The Penn's Grove record., 1885-10-24

day l found it necessary to go to Scot
and to see after the stations and other
work on the line; considered my plans
we're not effectively carried out. The
, following afternoon ] reached the place
where / intended to begin my examina-
ton. / put up at a small inn In the
n~eiphborhood, and walked out toward
| the railway Just to announce ny pres
ence AS | was returning along the
high road whom should | meet, face to
face but Hugh Graham He looked
| faint, weary, and travel worn. l do
not know to which OF US the meeting
was the greater surprise,
"sI am thankful to have met your
he exclaimed, almost before we had
time to greet each other. For Heavens
sake come with me; | am going to
Heatherburn.
".You cannot go to Heatherburn or
anywhere else ia that plight L said.
Come In with me and have dinner, and
rest awhile,
"He would have objected, but / in-
sisted, and almost dragged him in with
me. / found on questioning him
that his money had fallen short only
bringing him as far as Dumfries, and
that he had walked thirty miles that
day without food. He still insisted
that 1t was absolutely necessary he
should get on to Heatherburn that
evening, reiterating his ~entreaties that
| would accompany him. To this |
consented.
Fortunately l was able to procure a
gig; in which we drove the five inter-
vening miles in the cool OF the evening
Leaving the gig at a sort OF a shanty
close by, Graham, with rapid step. lei
the way through a gate in the palings
OF a gent'eman's park, and, cutting
straight across the green-sward like II
familiar with the locality, he made for
the front door of a large old fashioned
mansion.
When the door was opened, in an.
| swer to the peal of the bell, the gray
haired man servant started back in
alarm
"Gude save US, Mr.. Hughp he Ok
claimed.
"Hugh seemed scarcely to hear or
see him.
"We entered a roomy bedchamber.
Stretched on the bed, evidently in the
last agonies, was a man only a few
years older than Hugh; by his side sat
a gray haired old man, his head bowed
down on his hands. There were two
other persons in the room, apparently
! the clergyman and the doctor.
ssThe old man lifted his head at the
noise caused by our entrance, and,
starting up, an expression of fierce an.
ger taking the place OF sorrow. he
stretched out his arm to forbid d
nearer approach of my companion.
"tBegonel' he cried, in a harsh,
broken voice. eWretch-Cainl What
do you here, disturbing the bed of
death.
without attending to this objurga-
ton, Hugh strobe up to the side of the
bed, sPercival Graham he said sol
EMMY, by your belief In HIM before
whom you will shortly appear-by yonr
hopa of salvation-speak at lastl L con
jure you to declare who fired that fatal
shotl'
"a spasm convulsed the face of the
dying man.
".Mercy-mercyl' he gasped, in hol-
low accents. Il did it'll But, as Heaven
is my witness, I had no intention of
injuriRg Walterl'
"tThen what induced you to cast
the odium of such a crime upon mep'
"'Because / hated you, Hugh Ora
haml' he almost shrieked. i hated you
because you were better and nobler and
handsomer than myself, and, more than
all, because Alice Fraser loved you.'
".And for that reason you would
have hunted me to the deathp Heaven
forgive you'll said Hugh.
1.-THE sick man fell back, exhausted
by the exertIons he had made. Not
for that only he muttered. when
Walter died you stood between me n
the lands and title.' :.
SAT first the old man stood as II
stunned-he seemed scarcely able to
comprehend what he had heard; but he
clenched his hands, and, stretching
them upwards. he cried, Now may
Heavens curse
"sHushl' said the clergyman, laying
his hand on his friends shoulder.
"sVengeance Is mine. saith the Lord;
| will repay" Rather let us pray
ssSir William Graham and his son
Hugh knelt side by side, while the
clergyman recited the prayers for the
dying.
"By-and-by l saw the doctor quietly
lay on the bed the arm he had been
holding, and make a sign to the clergy.
man, who stopped for a moment, and
her offered a fervent thanksgiving
that the truth had been revealed.
SSH William turned round, opening
his arms to his newly-found son; and
as they were clasped in a close embrace
I stole from the room.
Before long a servant came with a
note from young Mr.. Graham. He
begged / would remain all night.
"Mr. Macdonald, who I found had
been tutor IN the family, and now re-
manned as chaplain, made inquiries
about Hugh, and the origin OF our ac-
ouaintance. l told him the whole
story, and in my turn begged for in
formation as to the events that had led
to the situation in which I had found
the heir of Heatherburn. The follow
ing are the facts he related to me.
"Slr William Graham had, it seems
two sons, Walter and Hugh. The for
mer was a sickly, puny lad, never good
for much-peevish too, and fretful In
temper, always a fine, generous-hearted
manly fellow.
"'The boys were just growing up into
young men, when a brother Of Sir VIII
liam's died in India, leaving his only
son to the care of the Baronet. Per-
cival was just the same age as Walter,
but proved a great contrast i'll person
and disposition. His mother must have
had Indian blood in her veins. for he
was swarthy in complexion, though not
otherwise Unlocking.
"sHe soon wormed himself into Sir
Williams affection and confidence by
subserviency and fiattery, so skilltully
assumed and administered that | am
not surprised that the simple old mar
was deceived. And over Walters mind
also he managed to gain great infu-
ence.
"sIn reality there was strong affec-
ton between Walter and Hugh; | be-
lieve from my heart that Hugh would
" - - a IC1 -. HE krAthARs