking OF the loot
paths They had gone but short distance " hen
Peter pulled his companion by the sleeve, and drew
him behind the shruDDery.
"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 inclined 10 obesity His
head was small and the face was lowering and
sinister. His age might have been any where FROM
1ve-and-thlrty TO forty.
The woman was older, and though she bore some
features In common with her companion. especially
about the eyes and mouth, yet she was wuaJ me
world might call handSome-that Is, handsome for
one who had passed the meridian OF life.
''What do you think OF that wonan?" asked the /