The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-06

my life, even when we were little thine
together! All the time / was ava
working and slaving the one hope 1 ha
: was to win you, to make home 10
: You"
serves. :,
Nora2 And until lately l could no
have written as wished"
They are near tho green & ate now
where a tall thin man Is waiting. Nor
drops Jacks arm and the color in he
cheeks deepeps =.
"Mr. Scropel How you startled mol
az have returned" the poet says.
Nora confusedly performs the cere
mony OF introduction. Then all three
20 into the house, and MI: scrope passes
the evening in dejscted attitude, his
pale cheek resting on his hand mama
ner meant to suggest heartbreak.
The next morning Jack Ia smoking in
q quaint brown room at Tower Court, a
bach elorlike den with one great window
looking out onto the woods, which Just
now are lovely with autumn foliage. BE
is dreaming OF Nora, as he has done for
many day, when q visitor IN a Tenny'
sonian cloak and hat and with waving
faxen locks is shown in.
"Oh, Mr.. Scrope, how are you2" says
Sir John, after rather bewiidered glance
at the aesthetic young man.
"You are surprised 10 see me-" OBJ
serves the poet, whose face is paler than
ever, his lips looking like a thin faint
"Well, a little. Won't you cit down?
What a jolly evening we hadl"
"Sir John, q most painful duty has
brought me here, and before cit down
7 must tell you what have TO tell" Mr..
ScIope says mysteriously.
"buty first by all means. What is the
matter"
81 understand that you are engaged to
Miss Nora PRESCOTT"
more interested. "What about III"
"Are you fully aware OF her antece'
dents?"
jack lays down his cigar and looks
steadily at his visitor. His eyes sparkle
and he frowns, but he says nothing, and
the poet resumes:
"Do YOU know that her father was
charged with forgery, and though he
was acquitted on account Of insufficient
evidence most people believed him
gullty?"
II know that he died protesting his
innocence" replies Jack, land I have |
always given him the benefit OF the
doubt. May ask how you became &C.
quainted with that wretched old story |
Miss Prescott herself has never heard Of
it, and, please Heaven, never will"
II am only an obscure individual OF
iowiy birth and limited means," says
Scrope, "but loved and still love Nora.
When I obtained Mrs. Stamet's permits.
sion to seek her niece for my vile, she,
as in duty bound, told me the story"
"Why do you think she would treat
me less honorably2 Why should she
place less confidence in me than your"
Jack asks coolly and calmly.
II could not believe" scrope declares,
ssthat man Of your wealth and position,
bearer OF an old name and the last oil an
old race, would choose for his vile one
on whom the slightest shadow Of dis.
grace rested"
There 10 silence Tor few moments,
during which the poet, with arms folded,
views his rival, who turns to him atlast,
and without the slightest appearance OF
II have heard you; now hear me-. Il
you speak OF this to any living soul
again I will make you wish you had
been born dumb. No one can breathe a |
word against Nora, my beloved and hon
ored wife that is to be, and that's all
caro- for; but will not have her panied
and wounded and grieved to crafty
your spite. You poor, pitiful creature.
| have known about her father since
WAS a boy! The door and the window |
are both open, and you can choose by |
which to go out" Il
The poet vanishesi and the seasons Of
mists and mellow " fruitiulness sees jacks
fidelity rewarded, and Nora entering on
new and happy life with the best Of
her lovers.