Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-16
FOR HONOR'S SAKE.
BY B. L. FARJAON.
A,shsr Of "0rsat Porter Aqusre." al rhs
bright Star Of Lite" Etc.
(c oNTlNuKp.)

he was III lonuon, In partial ulsgruce
with his father. He was without o
career; he had already contracted vicious
and idle habits; he was frequently from
home; and although his father questioned
him severely, he would give no truthful
account of his movements and proceed
fngs. Some accounts he did give, but his
father knew instinctively that they were
false or cvasive. As he could obtain no
satisfaction from his son, MrpRutland,
aware of the perfect confidence which ex-
listed between Eustaco and Mabel, applied
to her for information; but she would not
utter one word to her brothers hurt. Her
father could extract nothing from her, and
there gradually grew within him an idea
that there was a conspiracy against him
in his own home, conspiracy in which
Edward Layton was the principal agent.
1t was natural, perhaps, that he should
think more hardly of this stranger than
of his own children.
Had he seta watch upon his son, he
might have made discoveries which would
have been of service to all, and which
might have ayerted terrible consequences.
But proud and self willed as he was, it did
not occur to him to do anything which in
his view savored Of meanness His son
Eustacc went his way, therefore, to sure
and certain ruin. When he was absent
from home he corresponded regularly with
bis sister; and Mr.. Rutland sometimes
demanded to see this correspondence.
"You can make nothing Of 1t, papa,"
said Mabel. "Eustace and do not cor.
respond like other people"
He insisted, nevertheless upon seeing
these letters, and Mabel showed them to
him. As he could not understand them,
he demanded that she should read them
intelligently to him; but it being fact
that there was always something in Eus-
tace's correspondence which would deepen
his fathers anger against him, the young
girl refused to read them. This, as may
be supposed, did not tend to pacify Mr..
Rutland. 1t intensified the bitterness of
his heart toward those whom he believed
were conspiring against him? He applied
to Edward Layton.
"You are in my daughters confidence"
he said to the young man, land as you
have wrung from me q reluctant consent
to an engagement with her, must ask
you to give me the information which she
withholds from me.!'
He met with another rebuff. Edward
Layton declared that he would not violate
the confidence which Mabel had rcposed
in him. At one time Mr.. Rutland said to
Edward Layton:
My son has been absent from home
for several days. Have you seen him?''
"Yes, sir" replied Edward, ~ have
seen him."
But he would say nothing further.
He was in most painful position.
Mabel had extracted from him a solemn
promise that he would reveal nothing
without her consent, and he was stead
fastly loyal to her. He had another rea-
son for his silence, and, in the light Of
that reason, and of the feelings which
Mr.. Rutland harbored toward him, he
felt that the happiness he hoped would be
his was slipping from him.
The explanation of this other reason,
which unhappily was q personal one,
brings upon the scene person who played
q brief but pregnant part in this drama Of
real life, and who is now in his grave.
This. person was Edward Layton's fa-
ther.
"What was the nature of the relations,n
said Mrs Rutland, "between this gentle-
man and my dear son Eustace do not
know. All that l do know is that they
were in association with each other, and,
l am afraid not to good end. 1t came
also, by some strange means, to the
knowledge of my husband, and frightful
scene occurred between him and Edward
Layton, in which Mabel's lover was dis
missed from the house. My husband
withdrew the consent he had given to the
engagement, and used words which, often
since when 1 have thought Of them, have
made me shudder, they were so unneces-
sarily cruel and severe. If from this
day. my husband said to the young gen.
tleman, you pursue my daughter with
your attentions, you will be playing base
and dishonorable part. If you wish me to
turn my daughter from my house, you
can by your actions bring about this re-
suit. But bear in mind, should it come
to pass, that she will go from my presence
with my curse upon her-a beggarl am
not ignorant of my duties with respect to
my children. have not been sparing of
love toward them. Hard may be when
my feelings are strongly reused, but
am ever just. In the secrets that are
being hidden from mo there is, I
am convinced, some degrading and
shameful element; otherwise it is
not possible that you should conspire
to keep them from me. If the mat
ter upon which you are engaged were
honorable, there would be no occasion to
keep it from my knowledge. Do not for
get that you have it in your power to
wreck not only my daughters happiness,
but her mothers and mine, if that con-
sideration will have any weight with you
There was much more than this, to which
Mr.. Edward Layton listened with sad
patience, which deepened my pity for him.
He bore, without remonstrance, all the
obloquies that were heaped upon him by
my unhappy husband, who soon after
ward left the room with tine injunction
that Mr. Layton was on no account to be
allowed an interview with my daughter.
Then Mr. Layton said to me, i must bear
it. If the happiness Of my life is lost it
will be through the deep, the sacred love
] bear for your child. l devote not only
the dearest hopes Of my life, but my life
itself, to her cause. Fate Is against us.
A man can do no more than his duty"
From that day to this Mabels mother
has never seen Edward Layton. Vixen
she heard of his marriage into family
whose position in society was to say the
least equivocal, she was in great distress,
fearing the effect the news would have
upon her dear daughter. Mabel Rutland
suffered deeply, but during that time OF
anguish she appeared to summon to her
aid o certain fortitude and resignation
which served her in good stead. 1t as
tonished her mother one day to hear her
say:
''Do not blame Edward, mamma; he
is all that is good and noble. Although
he is another lady's husband, and al
though our lives can never be united, as
we had once hoped, / shall ever love and
honor him."
"Time will bring comfort to you, my
darling" said the mother, "and it may
be that there is still o happy fate in store
for you. You may meet with another
man, around whom no mystery hangs, tc
whom your heart will be drawn"
"Neyer, mamma" replied Mabel. 81
shall never marry now"
What most grieyously disturbed Mrs
Rutland was the circumstance that, ever
within few weeks Of Edward Layton:
marriage he corresponded with her daugh
ter. Her father was not aware OF this
He nennllN rosa late in the morning