The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-08


/ companions handsome sarcastic-look-
| ing face.
You did? You were a bold man. +"
/ said Gorden with short laugh.
1 was desperate one \ pause.
then speaking slowly and meeting his
companions suddenly interested glance
/ with steady clear one. Have you anv
| remembrance of case in the papers
/ some years ago, about man of nv
name who was convicted and sentenced
/ TO penal servitude wTongfullvf"
i have faint recollection. yes-I re-
/ call it now. | remember. You never
/ mean to say that"
Il was that man. l could tell MANY
1 thrilling anecdotes of my experiences.
/ my Slfferlngs, my escape, etc, I assure
/ YOU"
by Jove, should think YOU could~
| But | should like to tell YOU one lit
/ tie anecdote in relation 10 the topic we
/ We're discussing Just nOw-woman' ;
I faith-if you would care To hear il ."
| said Hicks, resting his arms on the rail-
| ing before him, and turning his head
| towards his companion, who replied
| promptly:
Il should like to hear it immensely if
| 1t is not painful for you TO recall it.n
The recollection of this is pleasant
/ rather than painful. | assure YOU. 1t
was ttAACl L iAsth kAtAARt nv tHfNNE A6UtN
/ prison ten years ago-ten years ago this
| very year-l had had many narrow
shaves, many terrible privations, and [
was hiding and starving one winters
afternoon upon the moor near the little
| town of H. in S-shire.
Daylight was fading, and despair
was seizing upon me. You have under
gone dangers, and perhaps sufferings.
IN your time. Major Gorden hut /
scarcely think you can form any idea of
my feelings then-hiding like a hunted
beast. fearing to meet the ewes of any
feilOwman, feeling the strength without
which all had riSked and endured was
useless ebbing away. There came past
me on the lonely wild moor a ladyupon
horseback alone, and | stopped heE.
horse and demanded Of her food. She
was young and pretty. ana a perfect
stranger to me, remember. but the ln-
stant / looked in her face | knew l
might trust it. | was a desperate man
then in looks and words, and she was
utterly in my power; but after the first
involuntary start, she displayed no sign
of fear. | never saw anyone SO cool
and plucky in my life. She yielded to
my pleading through compassion.
not fear-and at my dictates, agreed to
give me help and to keep my existence
secret"
He paused for an instant and looked
at his companion, whose piercing dark
eyes were riveted ON his face.
But GOrden uttered no syllable. and
Hicks went on again:
"She galloped home with my life in
her hands, [ promising to remain in
that spot on the moor until her return
but / had not trusted wrongly In due
course she returned alone through the
fast-falling darkness, bringing me the
food and wine | was dying for want of.
Then she gave me more than food and
all the money she had about her. | told
her of my innocence. and in her sweet
sanity charity She believed me-the
first of my fellOW-creatures who had
done SO. She gave me her hand to clasp,
and kindly words to dream OF: then re
peating her promise that for six months
at least no mention of her encounter
with me should pass her lips. she left
me, after giving me her name at N.Y.
quest, i'll case | was ever able 10 repay
the deep debt | owed her. Her name
was Madeline Ayre."
He paused, but he could not see his
listeners face now, for it was suddenly
turned away. He could only see that
the strong hand resting on the railing
before them was trembling.
Il trusted my life to Madeline Ayre."
Hicks repeated slowly, "and for her
true brave sake | would trust every
other woman in the world"
Can you give me the exact date OF
this incident?" asked Gorden hurriedly.
November 10th. 1SS-. at from five
to half-past six in the evening"" said
Hicks promptly. 1T is not date /
should make any mistake about-the
one on which my whole life turned"
Thank you"
MY story interests YOU" said Hicks
presently, breaking the silence. Il have
good memory for faces, and fancied
that during my hiding on that moor |
had one day seen you riding with that
very young lady. | took you for lovers"
This is the solemn entire truth You
are telling me?" the soldier asked, sud
denly facing the other with burning,
eager, searching gaze. on can swear
to it-date and all?"
Il swear to it-date and alas sol
emn, entire truth"
Il believe you. | have only one other
question to ask. Have you seen Made
line Ayre since? Have you any idea
where she is nOW-Whether married or
single? Can you give me any clue-the
faintest. the most diflicult-to her
whereabouts? Give me it if you can,
for PHYS sake, and | will thank you
more deeply. more gratefully, than l do
even now" in hurried eager accents.
You wronged her? You are going
| to ask her forgiveness" said Hicks
| quietly.
Il am at a loss to know how You di-
| vine my secrets: but you guess rightly.
| | wronged her-past pardon, fear; but
| if she be upon earth, | will find her to
ask it from her"
Then can give vou her correct adj
| dress. She is governess to a family of
| the name of Maxwell, now staying in
| this place. Miss Maxwell is a friend OF
| yours. | believe. You viii have no diff
| Guilty in renewing your old acquaint
| anceship."
"She is a gOverness. YOU say. You
never mean that that has been neeeS-
| sary?"
Hicks keen eyes looked at him.
Her father died pauper. Madeline
| has bravely earned her daily bread for
| years now. Does that fact make any
/ difference to you, Major Gorden?'
YeS; it makes me more bitterly re-
gretful of my injustice. but more hope
! ful-in all humility | speak-that may
be allowed to atone" was the prompt
| clear answer.
Hicks grasped his hand and wrung it
warmly.
Good luck 90 with you. Think yOu
are almost good enough for her. She
has not wanted for proposals. | expect,
| these ten years: but something-who
| can fathom woman's heart?-has held
her single. Go and find out what 1t is,
| If you can, and again l say, good luck
go with you."
"You viii come down to the drawing
room and play the accomplishments To
my songs, Miss Ayre?' Flora Maxwell
said, putting her fair head into the
schoolroom.
is any one comingY" Miss Ayre rails
ed her head sharply
come with a vivid blush. Mamma
asked him when We saw him on the
beach this morning.
Madeline turned away for a moment
fighting little battle inwardly. Could
she meet him? Yes, she must. She
must not be so weak, so despicable. II
he were going on paying constant at
tention to, and eventually marrying
pretty Flora, she must see him often,
and the first struggle might as well be
made at once-the first sickening pain
got over. Oh. if she could only forgetl
Oh. if she could only dislike bim-if she
could only for once do an impossibility
in factt
She dressed that evening in one of the
Paris gowns of her old happy days-a
ong-trained violet velvet that. plainly
made and well cut, had needed but lit
tie alteration to make it a becoming
quaint dress for modern days. Some Of
her old rare lace was gathered roun6
the square-cut bodice and short sleeves
and a bunch of vioiets was pinned inte
the massive dark plaits coiled low upoI
her neck.
Fortified with the knowledge that shs
was looking her best, Madeline wen
downstairs, but at the drawing room
! door she stopped; it was ajar, and jus
within it sat Lance Gorden. losking S,
. like the lover she remembered. The
| shaded liriaf did not shnN the lines OF