The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-05-12
CHAPTER AL

stantly came forward.
Il hope you have pardoned our in
trusion. Miss" he said. 1T was an
awkward mistake of the officer, for
which | am very sorry.
There was no offense," she replied.
He looked mp at her face as she stood
above him on the stairs. 1t was calm,
pensive, beautiful almost without ex-
preston. She seemed in that moment
a statue rather than woman. Neither
II her looks nor her voice was there any
invitation to prolong the interview; but
he fingered.
You know, of course, the melan-
choly errand that has brought me to
this part of the country, and that keeps
me here2"
Il had heard of it, was the cold re-
ply.
Il ask you again to pardon me,
Miss, if am taking liberty. | have
learned your name; You must have
heard mine. 1t is Randall Belmont;
the man who SO mysteriously disap-
peared in this vicinity was my father.
This painful search hardly allows me
to think of anything else; yet-again |
ask your pardon Il can not rid my
self of the impression that have met
you somewhere out of this house.
Where was it?"
"You are mistaken, sir. "
If the grace of his manner, the music
OF his manly tones made any impress
sion on her, she did not show it. He
felt the chill of her reserve, and raising
his hat, he tt;rhed away and followed
the others out.
Il shouldn't judge that you made
much progress in scraping acquaintance
with that girl" Mir. Wardwell loosely
said, as they rode away.
Randall frowned, and made no re-
| ply. 1t was observed that he said
nothing ON the way back to the village.
From his doorway Tom Bryson wit
| messed the departure of the cayalcade,
and c sense of security filled his breast.
1 The occurrences of the last hour seemed
to insure his safety. The expected
search had been made, and nothing
whatever had been found to raise the
slightest suspicion against him. The
secret seemed doubly safe now; it only
remained for him to insure Edgar Van
Wyck's fidelity, by persuading Jessica
| to marry him, and he should feel abso-
lutely beyond danger.
He had wished not to be recognized
by young Mr.. Belmont; he feared that
the wrongs which he had suffered from
his father, of which Randall must have
learned something, might cause him to
suspect that revenge had been darkly
at work. But he might as well have
| spared himself any apprehension lest
he should be recognized. Nothing was
left either in the face or the figure of
this man to remind any former acquaint-
ance of the Newland Wendell of other
| days. AS we have seen, Mason Bel
mont himself only recognized him after
the furious man had heaped his re-
proaches and denunciations upon him.
Bryson turned from the door. He
| found his daughter setting the table
for the evening meal.
"Jess," he said, what was that fell
low saying to you, as you was coming
down stairs ?"
"He was apologizing again for dis
turbing me-"
"How many times was it necessary
for him to apologize?"
No bitter taunt, no unkind remark
from this mans lips ever drew retort
from LIS patient child. She made no
answer now.
"Was that all he said?"
"He said he thought he had met me
before"
"Humph-the inpudent puppy !!
What did you say?"
Il gave him to understand that he
must be mistaken.
"Of course you told him he was; and
you did right to give him snub. |
see how it is, Jess; like most of the
men who see you for the first time, he's
smitten with your pretty face. Now I
don't choose to have this aristocratic,
! purse proud upstart dangling about
here. If he comes here again, just tell
him his room is better than his COM
pany. VIII your"
Il never wish to see him again." she
replied.
And I say, Jess-you amt giving
Young Van Wyck as much encourage
ment lately as I'd like to see He's
I good fellow; | really want you to have
/ him. "
Her back was toward him; he could
not see the utterly dreary look of her
face.