The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-08-04

Bath, to read to you, but we missed each
other somehow. and since then other
thoughts have filled my mind. He says: 4
as she win have me, and viii cali upon You
on the evening of the day you receive this
letter 1t is short and to the point. He has
plenty OF strong, good sense, this dear
stockbroker cousin, you may be sure
broking has not fiourished with bin It
seems: But with my fortune-mine that
shall forfeit to marry the man love-..you
will make quite grand match, my child.
Stand up and let me look at you, little
Mechanically, at her bidding, I stood up.
What else was there for me but to obeyl
What a poor little trembling mouse IL
Is! How white and s. ared you look. Oh,
b. but you % will be very happy with your y,9.s r
pots and plates, my doar. He will be here
to-night-and my lover too"
was still standing in front Of her and
| she was looking Mt me with her beautiful
eyes and smiling rod lips tried to speak
but knew not what to say; In my agony,
my right hand clutched a little cord about
my throat So strong was the grasp that
the thread snapped suddenly. and lerge
medallion, till then concealed, fell to the
ground at Mrs. Dalyel's feet She saw at
looked at it closely as she took it in her
hands, then from IL to me.
How came you by this9" she asked, in q
tone in which pride was strangely mingled
with surprise.
MRS. balyel, Ipainted it from memory"
"Yous Is it possible you know Mr.
Lorenzo! Why are you SO slow in an
swering. Speak, Lucy"
81 knew him many years ago." replied,
in . voice I did not recognize as my own.
II Ia IC6Y Yad In Ia No ulxuva
poor, you know. He lodged with us in
London before he went to Rome. I was q
child then"
But this is picture Of him as he is now.
It is like, wonderfully like she said look
ing ut it absently. then suddenly up at me.
But, child, child, why do you look like
that! There is something more. Toll me,
for heavens sake tell mo" She caught
my hnnds and held them so tightly that
she hurt while her eyes seemed to burn like
to your
ITO met To me'" Igasped, all the sup
pressed passion in me rising at her words ::
MRS. Dalyel, lhow can you suppose that
he is any thing to me! Have you not said
And snatching my hand away, fed
swiftly to my room. On reaching my own
little chamber sat down at tho toilettable
dazed and helpless. A long time must have
passed for IL was dark when some one
4U
Dalyel's maid.
will you please 20 to the sitting room,
Miss Vane, }" she said. And the next moment,
without 9 pause for thought, was turning
the handle of that door.
The bright light dazzled me at first, but
was able to perceive that there were two
persons in the room-Mrs. Dalyel and o
gentleman. He had his face turned from
me: he was partly hidden by the window
Mrs. Dalyel 70 50. She was deadly pale !;
her lips compressed and bloodless; her rhesd
was thrown back proudly. She scarcely
seemed to see me, but the look in her eyes
was terrible.
Lucy vane." she said in hard, set
voice, out of which all the old music had
departed: Il told you that was interested
in your welfare, and that, in accordance
with the custom of my country, was ar.
ranging marriage for you. You are
aware that my late husbands cousin is
sires that present him to you. Miss Vane
Mr.. Horace Dalyel."
So saying, and drawing herself up to her
full height, she swept proudly from the
room. Horace! started at the name,
then raised my eyes to the man who, after
fore.turned and came few steps towards
me. My heart gave bound and then stood
still at sight of him.
"Ah, what charming little comedy this
came forward eagerly with outstretched
hands; but clasped mine behind me and
drew back.
"Lucy. won't you speak to me till I ex-
plain! Well, then, my darling, sit down
here while tell you my story as short as l
own dear, smiling self again"
l sank mechanically into the chair he
placed for me, and he continued:
"You know when I lodged with you that
I was bent upon being an artist, but did
not tell you my real name: or that my
cousin-many years my seniOr and my
guardian-did all he could to dissuade me
from my intention. determined to be the
master of smy own destiny, however, and,
without informing anyone except your
under the name you know me by-Lorenzo.
In order to enjoy my freedom to the fullest
and to snap all links of habit gave out
that had gone upon the Stock Exchange.
1t was happy thought, for by that means
l completely. ostracised myself from my
cousin and his set.''
He paused moment, then went on moro
rapidly:
Gin Rome, many years afterwards, by
strange fatality, I encountered my cous-
in's widow, anil do not dsny-fell dss.
perately in love with her. She gave me
every encouragement, and it did not ap-
pear to ms presumptuous to believe her
passion real, knowing as did, that accord.
ing to my cousins will, II she married
again, the bulk Of her fortune would be
mine. But she behaved infamously: re-
fused me with the utmost arrogance, call
ing me adventurer, fortune hunter, know
not what; little thinking that q marriage
with me was the sole way to keep her
wealth. instead of forfeiting 1t. You may
be sure I did not enlighten her on the
point; but swore to be revenged. A rare
opportunity presented itself ON discover
ing you to be her pr0tegee. Another,
still more unique, occurred when, few
days since, she wrote to her lawyer to
negotiate q marriage between the poor,
despised, plebeian stockbroker cousin and
her dear protegee, Lucy Vane. Tho letter
was forwarded to me here and made a
draft of the answer to he copied by the
lawyers clerk and re-inclosed to Mrs.
Dalyel.
"Lucy, the little comedy is ended. The
denouement came about most satisfac-
torily, and behold me, your true lover, here
bv Madame, my cousins orders, to make
love to you!"
He laughed out ,nerrily, but stopping
suddenly: 'you scarcely seem to-under-
standl" he questioned, In an altered tone.
comedy'sh ]. asked with a half sob, which
l In vain tried to suppress
"Why mott" and he sought to take my
hand
because to me it is more tragedy than
comedy,"I answered, striving to brace
every nerve to calmness, and succeeding
to all outward show.
ave view the matter through different
lights, it appears, Lucy. And 1t Is hard
just little hard on me, think, to take 1t
as you do. You are so utterly unlike your
old dear selt-is 1t Mrs. Dalyel's bansful
influence? You know l strongly objected
to this visit, but you wsro perfectly in