The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-03-07


"He may have other reasons"
s'You know he has, Grace Penroy,n cried
the man, in voice harsh with aroused feel
ing. ~ have heard all about it, that II is
settled that you and the Captain are to
marry. The story is in everybody's mouth.
demand to know what foundation there is
in such stories"
"None whatever"
Grace Penroy came TO her feet and faced
her Iover, with flushed cheeks and flashing
eyes. He saw how she was moved, and the
demon jealousy had full possession Of him
at that moment, binding him to reason and
justice.
"Grace Penroy, do not believe you" he
uttered in the mnsterful rage and grief that
whelmed him at that moment. 81 have re-
ports that can rely on that prove all and
more than the gossps tell did not think
| you would so abuse the trust OF an honest
heart. But it is gold gold nothing but
gold female heart is tuned TO no other
key
He was interrupted in his impassioned
i outbreak by gesture from Grace, whose
cheeks had lost their color now, and were
palld with the hurt his cruel words had
| given her heart r.
| alt is wonderful, sir, how much Won
KNOW ul NUudH HhNultst oiS S'aNAt - -
low voice, husky and tremulous with feel
ing. You distrust me, Austin Went
word, and knowing this, it would bring
only misery to link my fate with yours,
accept what you evidently wish, freedom
from our engagement
Then she tore a PLAIN gold circlet from
her finger and held it toward him.
"Grace, do you mean this" ~.
He uttered the words in n sort OF astound-
ment. Evidently he had not intended that
their quarrel should lead TO such a length.
S'Distrust would kill me. | mean IL, sir
After to-day you need not come again.
He accepted the ring and was silent. She
turned, forgetting her book that lay on the
ground, and was fastening away when his
voice held her steps.
miss Penroy, you have forgotten some
thing
| When she faced him again he was holding
the book toward her. He then advanced
and placed it in her hand.
"Thanks, Mr.. Wentworth
Then she continued her course toward the
house, not many rods distant, the young
mechanic watching her retreating form
with mingled feelings of anger and sorrow.
Scarcely had she disappeared when another
stepped upon the scene in the person OF
| captain DtarDrlBul
Unaware of the quarrel, although he had
| been viewing the two from a distance for
some time, the Captain knew not how mop
perfume was his coming. Wentword was
| not in a mood for sensible, qu ct converse,
and the sight of Captain Starbright, whom
he viewed as his successful rival, reused all
the evil in the young fellow nature. What
occurred would not have happened had my
hero been of that sanity pattern made TO
order by some of the novel writers of the
day.
Austin Wentword was human, and per.
haps had his full share of faults; he GER
tainly was not saint, and, at the present
| time his passions were reused TO high
pitch
"Ah, whom have we hereln sneered Cap
tain Starbright, in a lofty and insolont way
that was not calculated TO soothe the wound
ed feelings of the Stonefeld mechanic
Austin grasped the Captains collar and
| said, fiercely:
"a man who can fog score Of such
| pusillanimous sneaks as you are. You call
yourself Captain, Captain of what /
| should like to knowl II you were ever in
the army, it must have been as private in
the rear rank of the home guard or broom
brigade.
"Unhand me!n ordered the Captain, al
lowing his hand to seek his hip beneath the
skirts OF his coat. Here he usually carried
a weapon ready for use in case of danger
"Not until make You confess that you
are coward and never was in the army"
II shall hurt you, young man, unless you
take your dirty paw of my collar, y threat
ened Captain Starbright, now white with
1 rage.
/ Ina 7 t.fa1
| the angry mechanic, at the same time deal
ing the Captain sharp blow on the cheek
with the fat of his hand. $50 tell Miss
Penroy that send her cowardly cur for a
helpmeet Maybe she'll salve your hurts
| with her tears"
| At this moment bright object cleaned
in the face of Austin Wentword. Then
came fash and sharp report. a deadly
Feullet grazed the cheek Of the mechanic.
IN the instant the two men closed in a
desperate struggle for the mastery. TWAS a
struggle that might end only in the death
of one of the twain. II was lucky for
troubled Grace Penroy that she did not see
| the conflict
Wentword seized the Captains wrist and
attempted TO wrest the revolver from his
| grasp. Feeling that TO lose the weapon
| meant doom to himself, Captain Starbright
chung to it with the tenacity Of desperation.
And thus the two men went to the
ground.
Over and over they rolled in the grass.
Captain Starbright felt his grip isrevolv-
err weakening. 1t was torn from his grasp,
and then a terrible weakness swept his
being.
"Mercyp' he gasped, as he felt the knee
/ of his antagonist against his breast and saw
the cooked and cleaning weapon in the
hand of his maddened rival.
MERCY to such as you-neper'h
i Then Austin Wentword thrust his weap-
on in the face of his enemy and was on the
point of pressing the trigger when hand
touched his shoulder.
aNo, Mr.. Wentword; murder must not
stain your hands,
The words, uttered in low tone, held the
hand of the would-be slayer. Aiterward
the young mechanic could not feel too CRATE
full for the interruption that saved hun from
the brand of Cain.
The young mechanic came 10 his feet &c
find himself confronted by slender youth
who held rife across the hollow of his
arm. The reader has met this character
before-Louis Fingal
"Who are you. Why do you interferer
demanded Wentword, in an angry tone
glaring menacingly at the new conner.
"To save bloodshed and your soul from
perditon,n answered the youth, quickly.
II Captain Starbright was now on his feet
regarding the person who had saved his life
with grateful curiosity.
ut strikes me we have met before" ut
tered the Captain.
"Once, believe
II can not, however, call to mind the
timen
MOT A few days since; just at the foot O
Lone Hollow
The memory Of the time and the note O.
warning flashed swiftly into the brain o
Captain Starbright. He was naturally puz
, zled. Before he could question the young
, hunter further Austin Wentword raiset
the captured revolver. fired it in the arr til
| e,,er,, chamber was emntv then flung thu