San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-27

IN CUPID'S NET.
BY BERTHA VI. CLAY AUTHOR OF "DIANA's
DISCIPLINE" "A BROKEN WEDDING
RING" ''THoRNs AND ORANGE
BLOSSOMS" DORA THORNE,"
&C. &C,

tried TO realize how Sir Adrian would look il
he knew all. How his blue eyes would
brighten, yet reprOach me! How his face
would change from grave to glad, and back
to grave again! Never shall forget the
beauty, the serenity of those few minutes |
spent by the banks of the river in the moon
light, with the papers in my hand,
Then | found heavy stone, and fasten-
ed it in my apron; the weight was quite sut-
fcient to sink much larger parcel than the
one held in my hands. walked with it
slowly TO the waters edge. kissed ii. Fare
well to name, to fortune, TO every hope in
this world, for my loves sake-fOr my loves
sake, farewell! And, as ] raised my arm to
fling the parcel into the stream, | cried, For
my loves sakev' And thcn-shall | ever
forget the horror of that mOment?-a hand
seized mine, and took the parcel from me.
What are you doing, GTaciaY exclaimed
a voice that chilled my heart 1t was Sir Adj
rian.
faint For some moments / could not recOv
er myself; and then broke into wild pas
sion of tears.
"Oh, give it to me, Sir Adrianp' l implOr-
ed. - pray you, for Heavens sake, give it
81 must know what il is, Gracia; cannot
let this go on. 1 have suspicion that it Is
something connected with yourself, and l
must satisfy myself"
In my despair | sank upon my knees at his
feet.
For my sake, for your own sake, for Heav-
ems sake! | shall go mad if you touch itp'
He looked at me.
81 could refuse You nothing that was rea-
senable; but in this instance must be mas
ter; must know what this is"
When | heard his tone, when saw the eX-
preston OH his face knew all was over, and
iank sObbing upon the grass
81 am gTieYed to distress you, Gracia." h0
cOntinued-"l cannot bear the sight of your
iears; but must protect you against your
self"
By the light of the moon saw him unite
;he parcel and take out the great stone and
throw it away. | saw him take out the pa
pers and scan them. | could hear the rust
ling of page after page-the certificates, my
fathers letter. and hnally the will. Then l
became unconscious. 1t seemed TO me that
the moon and the stars fell to earth, that the
river rose and swept Inc away.
Whenm my eyes opened at last, / saw neith-
er moon nor river-Only the face OF the man
L loved bending over mine, with look i'll his
eyes to have won which | would have laid
down my life.
"Gracia, he was saying, "Gracia, my noble,
generous darling! Gracia, open your eyes
and look at me"
Then sat up gazing at him with dim won
"Gracfa," he said passionately, what have
you to tell me? l know everything. You
would have deprived yourself of name and
fortune. Why-tell Inc why2"
And answered him
"FOr your sake. could not bear that your
loss should be my gain"
When the words had passed my lips, II
seemed TO Inc that the river rose again and
carried me away. When | came back to life.
there was no river in sight, my love with the
bonnie blue eyes had disappeared, and was
lyin in a Str N
village doctor was standing by my bed, and
Mrs. Paterson and Kate Fisher were also in
the chamber.
That is better" said the doctor; now we
shall dor
The sun was shining brightly into the
room. Whittier had Sir Adrian gone? Where
were my papers? | started up with wild
cry when remembered them.
"lluSh" said the doctor. you need not
fearl You have been unconscious several
hours. 1t was night when | came; it Is
morning now. You must be quiet and rest"
closed my eyes and tried to sleep; but it
was impossible. My senses were once more
as clear as ever. i remembered all that had
happened by the river. Sir Adrian knew
my secret nOw-knew the story that the pa
pers told, and why wanted to destroy them,
Now what would be done? They told me TO
rest, but could not; my head was burning
the blood cOursed like liquid fire through my
veins. Soon every one would know that
was Gracia Dacre, daughter and heiress of
the Squire; but Sir Adrian would lose Her
on's Nest.
1t was a terrible fever while it lasted. In
my delirium it seemed to me that the river
was bearing me away down TO the sea. l
fought with it, struggled with it, cried out to
the waters not to drown me. Then they
grew perfectly calm, and was floating down
the stream.
/ can hardly tell when the fever abated.
hor chi mi ha oh
when Sir Adrian caught me by the river; il
was the middle of October when one morn
ing L opened my eyes to sense and reason,
and saw the sunlight Pickering on the wall
heard afterwards what had passed; and
/ think this is the best place to tell it.
Sir Adrian had raised me in his arms and
carried me back to the house, to her lady
ships boud0ir, where the terrible charge had
been brought against me. He laid me on the
couch and then went in search of his moth
er. She came, and they stood one on either
side of me.
Mother" he said, do you know who this
is-this girl who has been nameless and
friendless, against whom you brought q
charge of theft whom you have ordered
from the only shelter she has ever knownP
Do you know who she isp'
Neither | nor any one else can answer
that question" replied Lady Caryl.
81 can answer it" declared Sir Adrian; II
know who she Is She is the daughter and
heiress of the late Squire"
~ do not believe tip cried her ladyship;
but her face grew CHASTITY white.
Read those papers, >, said Sir Adrian, ''and
then you must believe"
Slowly her ladyship read them through,
then laid them down.
do you believe now?" asked Sir Adrian.
II must believe" she answered; but the
words were spoken In protest even against
her will. Then, after few moments
thought, she added, What terrible mistakel
l wonder the old Squire could rest in his
gravel His only child to0p
1T Is plain enough, mother, that these
proofs of her identity and the Squire's will
made in her favor are what she found in the
old lumber-rooms. She had hidden them,
and meant to destroy them. Do you see the
of the deedP She was giving up
tell you why, motherp'
YES" answered her ladyship; and there
were tears in her eyes as she spoke.
For my sake, and because she could not
bear that her gain should be my loss, she
WSS ' aSde aTek ost do On T I6s
think there is another woman in the world
who would do this for me?"
And the tears rained down Lady Caryrs
face as she answered that she did not
'She must have her rights and have them
at once" Sir Adrian, went on. 1.-THE Squire
might well speak Of righting a wrongl A
more cruel wrong than this was never perpe-
trated. / will send for Mr.. Graham to-mor-
row, and she will be acknowledged mistress
of Heron's Nest at once. II is hers"
Yes" agreed her ladyship most unwill-
ingly, ait is hers. But what will the world
II care nothing for that" replied Sir Ad-
rian. Mother, you will see that she is
known henceforth as Miss Dacre, heiress Of
HerOn's Nest"