Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-07-25
THE ATHELSTONS;
OR
VICTOR AND vANQUISHED
By MARY CECIL HAY.


I really dare not finish my sentence"
"What makes you think Col. Stuart
is coming here this afternoon?" asked
Louisa, beginning to think it would
be safest to put her book away for
good.
because he told me, this morning
at the postofice, that he wished to see
"And did you ask him to call?"
"No. only said had not believed
before that any one ever really wished
to see papa"
"Oh, Marjorie, how disguised he
must have been I" cried the elder sister,
with pious horror yet rather enjoying
the thought, and the sight of the height
ened color in Mariorie's cheeks.
He was very much disguised" as
scented Marjorie, without reluctance;
"he would have been more scornful to
me than usual, only for the fact of its
impossibility."
"Even Neil says you have no flial
piety," mourned Miss Castillain, regret
fully.
you," was the slow reply; but,
Louie, don't let us speak Of The
words / came in on purpose to say,
have not said yet. I seem as if were
always saying them, she added, sadly,
"and always deciding to never say them
again yet-yet here am to plead once
more my old request"
"You need not repeat 1t" struck IN
Louisa, coldly; "I know what you
mean. and it viii be as useless to say it
now as it has always been. It is only
an insult to me for you to be perpetual
~ telling me what you wish my conduct
to be toward that wicked man and his
sister-h she really be his sister. will
not go on listening to you; I will not;
80 you need not try"
Louisa's voice rose shrilly in her ex-
element.
at will not try, then" answered Mar
iorie, the words almost rushing from
her hot, quivering lips "I have said
again and again that will not, and yet
always break my word"
Eyes, you do" concurred Louisa, her
handkerchief once more applied to her
dry eyes. g" and never shall have any
peace until that trial is over, and the
man is transported for life, and the girl
disgraced forever"
"Oh, Louie, hush hush have lit
tie pity !"
The quick, panied cry just family
reached the ears of Col. Stuart as he
passed uDobserved by the drawing-room
windows, and made him almost uncon-
sciously hesitate at the door before ring
ing. And while he waited Marjorie
broke her word again, and pleaded yet
once more for the solitary man in the
county Jail, whose life and liberty seemed
to her to be in her sisters power, and
then for the lonely girl to whom 1t would
be worse than death to be brought back
to the lonely home she knew.
But again, as it had been day after
day, the prayer was unheeded, the re-
quest coldly denied, and once more the
younger girls great earnestness- always
q hopeful arnestness-slowly died.
"Bless me !" exclaimed Louisa, at
last, as she rose and shook out the rich,
crisp plaits of her tunic, "do leave of
these theatrical scenes. You would, il
You could see how upbecoming they
are. Let those people alone. What
have You to do with them, or they with
you-low impostors as they areP If
did not feel really lowered by your con-
duct, could laugh at it; but cannot
even laugh, TO see You making yourself
80 ridiculous for man who has been
committed for murder, and who cannot
hope to be found guilty Of less, whatever
people may say about the defense being
reserved. Bah should like to know
Col Stuart, do verify believe"
But Louisa stopped at last. What
was the use of finishing her TRADE with
out an audience?
Marjorie had risen slowly from her
coaxing attitude, and left the room. The
shafts had sped after her from Louisa
tongue, but it would be useless to hurl
another now, for the door had closed
quietly behind the younger sister, and
the elder one was left alone with hel
" spleen, feeling uncomfortably mortified
= as we do when cleft behind" even in &
quarrel.
Crossing the hall, with her cheeks and
eyes af1ame, Marjorie became suddenly
aware that Col. Stuart was entering
it. He put down his hat, and advanced
to her with the easy, quiet at-homenesi
which characterized him. "Miss Mar
iorie," he said, retaining her hand onl.
9 for an instant, and not seeming to SCI
the emotion in her face, "I hear you
father is out at present May wait TO
him?"
Not direct question, beyond tba
obvious fact of his waiting, yet Marjorie
knew instinctively that he wished t.
speak to her before her fathers arrival
1t and that he had timed his visit for tina
purpose.
She led him in silence to that sombe
and ugly room where Mr.. Castillain'
business interviews were always held
= and, closing the door upon them, waite
for him to speak.
"Sir Neil Adhesion has gone to Lor
don this afternoon, Miss Marjorie" h
said. as he nut her q chair beside tn
smoIdering fire. "He has, as sus
Y pected, obtained q clew to Miss Chester
whereabouts, and Is following it u
nowI"
Marjorie knew that the Colonel's eye
were not fxed in curiosity upon her face
). she knew him far too well to imagin
it; yet she could not help the slow, rio
color gathering there, as she turned
him, astonished and grieved.
"Oh, Col. Stuart, how very, very Sol
) ~ I ami We have tried so hard to pr'
vent this, and now for us to have so u
, terly failed How is it ?"
r.. Il r IL Il