The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-10-04


mothers story, as told in the simplest
| manner, and then she found no hlamo
| could be attached to her. That her
father had been blinded by jealousy there
| could not be the least doubt in the world
and while in this state he could be no
more held accountable for his actions
than the man who was drunk.
OF late Carol had begun to SEQ her
father In new light that was not as
agreeable as it might have been. For
mcrly she had loved him, and been pet
ted by him as one who would expect an
only child to be, but all had changed on
that day when he found her seated by
the side Of Roger Darrell In the forest.
He had then showed what an ungov-
ernable temper he possessed, and this
had not improved since. Then had come
his strange conduct in relation to her
marriage with Capt. Grant, who also
had hold upon him for some act dono
in the past.
Last Of all, she now heard of his con-
temptible conduct in the past, and her
sympathy was wholly with her mother,
whom she exonerated from all blame.
True. some might have said she was In
discreet, not knowing the circumstances
of the case; but when her story was
told, Carol saw that there was not the
slightest possibility of her having donc
wrong, and, had Lawrence Richmond
given her chance for explanation, in
stead Of standing there and cursing her,
he could not but have been convinced
of her entire innocence.
She possessed a singular, though
strong nature, and, when subject to
such TRADE Of abuse, pride sealed her
lips after that wild entreaty for him to
examine into the matter before no
cursed her.
Suffering In silence, she would not let
him know after that how cruelty he
wounded her, and, and as consequence
they had parted to meet no more.
This was in the South, and Immediately
after had como that terrible shock to
Lawrence Richmond by which he lost
three Of his four children. He gave out
among his Virginia friends, or at least it
was naturally understood, that he had
lost his wife with the children.
AS time passed on and tempered the
as Judgment from heaven for his actions
toward his wife.
His stubborn spirit would not yield
enough to permit him to make an inves-
tigation, even when little things came
involuntarily to light that gave him to
understand that she was innocent.
Guilt hardens man, and there cannot
be found any one more stubborn and un-
forgiving than the one who knows he has
made a great mistake and Is In tho
wrong.
The meeting indeed was such singular
one as Imagination could never conceive.
These two had each looked on the
other as dead for many years back. and
to think of their meeting here ana recog-
nizing one another by means of the pic
ture of him who should have been the
connecting-link between them, but who,
instead, was the source Of misery and
diScord!
1t was wonderful almost beyond belief.
The world would never again look so
dreary to the lonely woman, and Carol
had found one whom she could confide in,
now that even her father had turned
against her.
The time passed quickly, and midnight
had come almost before they wero aware
of it.
They were still talking about tho past
and present, and even the future, when
they were astonished by knock at the
door.
Instantly all was alarm, for they could
conjecture nothing else than that pursuit
had been made by the enraged bridegroom
and some OF the wedding guests, and
that they had finally como to the very
place where the missing bride had been
hidden away.
The elder lady proved herself fully
equal to the emergency.
She sprang up and hastily placed a
large crock over the candle. Then Carol
felt herself hurried into closet.
A minute later she heard tho widow
boldly open the front door. Before do
ing so, the lady had armed horself with
pistol, for she know not what desperate
need there might be.
( 10 be continued)