The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-03-21

phed restoratives, which they found az
hand IN a side cupboard there.
Sir Rupert slowly regained consciousness
moaning and mUrmuring of Miriam. And
all night long they staid, faithful servants
that they were, by Sir Rupert, and did what
they could to relieve him. Once he opened
his eyes very wide and started up, saying:
"Oh! ask her, ask her-but stop, she is
gone, you sayl'
Then he lay down again, turning his face
10 the wall, and shivered as If seized with an
ague hit.
Let i'm dole" said Ancil, unfeelingly.
'Let i'm, and it viii be the ind ov it."
''Shet up, We baste,'' snapped Peggy,
under her breath, as under the touch of her
skiAiul, Inotherly hand the master fell into
troubled sleep
just rs the rosy dawn flushed the east,
and the fresh breeze swept over the silent
world in token Of the coming morning, Sir
Rupert sank into quiet, restful sleep, ana
the servants retired, leaving their master
in calm, Untroubled repose.
But after th~t memorable day OF angry
meeting, OF regret and compunction, fol-
lowed by an almost fatal hallucInation
bringing hours Of waSeful agony, Sir Ru-
pert was strangely altered man.
Mild and gentle in tone and manner, even
TO the least Of them, he commanded at last
the love and respect of the much tried
household. They learned to pity him for
his tottering step and whiteued crown, and
70 love him for the sake OF one whom fate
had driven forever from Heatherleigh
Invariably they murmured ''poor masterr'
when ne walked alone about the grounds,
hating here and there to rest and 20
think
The dwellers Of the country side pitied
Sir Rupert from afar, ana gradually, al
most imperceplb!y, drifted back 10 the
!onE-avolded Hal Dropping in on one pre-
text and another, they strove 70 console
him and brighten the gloom Of his declining
years; but, after all, the master OF Heath
erleigh was slow in accepting any proffered
kindness, and seemed 70 look upon even old
acquaintances as inJruders- II seemed, in
spite OF their endeayors 10 be friendly, that
they had failed in impressing Sir Rupert
favorably
''The Percival grit was In him, barrin' all
his lamb-loike ways" Peggy said.
Occasionally Sir Rupert would ride out
sometimes 20 the clergyman's, sometimes
70 the city 70 interview his attorney. And
again he would spend half day In leaning
back in his fayorite carriage and being
driven slowly through the parks, across the
commons or back and forth along the
pleasant reaches and sunny slopes OF Fair
light
What his thoughts were during these
AoAbf SO4cHAL uIANes not hOul could guess
and he never conveyed by a single mono
syllable one impulse Of his soul. And the
weary-hearted coachman felt as If he were
driving his masters hearse over lonely,
beaten ways rather than his animate self
during these sorrowful, souldepressing
outings. Many pitied Sir Rupert as he
passed by, but many more sympathized
with and pitied the loug-sufTering coach
man.
Perhaps the austere soul of Sir Rupert
was relentng-was doing earnest penance
in the worcless marches. All 1t might
have been deepest compunction was busy
with the lOng-neglected heart, and doing its
work in the dark depths of his silent soul;
perhaps that calm serenity on his daugh-