Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-01-28
A BROKEN BOND.

A BROKEN BOND.
Tie evening light was gray and sub
cued in the library of Wolstenholme
The lamps were net lighted, and the fire
was oniy snloulGering in the midst of 3
pile OF light gray ashes, giving forth an
occasional fash which could not dissipate
the darkness OF part of the spacion.
room but the gray wintry twilight had
not cGIne To close yet, and tue two fig.
uTcs standi2g before deep old-fash.
ionCd window conld see everything
around them.
Outside the snow lay thick upon the
grouLd, 3nl keen northern blast went
HailinS aud s0ughing between the bare
poles OF th3 larVhes and frs on either
side UT the winding carriage-drive,
while the shadows from the marsh-iands
10 the east grew deeper and deeper still
Ii was not II pleasant prospect to look
upon. and with 6 sigh of WEAKNESS Cap
tain Richard Lucas turned from il to
the girl at his side, taking IN with a
quick glance the wondrOus beauty OF
stately head ard braided hair, and the
look of Lalf-sorTowfui meditation in
the luatrouS eyes,
AS lovely as passiOn-fiOwer was the
Lady Isabel D 'cre, ''the daughter of a
hundr, Il taTls, =" but surely zone to be
desired, - with that sweet FAINT carmiDe
6ush III her face and the clustering hair
OF go den brown over her brow. Her
close fitting but sweeping dark dress
showed The symmetry of ner lissom fig-
uCe to perfection. and costly diamonds
sparkled from the delicate old lace at
throat and wrist (; and yet over all lay
q shadow, undefned, close-cllnging.
Captain Lucas too seemed i'll at ease,
and, though they had been standing in
the same position for many minutes, he
did not care 10 break the silence that
prevailed. There was a restlesSness
about his slim straight form, a nervous
twitchln{ OF the white hand and gnaw-
ing OF lie heavy moustache which told
ol the conflict going on in his mind,
even il the smonlderIng fire Of his blue
eyes had been no index TO 1t.
He was hardly taller than the Earl's
daughter, and, if one could have seen
him well IN the gray light. there would
Lawn been noticed tell-tale lines and
wrinkles in the handsome haIghty face,
speaking plainly OF passion and pleasure
and pain which had surged round him
with stronger currents than the gsner-
alItv of men are called to face.
And I stall see you and speak 70
YOU never again. Lady Isabel f'
1t was his voice that brOke the still
ness of the loom and fell in deep sad
cadence upon his companions ear.
s'See me and speak 10 me you most
likely VIII, Captain Lucas, but say
what you have said and be what you
have been never again"
And, when l am thus cast out from
hope ana love, what tate do you thlnk
will be mine, Isabel Z"
There was almost wall IN the sound
of his imploring vote, and for mo-
ment The hot tide would mount unbid-
den to Lady Isabei's lovely brow but
In an instant it was followed by d cpn-
traction of The brow and a firmer set
ting Of the finely chiseled lips-the Da-
cres were nOG wont TO change elr
minds Rhen once they spoke their VIII.
You did not say such words as those,
my love. IN the old days when L wooed
you under the cheStnuts OF that small
Norwegian town-and it is only two
years since. Isabel"
II some of his comrades could have
seen Clptain Lucas then, they would
hardly have believed that it was he. de
did not bear the reputation of ladies'
man in the ClIiceTs' mess OF the crack
Cavalry regiment to which ne belonged.
Captain Richard Lucas, slim, erect,
handsome, with but one blemish, long
scar curving from his right ear down
his chpek and across his throat, riding
his gray herse Wooden like a ceDtaur.
and looking at everything with a lazy
half-mockiDg glance from under the
dark lasbes of his steadfast eyes, was a
man 20 be feared and courted because
of the keen weapon of sarcasm he pos
sessed than laughed at as a loye-sick
man. Captain Lucas bound by the
letters OF a silken tress /" Why. every
officer In the regiment would have
laughed the idea to scornl He was
1heir Admirable CrichtOn," their
faultless one. who had never been
known TO lift eyes of love to lady IN
his life. In any other line they ac-
knOWledged that he did excel. There
were wonderful tales told Of his powers
at the bilhard-tabIe, for instance, of the
clear COO! head and steady hand that
never failed hire. The youDgster VINO
Joined his regiment looked upon MIN
with awe as the man VI had played
for tremendous stakes with FlaShaway,
the pro essional, who had ruined scores
of men ut the board of green cloth, ana
cleaned him out of every penny he pos
sessed. And most likely that same
youncs.er. having lost half his years
income TO the irresistible Captain Lucas,
would receive his money BACK witn
kindly but emphatic word OF advice 10
talk less and wolk more and escnoW
brandy and billiards. The scar on MS
cheek b. had received in fierce tray
with hIll-trIbe in Ipdia ten years pe-
fore, when he was stripping OF twenty
two. His men called him OK Ihe
Devil" i'll those days and when ne feu
the way set their teeth and grippeu
their lances tightly, for they knew thst
he would fight to the death. though
Wooden stood knee-deep in blood. oh1
of many hot fight he had ridden scath-
less with triumphant smile on tne
proud face with its almost wouiahiy
beauty, and with his long sworu reu
with blood. till he got that SLASH lroui
the crooked blade of mad Mahoneesu
chief, who fell the moment afterwaIuS
In the middle of his shout "Aiian Az
bah i'' cut through brow and brain gy
Sergeant Tomkins' stalEart arm: oe
wore little bronze cross on his oreAss
On field days for that days work' anu