The Globe-republican., 1891-12-17

$40 you know why 1 have taken up
Richard Accrington?"
Il dare not con lecture, ii it is not
from amiable courtesy to stranger,
replied Mrs. Dellamere, placidly.
.Ha, ha! l don't do things for moth
ing. have Merton Rae staying with
me this summer; she wants Auberon
Crecy, but l intend him for-hem-for
somebody else. Merton Rae's fine
girl, good blood. beauty, no money! she
Shall have Richard Accrin2ton, eh?"
She looked round at Mrs. Dellamere's
| startled face, but caught nothing more
interesting than that first twitch of sup
pressed anguish, succeeded by COM
placent brow.
IAN excellent match, I should say"
observed she, with al The congealing
grace of a finished manner: "let US hope
the lady will prove dociie."
mo fear of that. once Auberon
Crecy's booked for the other girl.
chuckled the ancient cynic. Il hear
Accrington is buying that fine old place.
Sheldralk Castle, near Archerfield's
barracks Twas in the family genera
lions ago, you know, and was squandered
away by a clever scoundrel just like
Dick. I'm going to have him restore it,
furnish it splendidly, and take his wife
home He shall have the Rae, she's the
! handsomest thing Of the season-every-
bodys daughters excepted, OF Counsel"
! added her grace, with court bow a
! century old.
~He has returned with wealth then?"
said Mrs. Dellamere, languidly in
terested.
~Cartloads of wealth; trust a man
| with a face like his for that! He did
something somewhere, and got cut at
the secret service fund, and so-he's
! able to buy an ancestral castle and q
borough"
Thus the old gossip prattled on, and
even she, suspicious as she was, could
not half comprehend the feverish in
terest with which Laura DelIamere
listened to the splendid fortunes Of this
once obscure man whom she had madly
betrayed in her fatal ambit on to wed
witn Dellamere, the old, cold, brutal
husband who was dead.
She had broken Accrington's heart
| Tor thought she had) as ruthlessly as
she had broken her own; and had borne
proudly al. the disgusts and bitternesses
of life since; aye, even during that sick
ening time when the man she had loved
seemed to come back to her with timid
and tender adoration-only to fly like a
mailman from England for love OF Lady
Inchcape
But he has come once more, ali. why?
She is so weary of regret, so famished
| for true love, that she dreams bewil-
dering dreams where all seems possible,
| NJ o1, oc< holiovoc in ho ,v,vcfico1 fu1.
| fillment of her life's unacknowledged
hope.
IT'S the third time of his coming
Fortune has special blessing for Num-
Der Three!
Colonel Accrington had not been idle
during these few weeks since his re-
turn. He soon comprehended the con-
ditions of Lord Inchcape's existence,
how seldom he was to be met in public
life, and how frigidly he kept aloof from
all that went on in the neighborhood.
He ceased to fear him as forbidden
presence forever intruding on his hours
of pleasure or ambition; he felt that
Inchcape's pride would prevent his seek
ing occasions to show his scorn of him
self-a little care might save any future
future repetition of that scene which
had burned into Accrington's conscious
ness like shameful brand, discovering
his own helpless cOwardice to himself,
and rousing a passionate desire for
vengeance.
No hate so vindictive as that which
the injurer bears the injured-until PEN
itence and restitution wipe off the score.
Accrington could not repair the wrong
he had done Lord Inchcape without ex-
posing himself to the heaGs of political
power as false man, and base, whom
to advance would be to disgrace them
selves.
And he intended to advance; the eager
ambition of manhooi's prime was upon
him; he had proved his powers and seen
them recognized; and he now longed to
grasp the prizes that hung highest on the
political course.
He would enter Parliament, that was
the first step. He had not dreamed of
Stafford as possible arena for his abili-
ties when he came to England; the mere
presence Of Inchcape would have been
enough to darken that scene; but the
radiant vision of Loveday Dellamere had
dawned upon him like q new revelation
of happiness: her beauty was much, but
her unutterable joyousness chained him
to her with fascination as strong as
that which draws a man perishing with
thirst to the delicious sparkling fountain
He was very thirsty for deep draught
of happiness, untinged by any faint of
sin or regret; and a life with Loveday
seemed sure to be as bright and care-free
as herself
Love and vengeance twined cord
strong enough to hold him fast in Sal
ford; and here he was, the admired lion
of fashionable fete. and the acknowl-
edged antagonist of Edgar Arden, in the
approaching election for Stafford.
The member for Stafford, one of the
neighboring landowners. had very re-
Gently died; and the Earl of Inchcape
had been telegraphing in every direction
for his heir to return, as he wished him
to stand for election; but Accrington was
first on the ground. and, supported by
his kinsman Archerfield. and by his law
ish expenditure, he was already foe to
be dreaded. Still the Inchcape interest
was strong. and his side the popular one;
Arden's return might completely over
throw Accrington.
o. hnl <ol~ % no1