San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-09-04

" NJ tiANy AAtNNA SDllN NC prev lOl- evening,
and at which st. George had not put in an
appearance.
The squire was quite close TO the doOr
and did not lose one word Of their CONVEX
sation
He heard Miss Fraser say, Really,
Maria, you should try not to look so woebe.
gone-people will remark it; and, besides,
| am certain Mr.. St. George fully intended
going TO the dance. Something has pre-
vented lis doing So"
"lf he wished to go he would have been
there" Fcplied poor Maria. IL fear he does
not really care Tor me, and is Only amusing
himself. Unless he comes this evening
| shah Ue sure of it. | told him we would be
at home, so we shall see"
Kerwan had heard enough, and deter
mined to leave the house quietly, so that
the girls might not suspect he had over
heard their conversation. Placing the
opera tickets on the table, he stole down
into the hall and in another moment was
in the street, without having been seen by
any of the family.
How he wished that something might oc-
cur to keep St. George away that evening!
Maria might then perhaps favOrably con-
trast his devotion with the soldiers indif-
| ference. He knew that St. George had
been Unexpectedly prevented going to the
dance by being obliged to take another
officers duty, and there was a nance of
his having to do so again this day. So he
resolved to 90 to the barracks and find out,
under preteXto of Il visit to Mr.. Neville, who
! had asked him TO inquire about a hunter
he was anxious to purchase.
just at this moment a drag drove up
/ with tina young warrior on the box, who
hailed the squire and drew up with a crash.
They We're going to hear u celebrated choir
at St. Patrick's church. Would he come?
He at once Joined the party, among whom
was st. George.
After the service, as they weNa looking at
| the curious old building, the sexton in
| quired if they would like TO see the crypt.
On their asserting, he lit a torch and they
| descended into the vaults.
Young Neville soon declared he had had
| enough of it. and ran up the steps, followed
by all his companions except St. George,
who was looking at an inscription at the
| far end of the crypt.
As kerwan turned aud looked back at
the soldierly figure of the hussar, the dia-
bolical idea occurred to him to keep his
dangerous rival out of the way for that
evening.
In m instant he pushed the heavy door
of the vault, which shut with a loud bang,
leaving the poor young officer in semi
darkness and "A prisoner.
The rest of the party went gaily back to
| their quarters without having observed the
absence of their friend.
| Half frightened and half eXultant at
what he had done, kcrwau returned to his
| hotel, and lost no time in presenting him
| self sat Mrs. Fraser's tea table, where he
was cordially welcomed by that lady and
| her eldest daughter, but scarcely noticed
by Maria.
| That young lady employed herself by
standing on the balcony, watching the hall
door and listening to every footstep in the
] street.
As the squire steaIthily observed her
anxious ami preoccupied air, he thought
with grim satisfaction that she would not
see st. George enter the house that even
ing, at all events.
Thinking II was now time to release his
pr.s"ner, kcrwau excused himself for leav-
ing 50 earl! and bude the ladies good night.
A. he let the house he looked up at the
drawing room windows: the lamps shone
| cat brightly, Az! he could hear Miss Fraser
siL..nZ, but Maria was leaning motionless
over the 3&l"oEy and gazing sorrowfully
down the street.
kcrw@n turned angrily away, and hail
ing a cab drove to the sections house,
which was close to the church. He in
tended to get the old man to open the door
of the vault under the pretcXt of having
lost a p~ocEctbook, which he thought he
must have dropped in the crypt, and which
ne wished TO search for immediately. He
EnOckCd long and loudly at the door, but
no one answered; he could not make him
self heard by any one in the street. At
last an old ma who passed by told him the
sexton was not at home, but would return
in IN hour, as ne had only gone to see a
friend AS 1t vas now nearly daylight
k"rWan determined to walk up and down
nni await his return. At last lie APP
pc,rci, AMI both men Wuut at once to the
church.
On lhc dour Of the vault being opened
herW&n expected to see the hussar rush
ont, but there WIS nett her voice nor sound
in The egypt. All was silent as the dead
that had lain there for centuries.
y dreadful fear crept over kerwan rs a
shout of horror from the sexton drew him
quickly intO the vault.
There Iay the unfortunate young officer,
stone dead! The poisonous air of the
vault and horror of his situation had killed
him!
Years after i'll IA Spanish monastery was a
monk who had brought much wealth to
the community, aud whose self inflicted
penanCes were so severe that the brothers
suspected his mind was burdened by re-
morse, and they judged rightly.
= |
Some few days after Maria Fraser had
last seen the i'll fated hussar Mr.. Neville
brought her a letter found in the desk of
Ii ln.. l,rnt Inr. q u,n L q 1880. iinnntnI "a L