Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-02-08


1.-THE man cannot have got hold Of anything
about Edith. Impossible, impossible; if he had
he would have said more he would not havo
confined himself to hinting-that would take
n cleverer man: he would have shown his
hand He must have been speaking at ran
dom to brighten me- suppose. By heavens,
what thing it would be if he had got hold
of something. Ruin, absolute ruin I'll set
tie up this business as soon as l can, and
leave the country; l can't stand the strain,
it's like having sword over ones head. I've
half mind TO leave it in somebody else's
hands and go at once. No, for that would
look like running away. 1t must be all rub
bish; how could he know anything about iti"
SO shaken was he, however, that though he
tried once, and yet again, he found 1t i'm
possible to settle himself down to work till he
had taken couple OF glasses of sherry from
the decanter in the cupboard; and even as he
did so he wondered if the shadow of the
sword disturbed him so much, how he would
be affected if it ever vas his lot to face the
glimmer of its naked blade
No further letter came to Edward Cossey
from the castle, but, impatient as he was to
do So another fortnight elapsed before no
was able to go up to see Ida and her father
at last one fine December morning he was
for the first time since his accident allowed
! to take carriage exercise, and las first drive
was to Honham castle.
When the squire, who was sitting in tho
vestibule writing letters, saw a poor, pallid
man, rolled up in fur, with u white face scar
red with shot marks and black rings round
his largo dark eyes, being helped from O
closed carriage, he did not know who it was,
and called to Ida, whsr was passing along the
passage, to tell him.
OF course she recognized her admircr in
stintly, and wished to leave tho room, but
her father prevented her.
"You got into this mess" he said, forget
ting how and for whom she got into it, ''and
now you must get out of it in your own
way"
When Edward, having been assisted into
the room, saw Ida standing there, all the
blood in his wasted body seemed to rush for
O few seconds into his pallid face
"How do you do, Mr.. Cosseyp she SAID.
81 am glad to sec you out, and hope that You
are better"
Il beg your pardon cannot hear you,"
he said, turning round; 81 am stone deaf In
my right ear"
A pang of pity shot through her heart.
Edward Cossey, feeble, detected and limping
from the jaws of death, was ~ cry different
being to Edward COssey in the full bloom Of
| his youth and health and strength. Indeed,
SO much did his condition appeal to her SYM
| pathies, that for the first time since her
mental attitude toward him had been one Of
| entire Indifference, she looked on him with
| out repugnancc.
Meanwhile her father had shaken him by
| the hand, and led him to an armchair before
| the fire.
Then, after few questions and answers as
to his accident and merciful recovery there
came pause.
AT length he broke it, 81 have come to see
you BOTH" he said, with faint, nervous
smile, "about the letters You wrote me. II
my condition would have allowed it l would
| have come befol., but it would not"
"Yes," said the squire, attentively, while
Ida folded her hands in her lap and sat still
with her eyes fixed upon the fire.
sit seems" he went on, that the old
proverb has applied to my case as to so many
| others--bcing absent, have suffered ur1.
| derstand from these letters that my engage.
mont to you, Ida, is broken OFF,
She made motion of assent.
"And that it Is to be broken off on the
ground that, having been forced by combi.
nation of circumstances which cannot enter
into, to transfer the mortgages to Mr.. Quest,
consequently, broke my bargain with
your
YES" said Ida.
every well, then, I come to tell you both
that l am ready to find the money to meet
those mortgages and pay them off,"
"Ah" said the squire.
"Also, that am ready to do what offered
| to do before, and which, as my father is now
dead, am perfectly in a position to do
| namely, to settle two hundred thousand
| Douuds ahsOlutaIv rDNp LIDO anI ;pJooJ