The Red Cloud chief., 1889-12-27

The sources first sentence eut . sus-
picious impression with its curious articu-
la,ion, and his tap OF Alian's shoulder
seemed to augur no good TO the contents OF
| the case he carried. Blu. the compound
! question which followed the old
fellows prelude put those fast-rlsing fears
! Of detection to flight, and substituted a
| choking sensation Of oppressive wrong in
| their stead
Akin looked up. You know me, then, b.
my resemblance to my father" he said.
with q sad attempt AT q smile. 81 am the
| only son of that Allan Percival-in fact,
the only child living, and that is why
| Miriam Percival Fairfax and her solicitors
trust me on this errand to the Hall.
The present owner of heatherleigh is
nv cousin, M. Bancroft, AND ] am COM
mIssioned to the Hall by her implicit or
ders."
"Pon ny soul! pom my soul :" exclaimed
the squire, graspiug Alian's hand. pom
my soul, Hi thought the world hot your
father. my boy: has hif e were my how
brother" And the impulsive Bancroft
fourished his handkerchief and blew mis-
hose with the sound Of trumpet. 'Tnen
hits your fathers picture upstairs; wy
don't you go hup aand get hitr"
Allan shuddered. do not ask me 70 60
upstairs and into tia. roor1," he answered,
turning FAINT az the idea, and covering his
! face with his hand, as if to shut out even
| the bitter memories.
.Ho, HI see.'' rejoined the squire, ''you
\ said this 'orrid place, and ne put his arms
! akimbo. Hi see, Hi seem he continued,
..you Gread nit hon your fathers h%account,
| Forgive me, my boy: Hi didn't thiuki HI
know the sad story hof your father being
| kicked bout; card moi lis death, too. but
didn't 'ear that e lief; ha son. Well! WELL"
For some minutes the old squire stood
| looking ~afectionately At Allan and think
| Ing. then he placed MS hand kindly on the
Young mans arm and said: "Don't you
want your fathers portrait. my boyl Elf
you Go, W., nj VIII De glad TO go hup there
halter hit for you"
Allan nodded in the Affirmative he
! could lot speak. q feeling of utter lone
iiness WIS creeping out Of the shadows
| ard wrapping his soul IL its miserable H.
fiuence. Up there, in the dark. ghostly
place. his fathers picture ~hung-with lis
face TO the wall. he had been told a thou
sand times, because ne had been cast out
and now. after three and a half decades OF
| gloom and disgrace, i. was to be brought
! ttNA 1.AA y INV NAAS Alo.-0o "a AN SSA
the child OF MS Uesailiance.
Allan heard the squire so up the length
OF the shadowy staircase. heard him tread
| ing the corridors, as one hears things In a
! strange indis:Inct dream.
| The sunshine stole down through the
! tut,ed ems. the noisy rocks chartered and
seeded high up above the ancient gables
and the April airs went Whispering b., out
4 liz Hanr - shnrr Dn- 10 y-oc IE>0nln y
a.,entively TO a voice sounding down the
aisles Of the oy-gone, and ne heard il say:
Curses on that old Hall. that sent me
adrift; curses, ! say" and il was the voice
| Of his father.
And II connection with this naledictive
sentence lie heard q sweet, soft voice. and
il said in a deprecatTug tone: ALLAN.
Allan And IL WAS the voice Of mis- gentle
lacy mother.
But Squire Bancroft interrupted this
communion Of spirits AKIN. and broke
Alian's painful revere oy saying" ERE hit
his" Al the same time he wiped a sus-
plcious moisture from his old eyes and
locked the great doors in silence.
Allan Percival left Heatherleigh as one
IN a dream. Tn long, desolate avenue,
dow which his darling had passed alone IL
her grief did not seem real to HIM The
Changing Of the grea. gates sounded afar OF
and even the hum of the carriage wheels
on the echoing drive beyond came to his
ear as unnatural and deadened. He
thought of il. and remembered Miriam's
horror OF the place.
He paused [ Hedge Place, the squire's
lovely cottage. and letting him out with
many " CT adieus, drove mechanically on
towar- me city.
Hastings came IN view. and he drew q
sign of relief. The simmer Of the sea De-
yond gave him a new impetus, and he
smiled. 1t won't be SO very long now"
he SAID. waking up, until / shall see her,
M OWE"
He consulted his watch. Il have time to
get every thing attended TO in my care and
reach London tomorrow: then q finai in
terview with my bankers there. a bidding
goodbye to a few friends. and I'm OF on the
reacherous waters yonder."
Back again. Allan calculated, as he
threw open the door of his lodgings. and
entered with ms precious burdens. Well.
I'm best if I'm no; CAD the affair is w!nd
ing Up. " hat e great deal grows out OF a
little. sometimes, TO be sure, he continued,
settling himself comfortably in his chair by
the table and empryinc his pockets of the
Heatnerleigh find. If / had not met that
old lady in the park that clustering autumn
day last year, l presume l should no; have
oesa there again this II
Il guess I mad better shut the door and
insert the key. les, ! have auditors"
With this timely conclusion he fastened the
door. and. returning TO the table. spread OUT
the contents of the three dusty little boxes
on the green ch;ntz cover.
Il only wish To see them a moment" he
apologized to a hint Of conscience, land
Miriam wouldn't care"
The TWO little EBONY cases contained
jewels also, as well as the more ~pretentIous
casket- but whether they were the property
Of Miriam or not ne had no means of find
ing out. They We're very costly, however.
and must have been priced very much by
the happy posSessor, whoever 1t might
have been. Allan thought, as he held up
70 the light an exquisite!y wrought bracelet.
with little forget-me-nots clustered at the
fastening.
"Tnese shall be her wedding present from
the Hail." he said to himself. sarcasfically
Then he dropped them, shImmer,ng IN the
light wandering through the white dimiiy
curtain, as il they had been serpents.
"What if they carry the malediction Of
our Internal Old ancestor" he questioned,
half aghasta AZ the mental suggestion; 'every