The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-01
--nasr proud stomach that cometb of far

1 y
lead me not to Master Tingcomb.n
He scrambled up briskly and tottered out
of the kitchen into "a stone corridor. / after
him. Along this he hurried, muttering all
the way, and halted before door at the end.
Without knocking he pushed it open, and.
motioning me to enter FASTENED back as he
had come.
"Come in," said voice that seemed famil-
lar to me.
Though, as you know, twas still high day.
in the room where now ! found myself was
! every appearance of night; the shutters be.
ing closed and six lighted candles standing on
the table. Behind them sat the venerable
gentleman whom I had seen in the coach,
now wearing plain suit of black and read
ing in great book that lay open on the ia
bic. guessed it to be the Bible: but noted
that the candles had shades about them. SO
disposed as to throw the light, not on the
page, but on the doorway where STOOD.
Yet the old gentleman, having bid me en-
ter, went on reading for while as though
wholly unaware of me; which found some
what netting, so began:
81 speak, I believe, to Master Hannibal
Tingcomb, steward to Sir Deakin Killigrew. u
He went on, as if ending his sentence.
aloud:
And my darling from the power of the
dog" Here he paused with finger on the
place and looked up. eyes, young sir, that
is my name-steward to the late Sir Deakin
Killigrew.n
1.-THE late?" cried l. Then you know'-
"Surely know that Sir Deakin is dead,
else should | be but an unworthy steward -
He opened his grave eyes as if in wonder.
"And his son, also?"
"Also his son Anthony, headstrong boy,
I fear me; a consorter with vile characters.
Alas! that should say it,"
"And his daughter, Mistress Delia?"
'Alas!" and he fetched deep sigh.
do you mean, sir, that she, too, is dead O.
"Why, to be sure-but let us talk on less
psinful matters"
''In one moment, sir; but first tell me-
where did she die and when"
For my heart stood still, and was fain to
clutch the table between US to keep me from
falling. l think this did not escape him, for
he gave me a sharp look, and then spoke very
quiet and hushed.
''She was cruelty killed by highwaymen at
the Three Cups inn, some miles out of Hun
gerford. The date given ME is the Sd of
December last"
With this great joy came over me, and
l blurted out, delighted:f
There, sir, you are wrongi Her father
vas killed on the night of which you speak
cruelty enough, as you say; but Mistress
Della Killigrew escaped, and, after the most
incredible adventures
was expecting him to start up with ioy
at my announcement; but, instead of this, he
gazed at me very sorrowfully and shook his
head, which brought me to a stand.
Sir" said, changing my tone, ''I speak
but what l know; for twas had the happy
fortune to help her to escape, and under
Gods hand, to bring her safe to Cornwall
Then, where is she now?n
Now, this was just what l could not tell.
So, standing before him. gave him my name
and history of all my adventures in nv
dear comrades company, from the hour when
L saw her first in the inn at Hungerford. Still
keeping his finger on the page, he heard me
to the end attentively, but with a curling of
the lips towards the close, such as did not
like And when had done, to piy amaze he
spoke out sharply, and as if to whipped
schoolboy. 49,
otis a cock and bull story, sir, of which
| could hope to make You ashamed. Six weeks
in your company? and in boys habit? Sure
ly twas enough the pure, unhappy maid
should be dead-without such vile SANDER on
her fame, and from you, that were known,
sir, to have been at that inn, and on that
night, with her murderers. Boy, l have evil
dence that taken with your5confession, would
weave you halter; and am a justice of the
peace. Be thankful, then, that | am a merci-
full man; yet be abashed"
Abashed, indeed, | was; or, at least, taken
aback, to see his holy indignation and the
flush on his waxen cheek. Like q foolI stood
staggered, and wondered dimly where had
heard that thin voice before In the confu-
sion of my senses heard it say, solemnly:
''The sins of her fathers. have overtaken
her. as the Book of Exodus proclaimed:
therefore is her inheritance wasted, aud given
to the satyr and the wild ass"
And which of the twain be you, sir?"
l cannot tell what forced this violent rude
ness from me, for he seemed an honest, good
man; but my heart was boiling that any
should put so i'll a construction on my Della.
As for him, he had risen, and was moving
with dignity to the door-to show me out, as
| guess. When suddenly /, that had been
staring stupidity, leaped upon him and hurled
him back into his chair.
For / had marked his left foot trailing. and.
by the token, knew him for the white haired
man of the bowling green
Master Hannibal Tingcomb, u spoke in his
ear, dog and murderer What did YOU
in Oxford last November2 And how of Capt.
Lucius Higgs, otherwise Capt Luke Settle,
otherwise Mr.. x? Speak, before l serve
you as the dog was served that nightln
T 1-o+ - Il,
change that came over the vile, hypocritical
knave at these words of mine To see his
pale, venerable face turn green and livid, his
eyeball start, his hands clutch at air-it
frightened me-
Brandy" he gasped. Brandy there
quick-for Gods sallel"
And the next moment he had slipped from
my grasp, and was wallowing in a fit on the
floor. ran to the cupboard at which he had
pointed, and, finding there bottle of strong
waters, forced some drops between his teeth ];
and hard work it was, he crashing at me all
the time and foaming at the mouth.
Presently he ceased to writhe and bite;
and lifting, l set him in his chair, where he
lay, mere limp bundle, staring and blink
ing. So sat down facing him and waited
his recovery. .--------,.--
Dear young SIR" he began at length,
feebly, his fingers searching the Bible before
him from force of habit. Kind young sir
I am an DID, dying man, and my sins have
found me out. Only yesterday the physician
at Bodmin told me that my days are num-
bered This is the second attack, and the
third will kill me-"
"Well?n said l.
cliff Mistress Della be alive (as, indeed, 1
did not think / will make restitution-I will
confess-only tell me what TO do, that l may
die in peace"