San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-20

i say, 1d@, HndDs up Wltn you tO-HISHC'
I've never known you to be like this before"
No answer to this The question was not
pushed, and SO they walked on in silence,
until Hars companion suddeuly stopped.
"Wei, hero am as home win you step
in for awhiles'
Hal evidently did not hear, for he returned
no answer
"Hal, You've something on your mind
Now don't deny ~; your facs shows 10 only
too plainly. Mind, don't "sk your conf
dence; bus n can DO Of ny use IN extri-
eating yos from any trouble, peeuniarfly or
otherwise, command me, and II it's IN my
power ID win be done"
Hal grssped his co1npsnioas outseretched
hand and said fcrventlyi
''Thanlss, old fellow, thanksl You have
been trus friend 70 mo, Chester, and there
fore why should you not have my confidence!
Yes, have something on my mind, some
thing thor is making me miserable, and life
well nigh unbearabls"
Chester he'd ths way 30 his apartments, and
soon both were enSoonced in easy chairs,
pipes in hand, and brandy and soda within
reach.
The friendship of these two men had origi-
mated at Florence, where both were studying
painting. Their support depended entirely
on their calling, both being special ARTISTS on
a popular weekly Halstead Moore lived
with his mother in a neat little cottage in the
suburbs. Little or nothing was known of
the MoOres or their past On this subject
Hal had never opened his heart to Chester,
and the latter, with uncommon delicacy,
forebors embarrassing his friend with CUES
tions.
After few nervous puffs and hasty sip
at his brandy and soda, Hal plunged alb
ruptly into his recital
Chester, you asked me a while ago
whether or not cared for Helen ThOrnedale.
do care for her; nay, love her, | idollze
her. By day, by night, she is before me; my
thoughts, my dreams are but of her In
view OF this fact, you will wonder more than
ever at my treatment of Miss Thornedale.
will tell you the secret of my trouble"
He had overcome his agitation, and now
spoke with due deliberatiOn.
"My parents marriage WAS the result of an
elopement, in consequence of which my pa
ternal grandfather cursed his son on his
deathbed He prayed that ruin might follow
all his eudeavOrs and those of his children
This death scene affected my father deeply
He became moroSe and unlOving. One night,
six months later, a neighbOr broke the ter
rible intelLigenc to my mother that her huS
band was dead, drowned while crossing the
ice covered river on a hOmewayd Journey
His body was never recovered. Among his
effects was found sealed letter which was to
be delivered to mo q was chen two months
old whom | should attain my majority. My
mother carefully preserved that letter IN
opened and on my twenty-tirs birthday de-
livered it to me- 1t contained a sketch of
what havs told you, and concluded with an
Injunction never to marry, as the consequence
must be unhappineSS. That in junction | look
upon as a message from the dead, and one
that | must hold sacred. Now you know
why dare nos declare my love to Helen
Thornedalo."
So deeply interested in his friends recital
has Chester become, shat his brandy and soda
remains untouched At the conclusion of the
narrative be settles back in his chair eX
claiming:
well, WE'LL Who would have thought
such romance mingled with matter Of fact
Old Halls life"
Two months later saw Hal and Chester on
their way to the north of Scotland, where
they had been sent to sketch a picturesque
series of ruins. They had letters Of introduc
ton to a part owner Of the paper, Hugh Mac
Leod, who cordially invited them to make
his dwelling their headquarters. Only too
happily did they accept this kind offer, nor
had either of them cause to regret the STEP
as we shall SEQ.
Hugh Macleod, of Bonnie Park, was a
gentleman of leisure, living in quiet, unos
tentatious style with an only daughter,
Laura, a sweet, unaffected girl Of eighteen
summers The old gentleman was delighted
with his visitors, offering them EVERY aEsen
ton, even accompanying them on their
sketching tours.
They had been there about a month whom
one morning Mr.. Macleod proposed little
excursion to some old ruins that would make
capital subjects for their pencils. The friends
acquiesced, and Laura was forthwith in
structed to order luncheon. They arrived at
their destination, and Hal and Chester wer.
soon busy transferring several picturesque
views to their sketch books, while the old
gentleman stood by chatting Laura in the
meantime had wandered off through the
woods in search of wild flowers.
Now, boys" said Macleod, presently,
"when yove sketched your fill here, I'll take
ye up to Vulture's Nest for fine landscape
view
"Vultures Nestl What an ominous manner
calculated Hal.
YES and it's had an ominous history, too
1t deserves its name from the number of vul
lures that used to flock there. Many is the
terrible experience the people hereabout!
have had with the creatures Why. it wa!
only two years ago that Donald Stuart
daughter was attacked on Vulture's Nest by
two Of the vile creatures, and before helI
could reach her she was so terribly tori
about the face as 10 be dIsfirIIrel for LIE Il.