Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-09-11

mystery which e%nveloped ev erytnlng con
nected with the hall and will Ma~uleverer.
It was still worse to be remint led by every.
thing around me of those hapry days when
Daisy and I had been togeth er, and when
she had first learned to love me. There was
the very spot in the hall of the. hotel where I
used to take my stand each morning, await
ing the appearance Of her ard her uncle on
their way to the saloon. There were the
eats, occupied by strangers now, where we
had spent so many never-to-be-forgotten
,ours together; and there. quietly riding at
anchor in the bay, was the beautiful yacht
which 1 had learned to hate as ono Of tho
tangible proofs Of that wealth which divided
me from the niece of the millionaire. I
waited with an impatience that I could
hardly control for news of my darling.
1t came sooner than I expected, in the
shape of a letter from Dr. Branksome, en-
closing one for me from Daisy herself. Need
! say that I read the latter first?
my dearest FRIEND" she wrote, II must
send you a few words, if it were only to tell
you that I am well. I must not say much,
for I feel that I am doing wrong even in
sending you this short message. But DR..
Branksome has told me that he thinks I may
do so, and much as I have loved my uncle
l cannot yield myself completely to his will
in this. All, you cannot tell what a change
there is in him since this has happened. I
cannot account for it. He is 80 different
from what he has ever been before-so
utterly unlike his own self-that it almost
seems to me that something has happened
to transform his whole character and to
change the love he once professed for me
into hate. I am trying to bear it patiently,
Tor W SO much to him. But sometimes
1t is very hard. DR.. Branksome has been
my friend through it all, though even he is
compelled, when my uncle is present, to
hide his sympathy with us both. I
don't know how it will all end, but I
do want you to feel that you can trust me.
l shall DO true to you through everything.
Please. dearest, do not believe any evil
you may hear of me. I know I have my
enemies, and I can't help thinking that they
are your enemies also. If you hear tales
about ME. rest assured that If I have erred
at all, it is from my love for you, and that
nothing, neither life nor death, shall ever
make me false to you. I annot write
more; l am ashamed to send you this; but I
think I know you well enough to be sure
that you will understand all that I want to
say to you, even though I have not the
power of saying it Alright, and that you will
believe in your heart Of hearts that I love
you above anything and everything else in
this world"
I was touched and consoled by the frank
and outspokcn language of my darling. It
was what l should have expected from one
so full of noble impulses, so little given to
consider the mere conventionalities of every
day life. l felt that she must indeed love
me with oil her soul, or she could not have
addressed me in such a strain as this.
Branksome's letter, too, brought me some
consolation, though it also caused me uneasi-
ness regarding Daisy. It was as follows:
"DEAR Mr.. FENToN: You will forgive me
for writing to you on a subject which I lave
no doubt you regard as too sacred to permit
of any intrusion by a stranger. But l have
myself loved-once; and I trust that it is
not as a stranger that you look upon one
who SO long stood in the place of a father to
Daisy. was grieved beyond measure, my
dear friend, by the in which your
visit to this place terminated. 1t was, in
deed, an unexpected blow. As an older man
than yourself, you will, I know, forgive me
If l say that l cannot but feel that it would
have been better If, before speaking to Daisy,
you had taken me-or, still better, Mr..
Mauleverer-into your confidence. But I
acquit you entirely of any worse fault than
that Of having acted, as young low
ers are so apt to do, upon I'M
pulse. I fear, however, that our
good host takes a much darker view of your
conduct. I have reasoned with him and
sxpostulated with him warmly on the sub
ject; but so far without effect 1 tried to
peak a word to you o the morning when
you left us, but l had been forestalled by the
steps taken tohasten your departure. l can
only say that you may count on me asa friend.
and that I shall try, for Daisy's sake as we'll
as for your own, to put an end to the
present distressing state Of affairs. She is a
bright girl, but she is a very proud and a
very passionate ono also; and I sometimes
tremble when Think what may be the con-
sequences Of the cruel and incessant persecu-
tion to which she is just now being subjected
by a man who seems to lave forgotten that
she is the only creature left in this world
who is bound to him by the ties of con-
sanguinity.
II shall hope to see you before many days
have passed, and then I can tell you more.
You, will, I suppose, DO staying at the
Grand hotel. Ishall find you out there be-
fore long. In the mean time, believe me,
yours most sincerely,
FRANCIS BRANKsoMk"
Another week passed without my hearing
anything directly or indirectly Of the occu-
pants of Great Lorton Hall. My mind.
which had been soothed by tho contents Of
Daisy's letter, was again becoming agitated
by the fever of Impotence and uncertainty.
l had sent a letter-a long letter. in which my
whole heart was poured QUITO Daisy, ad-
dressed under cover to DR.. Branksome; but
nc reply had como, and l was meditating
some further steps for the purpose of gain
ing tidings Of her.
Ono morning, however, a servant brought
me word that q person had called to see me
On particular business and was waiting in the
hall of the hotel. l went down and found
one Of the crew Of the Golden Hawk await
ing my appearance. He saluted me respect
fully, and placed in my hand a note. It was
unsigned, and l did not know the hand
writing, but it was written on a sheet of
notepaper stamped with the name of the
yacht 1t contained only a simple message:
IF you wish to see DR.. B., come on board
the yacht at once"
The nan waited a moment after l read the
note, and then said:
1.-THE captains gig is on the beach, sir, if
you mean to 60 On board"
"Who gave you this note7" I asked.
"The captain himself, sir" was the imme-
diate reply. "And I was told that you would
return with me-"
"When did DR.. Branksome arrive9"
"1don't know, sir. I lave not seen him.
He must have come on board when I was
below"
Of course I did not hesitate a moment. I
hardly stopped to light a cigar before I
started for tho beach, walking with a brisker
sten and a paver hart than had lnowr