The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-05-06


vows this night taken upon myself. If, in
the time to come, Mark Conroy can in
any way serve you, you may command
him without fear. He will never intrude,
and he will never take advantage of any
service he may happily render. Adieu !.
May God and the good angels watch over
you, and bless you ever!''
And with this he turned away, and
was gone. The lady could not have spo-
en- if she would
L suppose" said the landlord, as the
lady was ready to depart, "that you
would have this kept profound secret %
No 3! no - she cried vehementv. "If
men should be upon my track-if they
should trace me to this place-tell them
that | am married. Tell them exactly
what you have seen but for his sake
my-my-husband's-do not give his
name. Will you promise this 2"
The good Boniface promised, and very
shortly afterwards the lady's carriage
was whirlng rapidly away in the gloom
toward Cheshire
The clock in the tower OF the old stone
church was striking the hour Of nine a.
the strange woman drove away from Der
byshire inn. Two hours later-as the
same bell-hammer was pealng forth the
eleventh hour-another carriage was drv-
en- rapidly up, from which alighted two
gentlemen-one an elderly man, with
hard hawk-lke face, and the other young
er, and evidently a debauchee Mark
Conroy heard the arrival and came in to
see.
The gentlemen Were eager and breath
less. Had anything been seen of a young
lady, appearing as the old man described.
Mark contrived to whisper in the hosts
ear, to direct his questions
"lIow old was the ladv:' asked the
publican.
Nineteen," answered the old man.
W as she handsome?"
"She had the name the shameless vix-
en- OF being the handsomest grl in
Statfordshire'
And then the host told his storv-t0ld
it as it was, all save that he represented
the husband a. having gone in pursuit, not
to modest the lady, out to protect her in
to Statfordshire, for he had determined to
serve her if he could.
The younger man swore a big oath,
aud the elder man bigger. There plans
were shattered, and they were crest!aIlen
and chagrined.
Before they went away, the younger
man discovered our hero, who hal re-
mained respectfully In the background
"Hallo, Mark Is that yourself:'
And he advanced and extended hand
with perfect freedom of manner
Yes, my lord. am stopping here
ust now"
All, say, Mark, did you see this girl
we have been talking about =
Why, my lord, As for seeing her |
cannot say did, but saw the carriage.
and saw woman get ipssris aAa sDA;sl
away"
"W ell, old fellow, there went the most
dainty bit of womanhood in the Kingdom
Egad. supposed | had her hard and
fast. Sir John is her guardian, and had
given her to me but an oath she
has given us the slip. locks and bolts
and iron bars have been of no Use. II
she has been honestly married, sir Johns
guardianship is at an end. But, say,
Mark, have magnificent tiIy, which
wish you TO take i'll hand. She promises
tremendous things
Mark said he would give the tilly a try,
and shortly afterward the gentlemen took
their leave.
Who was that - demanded the host,
as they drove away.
That" replied Mark, was the Earl
of Bentley-Dick Temple"
And they all went their ways in life as
seemed To them best.
Mark Conroy from that night became a
man. He borrowed books. and read and
studied, and went at French and German.
He had said that the three hundred
pounds might be the making ot him; nor
did he mistake. The owner of a place
near to Derbv-a raiser of thoroughbred
stock-was glad to sell him half inter
est, and in very few years the horses
from the stables of Monkton Il Conrov
stood at the head of the list in England
The Earl Of Bentley let his favurite tiIlv
90 to pay betting debt, aud Mark
bought the animal for twenty guneas.
Four years later that f,ly was known and
celebrated under the name of " "Lighttoot,'
and Mark sold her to the Earl of Derby
for ten thousands pounds, and she won
the money back for ber noble owner in
one season.
This was but one circumstance of many.
Mark Conroy had one great aim in life,
and in that direction he bent every ener-
gy.
At the age of two andthIrty he sold
out all interest in the Derby properly,
and his funds in the hands of his bankers
amounted to no more than eighty thous-
and pounds He had made not one mis-
take in al his ventures, and fortune had
literally smiled upon him. Aud through
it abby day, when business seemed to
entirely engross him, and by night, in
the still, thoughtful watches, one Influence
was never abSent--the music of that
sweet voice he had heard in that old Der
byshire inn! o. what should come Of il
At all events the thought held him pure
and true, and led him to the station of
manhood that any man might covet, for
it was pure, and true, and elevated, and
intellectual, aud above all else, robust in
glowing, glorious health.
Eight wears had elapsed since the day
on which Mark Conroy was married, and
he had grown from tour-and-twenty to
two-and thirty, when he took a notion to
make tour of the continent. lie went
to Paris first, and thence to Germany.
From city to city, seeking a pleasure he
did not readily find, until at last he found
himself in the quaint, old walled city of
Ulm, on the Danube.
He was standing in the quantity con-
structed hall of quantity constructed
inn with innumerable nooks and corners
IL 1;,~o ...ooSsas xyhau he uyas attracted