The Russellville Democrat., 1889-02-21

| peculiar expression.
 "I beg your pardon" said Mir. Moore, "did l hear right that your name is LyleP Are you not the son of then-he paused, then went on-''the proprietor of this valleyP"
 "Yes, " replied Arnold. T am sorry that my father is too great an invalid to be present with us this afternoon. "
 Mir. Moore said no more, but moved away to take his place on a moss-clad rock, from whence he was to address the people, and there was no time for any further conversation.
 The address, founded on the solemn question as to what it shall profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul. was most powerful end heart-stirring appeal, and no one present was more deeply impressed by it than Arnold Lyle.
 When the service was over Arnold only waited to see Miss Orme drive away in her little carriage toward her home, after bidding him follow with Mr. Moore as quickly as he could, and then he eagerly joined the preacher for the fve-mile walk which would bring them to her castle. He began at once to speak on the subject which had so long been a source of distress 10 him, and asked Mr. Moore if he could suggest any eXpedient for sup plying the people of the valley with more frequent means of religious wor- ship and instruction than they had hitherto possessed.
 Mir. Moore turned round and looked Gxedly at Arnold, maintaining perfect silence for a few minutes while he scanned the young mans frank, noble countenance with searching eyes; then he placed his hand firmly on his shoulder.
 Arnold Lyle" he said 'I exoner- ate you from all blame in the cruel wrong which has desolated this valley, and starved the souls of the people for well nigh thirty years; but l see you are in complete ignorance of it, but 1 feel that it is my plain duty to tell you all the truth. Thirty years ago came to hold q service in this vallag.~~iir. Penrhyn, S..o ittst proprietor, was present, and was deeply moved He took me home with him after the service was over, and told me that as he was childless, he had no near relation with any claim upon him, he had resolved to bequeath the whole of his property to the serv- lee of God; the land should be sold, and with he proceeds a church should be built and endowed, while his dwell ing house should be separately be- queathed to be the parsonage of res ident clergyman. l highly applauded Mr. Penrhyn's resolution, and often thought afterward with great satis'ae- tion of the inestimable benefit which hoped had been secured to the valley. It happened, however, that immediately after my inter- view with Mir Penrhyn l had a sudden call to mission in Africa, and l was absent for three years in a re- mote part of the Dark Continent, where 1 could have no communication at all with England. On my return at the end of that time found letter await Ing me from Mir Penrhyn. written on his death bed, more than two years before. It stated that in my absence he had made over his property in trust to young man to whom he had fully explained his purpose with regard to it. and who had undertaken to carry out his wishes to the letter. He was to sell the land, see the church built and install suitable clergyman in the house destined for him. Mir Penrhyn added that he had given to the young man in question, whose name was John Lyle, paper of distinct direc- tions, and small sum of money for himself in compensation for any trouble which might be involved in the arrangements.
 immediately on the receipt of this letter from the good man who had al- ready lain in his grave for two years and Q half, came to this valley. l found no church, no clergyman, but John Lyle, as sole proprietor, was liv- ing in the house which should have been the parsonage, with his beautiful young wife, who was then just expect ing the birth of her frst-born child. and no one had the least suspicion that he had not rightly inherited the prop erty from Mir. Penrhyn. l showed Mir. Lyle the letter had received; l spoke to him in the strongest terms of the guilt he was binding on his soul by such fraud; but all was in vain; he snatched the letter from my hands and flung it into the fire, declaring that in any case it constituted no legal proof He asked me If l supposed that any power on earth could drive him to cast his young wife and her child from their home and give them up to destitution. He bade me go and leave him in peace l went shaking the dust from my feet on his threshold, and feeling--"
 Mir. Moore stopped without finishing his sentence but Arnold suddenly turning to him a face white as death, and contracted with agony, flung up his arms and exclaimed: "Feeling that the curse of God must rest on that house--a curse,n he added, hoarsely, which can only be removed by an act of restitution that would bring ruin and anguish and humiliation on the father love and revere; an act surely , impossible for him-for melville he lives.
 Then staggering like a man who had been almost knocked down by a sud } den blow, Arnold turned aside and