Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-21
THE ATHELSTONS;
VICTOR AND yANQUIsHED.
BY MARY CECIL HAY.
OR

NO 01plA1Q WuOm u6 bpOko. "I don't know whom you mean, !" stammered Miss Castillain, stubbornly, her handkerchief to her eyes. "Where did you leave Miss Chester 2" he said, his raised voice sterner and more abrupt than she had ever heard it be- fore.
 "At the tarn, close to it-I think. At any rate, she was there at the time, |" reioined Miss Castillain, not so much confused as careless; "I saw her run ming toward them"
 "Them Do you know that you are duplicating Mir. Jeffrey, too?" put in the rector. stopping her. Don't say any more yet, please, Miss Castillain. '" "But Sir Neil asked me about Miss | Chester" she sobbed, with renewed tears "nnd tell him I saw her run ming toward Mir. Spendir as he struck the blow" her grief had not quite de- prived Louisa Of her cunning" and when she saw he had killed him she fainted. How could wait to see moro when wanted helpP"
 And then Louisa's sobs seemed to overcome her utterly.
 But Neil took no trouble to offer even Q soothing word.
 "I shall find her" he muttered, with 1 contemptuous lips. "Oh! what shall we doP" cried En- fly borden, weeping bitterly, and cling ing to her fathers arm. "Wil it be too late ?"
 "Hush 1" hO said, appeasingly; "let dear. An thank heaven there's Sir Go to mamma, my pet; shall soon be back"
 If there had been Q hundred lives at stake, the father would have had time for his child's kiss.
 his seat, and holding the furs aSide for Mfr. borden to take his place beside him {; while the Colonel swiftly mounted be- hind, and, on his own responsibility, told Ridley he would not be wanted Cautiously Neil held in the fresh, thor ough-bred horses, and bent to speak to Marjorie, raising his hat instinctively as he did SO.
 "You were always her friend, Mar iorie, " he said "Be satisfied, dear-1 will find her."
 "I am coming" she answered, cold ly; but he did not hear. His selfish impatience dominating over every other thought, he urged on his horses down the slope and soon they were racing over the shadowy turf, Louisa Oastillain, who had mounted again, following as rapidly as she could.
 "Emily," whispered Marjorie, en- treating as Miss borden had never heard her entreat before. "lend me your horse and your skirt, will you? Nothing else Il cannot wait for anything elso. Fetch me the skirt, and I'll saddle the horse myself"
 Deftly and rapidly she did it, ran back into the house for a moment to change her skirt, then mounted without assistance, and cantered on, with tight ened rein, beside the swollen brook. Long before the dog-cart reached the tarn, she had left Louisa behind, and she only slackened speed when she saw the three gentlemen standing in the gloom beside the water. Only those three, she said to herself, with gasp that sounded like relief. She joined them with quiet pain upon her face ; but the water-growing darker and darker every moment now, as the long November night drew on-held its secret safely. She turned sick and faint as she stood there, for to her heart also was whispered now that one miserable word whose echo must finger for ever more about this spot.
 "u he had saved himself" remarked Mir. borden, "we should have seen him. I have no further hope of that. There is no trace of his struggling to the shore"
 "There are traces of struggle here, |" said Col. Stuart, who had been cautious ly examining the foot path which skirted the edge of the water. "There are foot marks here of more than one."
 "Yes," answered his brother magis- trate, gravely, cit must have ended with that deadly act. This will be @ painful business"
 And then there was e short and pug Eled silence among them, and not one but wished that he had not been Sheriff or magistrate just then, "T suppose, Sir Neil" Mir. borden said at last, "1 must first send the po- lice to Nr. Spendir's cottage" Neil answered, moodily, that he SUD- ! posed so. His thoughts hardly followed the rector's words, and Marjorie knew this.
 "Neil," che whispered, her sweet voice very low and earnest, "do not go on tonight, dear Neil. It will be klnd- est not to seek her."
 "Absurd l" he answered with a gest- ureSof tmpatience; "she has been fright ened and is alone. Where is your wom- anly pity ?"
 "The pity I feel, !" returned Marjorie, hurt at his tone, but still gently entreat- ing him, "I wish you could understand -oh, wish you could Don't seek her, Neil"
 But again he spurned her words, in eager, petulant haste.
 " Real pity for her see you cannot understand, she said then, coldly. "Go and bring her back here, if you will. You have been cruel 10 her always, crown it with this last and meanest cruelty"
 He hardly seemed to understand what she was saying.
 "Must I go to this fellows cottage before I have my own liberty, borden 9' he asked, haughtily.
 "I should like you to do SO. think we ought" the rector said. | "And we may perhaps see Miss Ches- ter there, put in Col. Stuart, to delay