Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-19
gu 0rigiual Sturg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
WHO WAS MAUD MILLER ?
BY VICTOR VERNON.
PART III.
THE PORTRAIT.
CHAPTER X.

CHAPTER X.
In London again.
A venerable mansion, of dignifed but
somewhat gloomy appearance, long unten-
anted, was, on certain bright day of Sum-
mer, thrown open from garret to basement
An ancient housekeeper, in traditional garb
of black silk, with her insignia of keys
dangling from her girdle, moved with i'm
portant step hither and thither, directing
her underlings in their duties, scOlding
freely when occasion required, but alter
mating these reproofs with eloquent discourse
relative to the all-engrossing subject of her
thoughts expected return of Lord Dart
moor to his home. ~
"And to think he should have gone and
got a foreign wife! Many's the lady here
In our own city would have been glad and
proud to become Lady Dartmoor; but moth
ing would suit him but to 60 and fetch
wife from across the seas. Well, we'll,
Americas fine place, they say. I had a
brother who lived in America once. Susan,
mind how you bear on that mirror, you'll
crack it presently, you clumsy thing. do
hope she's worthy of him: But dear me,
could have thought such q thing!"
'Thought what, Mrs. Ford ?" asked Su-
san, pertly.
Doesn't everybody know how anxious she
was to have him marry his cousin-her that
is Mrs. Captain Hartley now. Some even
went so far as to believe that she would
have made new will, if she'd thought her
wishes wouldn't be carried out. But any
how she couldn't have kept the title from
him; though at that time there seemed
small chance of his getting it, with three
healthy lives standing in between. Well,
well it was the way Of Providence; there's
no gainsaying higher power. Susan,
there's spot higher up, to your left; hav-
emit you got eyes in your head? Yes, there
was the old Earl, and his son, and his
nephew. Of course it was natural the old
gentleman should 60, but nobody'd have
expected both the others to follow, and so
sudden too! I shall never forget when 1
heard of Mr. Arthur's death you could have
knocked me down with straw. There,
Susan, take the other one now"
"And did Mrs. Captain Hartley wish it
too?" asked Susan, with interest.
'Wish what?"
N!I why, to, to marry mar y, Lord Dartmoor-her
"Wish it, indeed! Do you suppose she'd
have made such wish known?" indignant
ly retorted her superior. "a fine idea you
have of ladies' manners, to be sure What
she wished, I'm sure don't know but they
w say sle was Veiy Iouu VI hohu Viao
was long ago, of course; and I'm afraid the
Captain has led but her sorry life"
dwell, Pm sure Pm glad my lord is going
to bring some sort of wife home at last"
quoth Susan irreverently. ga pretty dull
house this has been all along, ever since 1
can remember, in fact. When 1 was a
child" -,
"When you were a child, you should
have been taught not to chatter, but to
h,,es ri hrc LNnr6 WI n
asperity "Now that you've got the mir
rors done, 60 up into the blue room and
hang the curtains, as told you before"
Not only among the domestics, who COM
prised the Ear's whole household, but also
in the circle of his friends and associates, a
lively interest was felt in the unexpected
news of his marriage. 1t had become un-
derstood that he was not marrying man;
and that he should take new departure at
his time of life, and in such an unlocked
for manner, was circumstance likely to af-
ford material for more than nine days
wonder.
The old family mansion was got ready
none too soon; the last touches had scarce
ly been put to its arrangements when the
Earl and his bride arrived. They came, in
fact, little before the appointed time; ; and
so quietly, that none outside of the house
hold knew of their arrival.
"And this is my home," said Maud, as,
leaning on the arm which was now her
prop and stay, she looked with happy eyes
around her.
eyes, my darling. A rather grave and
sombre looking home to bring you into;
but your presence will soon fill it with
brightness,'' fondly replied the Earl.
A year had passed since the firing of the
fatal shot by which Edgar Rutherford had
been punished for his crime-a shot which
had nearly proved fatal to Maud as well.
The generous impulse which had led her
instinctively toshield him from danger, un-
worthy though he was of such protection,
had so narrowly missed costing her her life,
that months subsequently elapsed before she
recovered from the shock to both body and
mind. Indeed, so seriously was her health
impaired, that for some time her recovery
was regarded as doubtful. The ball that
wounded her in its course, just grazing a
vital part, had entered the heart of her
faithless lover, who died unconscious of the
self-sacrificing act which so completely be-
lied his last words.
Lord Dartmoor, returning from his visit
just at the critical time when Maud, as we'll
as Rutherford, was supposed to have been
killed, and all the camp was in an uprOar,
felt pang Of anguish SO keen as to clearly
reveal to him the true nature of his affec-
tiOn for the innocent young girl he had be-
friended. When it was found that she liv-
ed, anu that her recovery was possible, he
recorded in his heart vow, that if she
were spared, he would leave no means un-
tried to induce her to become his wife. He
had no near relations to cavil at his choice,
and was Independent of the opinion of the
world; moreover, his high position entitled
him to absolute freedom of choice and judg-
ment in matter so essential to his hap
piness. AS soon, therefore, as her condition
permitted him to approach the subject, he
made her an offer of his hand and heart, and
was accepted. She seemed to wonder in an
innocent way that he should have chosen
her in her obscurity, knowing nothing of
her birth. And he answered her when she
said something to him OF this
"What is that, my darling, to you or to
me? That l love you, that you are the very
one, in all the world, most suited to my
needs, sufices me, and that you should give
me, in return, the priceless treasure of your
love, is boon so great, that my lifelong
devotion will not be sufficient to prove my
gratitude"
"When 1 am stronger" she rejoined, 81
will tell you all 1 know about myself"
She did tell him the story, sitting at twi-
light with her hand clasped in his. They
were under the hospitable roof of Mrs. Her
bert, who had nursed her tenderly through
her illness, and brought her home as soon as
Greet friends had left them to their lovers
talk, undisturbed.
81 am English on my mothers side, said
Maud. "When she was just grown up, my
grandfather brought her to America, and
she married my father soon after their ar
rival in this country. She died when was
very young, and | have only faint recol-