The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-10-16

ltself all Dut nXed. Norton alone was
listless, preoccupied, depressed. A hor-
rible fear, terrible foreboding of Gala
nifty, bad taken possession of him. The
bright sunshine the singing birds, the
scent of violets, the upturned, placid
primrose stars, made him faint and
sick. Night and day he pondered
over way of escape, but none pre-
sented itself az feasible. He literally
dared not encounter his uncle's wrath
or Helen's scorn. Nothing remained
to him but flight flight from danger
he was too cowardly to face.
".
But two days remained before that
fixed for the wedding. The Court was
thronged with guests, and gay with
merry vo ices, badinage and jest. In
the ivy-draped windows lights were be-
ginning to twinkle as in btter-almost
trenzied musings. So distracted was
he, that he scarcely noticed station
fly which, entering through the lodge
gates, slowly passed him in the dusk.
Neither did he remark face which,
peering through the glass, swiftly re-
cognize him, and as quickly disappear
ed into the recesses of the vehicle. AS
he wearily mounted the last step to
the door he became aware of a strange
hubbub of arrival in the hall. His
eyes fell on blue-eyed, blonde-haired
figure he knew but too well--his ears
were pierced by high pitched voice
only too familiar There, too, stood
Gretchen, the maid-even her stolid
German phlegm stirred 10 interest as
she presented her white-robed bundle
to the astonished visitors and servants
whose progress across the hall,or chat
ting by its wide fireplace, had been
| tumult.
Norton saw it all as in vivid pho
tograph He heard his wife's shrill
voice excaiming, with toss of her
haxen head, and sarcastic laugh which
Jared his nerves 30 acutely:
"Ob, there's no mlstake-none what
ever, l assure you! am Mrs. Norton
Blake, and this is our little son. |
have every proof of what | assert. /
passed my husband in the avenue. In
few minutes he will be here to corro-
borate my statement Gretchen, raise
babv's veil, and let Mr. Blake see how
closely he resembles his father.
The old man had tottered INTO the
hall to see what the confusion meant.
Norton saw his face harden into a ter
rible sternness of disbelief as he con-
fronted the intruder. He saw the
whitening of Helen's lips and the de-
tiant anguish in her eyes.
The great door still stood open. The
fly waited, with its piled up luggage,
below the terrace steps. Norton press
ed yet closer into the shadow of the
portico, and caught his breath to hear
his wife's next words.
"My husbands continued absence
was so unaccountable," she continued
with again the harsh laugh she fancied
so fascinating, "that determined to
ascertain for myself the cause of his
detention. l hope my advent is not
utterly inconvenient, but Norton-dear,
easy fellow will be delighted with
the pleasant surprise | have planned
for him. .....
Norton waited to hear no more. He
skunk noiselessly down the steps, sped
swiftly through the gardens and fled
away in the darkness of the coming
night.
Hidden away among the glades of
the park lay placid, hazel-fringed
mere. Feathery larches waved over
lilies spread their broad leaves and
silver cups upon, its still waters.
But the morrow's sunbeams, parting
the fragrant larch plumes with slender,
shing fingers, fell on something whicl
the spreading lilly leaves tried plying
ly to conceal. From the yellow haze
catkins the dew dropped lik" tears
upon the dead face of a man whose
lody had drfted under the shelter O
the bank, and that dead man was Nor
ton Blake.
Out of his dilema he had found
road but whether that road was thu
towards one of suicide, or that, in hi
bewilderment he had wandered un
Willingly to the mere, missed his foot
ing in the darkness, and slipped int
, treaCherous depths, it was an impossi
bility tn determine.
A gamekeeper, going his early round
found him in the pool. He was car
red back to The Court, and ''Deatl
by misadventure" was the verdict a
: the inquest death through selfs
weakness" would have been true
one.
Mr.. Blake never recovered the shoe
and disappointment of his nephew
death. He sank into a dotage, an
= for many tedious years Helena sac
= eyed, permatusely,aged woman-wa
> his devoted guardian.
= The only bright thing in her life wa
Norton,s little son, whom-humilatet
6 frightened and subdued by the dreac
ful result of her manpuvre-Mr
Blake had consented to relinquish an
:. leave in Mr.. Blake's charge, on til
y condition that his future would be pr,
u vided for.
On an allowance, also supplied b
= Mr.. Blake, she returned to the assoc
q ties of her early life, and soon remarre
: to the not little satisfaction of othe
besides poor stricken Mr.. Blake al
his dear adopted daughter.