The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-07-02
THRMlDLAND JOURNAL

that anxiety. had undermined his never ro-
bust constitution, and he died at Kingscourt
early in the following January.
The Countess is q broken hearted woman.
yet strange to say, not nearly so great an in-
valid as formerly. She has given up think
ing of her ailments, and, as o matter of
course, they have given up troubling her.
Doctor Jones is now more frequently occu-
pied III the administration of business con-
nected with the estate than in prescribing
remedies for hypochondriasis.
The Trathaways have long since left the
mill They could not stay there after the
fuss attendant on Lord Heriot's disclosure.
1t is believed they emigrated to New Tea
land. Anne Grace never recovered her good
looks, nor could she ever endure the men,
ton of Lord Heriots name; and, though
once or twice he had asked to see her. she
would not come up to Kingscourt or allow
him to help her by gift of money, as he
had desired to do
There had been another death at Kings
court, that of old Grant, the gamekeeper.
On his death-bed he had confessed that he
had found the handkerchief among the
weeds near the stile, while searching for a
rabbit that he had shot, and had given it up
to Mr.. Cartwright, he being a magistrate
that Mr.. Cartwright had bribed him to place
it among the brambles where the body had
been found, and had then sent for the de-
tective officers and put them on the scent.
This confession was hushed upa good deal,
but it gained credence in the village after
wards, when Mr.. Cartwright's ascendency
was over.
Immediately after Hereward's release from
arrest finding college fellowship not the
desideratum he used to fancy it, and longing
for some more active life wherein to Danish
regret, he had obtained through interest q
commission in West Indian regiment. He
had not seen any of his Kingscourt friends
before he joined his company. Blount was
at that time on his way to Abyssinia.
| He rather liked his life abroad, but it did
not Danish regret. Nor did regret make the
inevitable attack of yellow fever on his ar
rival out proved fatal to him. He would
perhaps have grown content with the pres
ent state of atfairs-seeing that to hope for
what he wished for was sheer madness-had
he had not heard one day that he had come
in for considerable fortune.
The intelligence had not taken him COM
pletely by surprise. 1t had sometimes oc-
Cured to him of late that he would in all
probability inherit the fortune.
His father was o second son. His elder
brother had succeeded to large inheritance;
but Holman Hereward had been cut off with
shilling because he had married girl as
poor as himself. She was pretty, and of
good family, but in reduced circumstances.
The scatter-brained young Captain of a Line
regiment would not listen to parental warn
ings, would not look before he leaped. He
died two years after his marriage, leaving
widow and son to battle with the world on
eighty pounds year.
They had done it, but how it would be
difficult to say. 1t was better when Here
ward grew up, and could help by taking
pupils-and prizes but then his mother
had died, and it was all darkness and loneli-
ness except for the few college friends whom
he really cared for, like Blount. Afterward
Nettie Blount had woven gold thread
among the warp and wool of his life. It
had only proved a tinsel thread, but it had
frightened the melancholy fabric wonder
fully, even if it could not last.
All this time his rich uncle had ignored
him utterly and Hereward had never re-
minded HIM of his existence by word or
sign. For many years he had remained
widower, without children but, about the
date of Herewards going to Kingscourt, he
had married again. He had, however, died
childless, and now Oriel was Hereward's,
with five or six thousand year.
The intelligence reached Hereward at Mon
tego Bay, Jamaica, where his regiment then
was. He at once decided upon selling out
and returning to England.
He reaches London on the fifteenth of De-
cember, just four years after that memorable
fifteenth of December when he had walked
up to Kingscourt through the snow. His
first idea is to see Blount. He knows that
he has lately rejoined his regiment, and he
finds him in the orderly room at his barracks,
looking trife less stout and red-faced, but
in no other respect different from the Dick
Blount of former days. The hand-clasp be-
tween the two friends shows that these years
of separation have not estranged them.
''My dear fellow, was ever anything SO
fortunate did not think such piece of
luck was in my way I'm to be turned off
the day after tomorrow, and you must stand
by me to see that get fair play" Blount
cries, still holding Hereward's hand.
"All right" Hereward agrees, laughing
''Has Miss Middleton really proved constant
for three years?"
''If she hasn't, she has come back to her
allegiance again, at all events, as she has
promised to be Mrs. Richard Blount on
Thursday next, at half-past eleven o'clock
So you're back again, old boy? How jolly
glad am to see you! And you've come in
for fortune too! wish you joy!"
Thanks" Hereward answers, with a
smile and sigh together.
"Yon haven't wished me JOY, you rascal"
"Haye not? do wish you JOY, Dick,
with all my heart. Where is it to be?"
ooh, down ut Kingscour;."
"Kingscourt. Hereward winces little