The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-30
[Copyughted, 1851
CHAPTER MI.
IN THE GLEN.

well not to believe she would do as
she had written. She was on her way,
then, once more to disgrace him-to bring
scorn and SCOTS upon his name. With
bitten lips and nuttered curses he looked
at the date of her letter, and saw, as he
did so, that Natalie Mime. de Beranger,
as she called herselD would probably at
this moment be in the little village of
Balla, naturally exciting gossip and COM
ment there.
And his anticipations were fully veri-
eed. Before the evening was over an es-
pecial messenger from the small hostelry
at BaIla arrived at Dppbaan, and letter
was handed to Biddulph, the handwriting
Of which he knew only too we'll
DEAR JAMES (he read with suppressed fury
Here am again. Send an answer with the
1nkempt bearer of my love-letter when it viii
please you TO see your beloved wife once more
1t Dunbaan. Do not be long in deciding, for
FOUR climate is killing. Yours ever,
NATALIE.
First Biddulph flung his letter on the
floor, and swore he would neither answer
Il nor see the writer. But after a while
wiser and more prudent thoughts pre-
vailed. As she was here, he was con-
vinced she would not goaway again unless
she was bribed to do 50. With intense
disgust in his heart, therefore, he sat
down TO appoint an interview But not
here. Some listener, he knew well, some
spy in his household, must have spread
the story of this unhappy connection in
the neighborhood, or how had that
wretched boy heard of the report?
And he too (for he was observing) had
noticed a change in the kind Scotch
doctors manner-a change in the tone of
his voice only, perhaps-and how he had
become suddenly reticent on the subject
of Miss Stewart of RossmOre.
And he guessed Alright. Jock Fraser
and Mrs. Jock bad both talked TO their
friend the doctor about Mr.. Biddulph's
supposed marriage, and young Malcolm's
brow was black as night whenever his
name was mentioned.
'It's an unco pity if it is so" the doctor
had answered, ''for he's a vera fine fell
low" But even the doctor was forced to
admit that no man is justified in passing
himself off as unmarried, II he already
possessed a wife.
"And there is no doubt he pays great
attention to Nora Stewart" said Mrs.
Jock, "and she viii hear nothing against
him"
"Weil, my DEAR" replied Jock philoso-
phicallv, "Nora Stewart may know more
about this story than we do; BiddUlph
may have told her himself Ny advice,
now, is TO leave the matter alone. Nora
Is not a girl to make fool OF herself with
a married man."
"When ''the French woman" there
fore, as they called her, returned to the
village inn at Balla, her appearance there
excited the greatest interest among the
gOssips OF the neighborhood. The doctor
had already heard that "Mr. Biddulph's
wife" was "back again." when Biddulph
himself by her own letter became aware
OF the fact. At last pale and frowning, he
wrote few words in reply.
Do not, | entreat you, come here will
meet you tomorrow afternoon in a secluded
spot among the hills close TO Balla, called the
Glen to which any one in the neighbOrhOOd
can direct you. If you go there at o'clock
alone, shall be waiting for you. j. b.
He dispatched this note, and then stood
looking glOomily out on the dark waters
of the lOch. His thoughts were very Bit
ter ones, for it seemed to him this endless
worry OF his life would never cease. Then
he tried TO raise his mind above the brief
joys and sorrows of the world, telling
himself, as he lifted his eyes from the
dark waters to the dark sky, that in a lit
tie while it would be all the same, disap-
appointment or success, blame or praise
the woman he loved and the woman he
hated, both be dim shadows when the end
drew near.
But with restless sigh Biddulph knew
that now this was not so. 1t needs, in
truth, the chill touch of age to make
true philosopher. Through Biddulphs
being the warm currents OF youth still ran
strong and vigorous, and Nora Stewards
sweet face rose before him at this mo-
ment, filling his heart with passionate re-
gret.
The next day he went to keep the ap-
pointment he had made with absolute
aversion. To see this woman again, to be
asked for more money by her scoffing
tongue, was gall and bitterness to
Biddulph's soul. Yet he must do it, and
so he went, crossing the loch on gray
and darksome October afternoon, in
mood as gloomy as the sky.
The Glen of Balla is one of the widest
and most romantic spots of this romantic
land. II is, in truth, mountain pass, on
either side of which the granite masses
rear their shaggy crests amid the waving
brentwood and the dark pines narrow
pathway runs the whole length OF the
glen, and here, even amid the summer
heat, the sunbeams seldom find their way,
so dense is the shadow cast by the tower
ing peaks and huge crags which block the
golden rays.
Biddulph had chosen this silent and
secluded spot because he wished, if pos
sible, no one to witness a meeting fraught
for him with bitterest pain. And at this
season the probability was that, unless
some passing tourist was straying amid
the damp, mOss-girt rocks, only the wild
game would fix their bright inquiring
eyes OF the two whose love had grown so
cold.
And as Biddulph walked along the
narrow way, this expectation seemed fnl
filled. Not sound was To be heard, and
he went to the extreme end of the Glen
without encountering a living thing.
WAS she going 10 play him false ?" he
thought angrily, glancing at his watch, as
he tnrned to retrace his steps. Ii was
3:3Q o'clock now; but then, she might
have missed her way, he presently re-
dected.
moment he stood still, looking up
wards az the narrow line OF gray sky over
head, visible between the steep crags. He
sighed impatieutly, and some OF the vague
questioning doubts which pass and repass
'hrOugh our minds VIXEN the shadows lie
hhwart our path OF life, and the web
eerns tangled or broken, stole into Bid
dulph's heart.
"Why should this be?" he thought