The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-09-03

with q clumsy handle of bone, curiously
carved AMI stained. l took it up in wonder
1t seemed to me that the handle was still
warm from the grasp which had held it a
few moments before. What did it portend
How came this fearful confirmation of my
| dream into the room where IL had certainly
not been when / retired 10 resti What
meant all the mysteries that seemed 10
haunt this house, ami TO envelop all the
dwellers in It'll
/ stood, candle in hand, by the side of the
bed, ASKING myself these questions. and as
did SO my eye suddenly lighted upon some
thing which was lying, apparently where it
had slipped from the sloping pillow, on the
| sheet below 1t was scrap OF paper-a
notel | seized it with eager hands and in
ON instant all the craven fears that had been
creeping into my heart vanished. l forgot
| ghosts and nightmares, and even the hateful
Flinter himself with his deai lily knife, und
with low cry of delight l preset the little
| note to my lips for ! saw that it bore my
name in the handwriting OF my darling.
With trembling hand l opened it and
read the message which it conveyed TO me
n message written hurriedly in pencil
"Oh, my darling" shs said, 1T is hard,
hard; but we must part, Just when I have
i
was d scoverr1. / knew we should never be
allowed to NEE. again if they could help it,
You must leave this place to-morrow-for
your own sake even more than for mine.
But do not suppose l shall forget you
shall be free some day, hope God grant il
may come soon! Whenever it comes you
may depend upon me. Do not so far away,
| dearest, If you still care for me. If you GO
to Scarborough shall know where you are,
and that at least will be some comfort
Good-by, darling, for l shall not be allowed
TO say it by word Of mouth. But remember
that shall always be true to you. DAISY"
There was q postscript written in char
acters so struggling that it was clear that
they had been penned under the influence of
some intense agitation IL have had terri
bic scene with nv uncle He came to me
when he left you. Icould never have thought
that he would have been so cruel"
How the long remainder of that night
passed l cannot tell was almost stupeted
by this GROWING misfortune. The secrets of
the haunted chamber no longer troubled me {;
nay, cared nothing now for Flinter's hardly
concealed animosity The thought that
overbore all others was that as Daisy her.
self had put it, had found her but to lose
her. In comparison with this, all night
mare visions, secret visitations OF my bed
room, and even portents like the rusty knife,
which had so mysteriously b,en placed upon
my bed, seemed of no consequence. l dressed
and sat in dreary suffering waiting for the
coming of the morn
Much sooner than might have been ex-
pected in the ordinary course of things
heard servant moving in the outer room.
/ was aware that a fire was being lighted
and by and by the rattle of cups and
saucers told me that table was being laid
in the room. l was somewhat surprised, as
| had been given to understand on the pre-
vious night we would all breakfast together
in the hall below. waited impatiently to
learn my fate
Twas not very long in suspense. Long be-
fore eight O'Clock there was n tap at the door,
and l opened it to admit the servant who
came laden with hot water and the neces-
saries for my bath He stared in amazement
when he saw that was up and dressed. 1t
may have been that part Of his astonishment
was due to my appearance l was conscious
of the fact that the experiences Of that terri
BILE night had given me q face SO haggard
and worn that l might have been years older
than l looked when retired to rest
He made q few inquiries as to the services
/ required, and them in somewhat hest
tating manner, as though he were aware
that he had unpleasant news to communi-
cate. he said:
"Your breakfast, sir, will be served in
your own sitting room in half an hour, or
sooner, if you wish it; and my master has
ordered me to tell you that you will find
letter from him on the breakfast table"
Then he retired respectfully
Too well l knew what the letter would say
III Lee .s..sN
night of agony. And yet, when L thought
that was about to be expelled from the
house which sheltered the woman l loved,
and that should be compelled to leave her
in the society of such man as Flinter
felt ready to do anything and defy every
body if might but be with her.
bathed and redressed YEARLY, and then
in the sitting room l read tho letter
addressed to me from Mr. Mauleverer 1t
was very courteous, but very cold and EN-
phatic The writer said that he had learned
with surprise and pain that l had been
guilty of conduct.which he would never have
thought of attributing to me. had, in eff
feet, made love to his niece-his adopted
daughter-the lady who was, as everybody
knew, his destined heiress He could have
forgiven this conduct on my part-strongly
as he must have objected to any marriage
between me and Miss Stanciffe-if 1 had
acted openly, as he should certainly have
expected mo to do But in seeking sur
reptitiously to win the affections of his
niece had adopted course which he re-
Trained from characterizing because he had
no wish to wound my feelings by the use of
strong language, but which, he regretted to
say, made it impossible that he should con-
tipue to receive me as his guest Orders hat
been given for the brougham to be ready
for me at nine o'clock precisely, and j.
would take me to Lorton station in time for
the express train. He concluded by wishing
me polite but very formal farewell
In my rage, humiliation and bitterness l
sat down and dashed off one of those I'M
petuous letters which are only penned By
young men in love. In it l repudiated with
scorn the notion that the wealth of which he
was unhappily possessed-so l put it-had
anything to do with my love for his niece,
and while expressing my regret that haG
not secured his approval of my suit before
spoke to Daisy, declared emphatically that
loving her as / did with my Whole heart,
should never willingly relinquish the hope of
making her my wife,