The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-29


her own.
'OI my poor lady" she whispered. 81
J fear it's bat to- true"
1T is true" answered Lady Eunismore
N hoarse, changed voice. lit is George
Roche-Lorimer. what shall we do.
de seems in po1r way; no doubt we
can bride him. said Lorimer, still in q
Whisper there is nothing else for it, my
lady"
But to see him, TO speak to him again.
muttered Lady EnnismOre, with gesture
/ OF utter aversion. sit is too dreadful, too
I dresdfuln
IBID you bring any money, my ladyF'
Eyes, have e2OO in notes"
II would just give them TO him, aud get
I rid OF him. and agree TO give him a small
/ yearly sum" advised LOrimer, land l dare
I say he will be satisfied"
Lady Ennismore gave low moan, as if
/ Of anguish.
II shall never have another happy hour, ~
I she said.
( TRY to make the best of it. my lady; he
daren't say much. you know, because-of
that affair about the young officers money
| long ago.
Yes, he is a felon," answered Lady En-
! nlsmore, bitterly. But come, do not let
4 US waste time-come with me, Lorimer."
She grasped her old servants hand as il
! for support, and together the two white
faced trembling women went slowly up
A the stairs, and into the presence Of the man
/ who was waiting for them. His haggard
| face flushed little as they entered, but still
! with an air of bravado he held out his hand
! to Lady Ennismore
well, Katherine he said, latter long
years we meet again"
But Lady Ennismore shrank from his
touch, fixing her eyes with sort of shrink
ing horror on his face.
You know me again. l supposep in
| quired the man, with short, harsh laugh.
Il am only the ghost of my former self, it's
true, but still there's enough of me left to
recognize, isn't therep
Yes" said Lady Ennismore, forcing her,
self to speak, you are George Roche"
Your most humble servant to commando
Well, Katherine, you seem to have gone up
10 the world at the same rate | have gone
down in it-but still the past is the past"
81 believed you dead, ;" said Lady Ennis
| more, in a trembling and broken voice; ito
| me you are dead. but still for the sake of
old times am ready to help you"
.! am much Obliged to you," scoffed
Roche; 'for the sake of holding my tongue,
l suppose, about certain little ceremony,
perfectly legal one, too, mind We, which
took place long ago, and of which my
friend, Lorimer, here was witness"
You had best not speak of it, sir, said
able to help you, but you'd best let the past
| alone. or other ugly stories might come up,
which would be rather awkward"
Roche gave sort of hooking bow.
THANK you for reminding me, Lorimer,
of my stupid mistake, but no harm can
come to me from that now; the man Colo
! mel Daubeny is dead, and | don't suppose
even if he had been alive he would have
been vindictive enough TO rake up old
| scores"
"Still, SIR, you must see it's best to let the
! past alone; my lady was only a child in
those days, and think with shame now
that l acted as l did. Lady Ennismore
will, am sure, allow you a small sum a
| year, on the condition that the past is never
/ again to be mentioned between you,"
answered Lorimer, who was a woman of
! business, and knew how TO make bargain.
Roche gave a harsh laugh in reply.
"A small sum yearr' he said contempt
uously; that won't content me, my good
/ Loriner want big sum year for Civ
ing up so much"
"You had better name your price, said
| Lady Ennisnore with great bitterness.
"OIe wants long price for the loss of a
| wife and half of a big fortune, Katherine.
| However, III be moderate. viii you give
me lump sum down of Eve hundred
| pounds, and agree to allow me two thousand
| yearlyp
| CAunOJ, answered. haUnerln6 Ennis
more with quivering lips. II could not
allow you sucn sum without Lord Ennis
/ more's knowledge. and he"
well, what would he doln
/ HE would make no bargain with you at
ALL He is incapable Of acting as l am do
| ing now-of buying your silence"
| That's all very fine," grumbled Roche,
| but perhaps, though he is such a grand
| gentleman, he would not like to lose either
| you or your fortune without a struggle;
and you've children, too, haven't you,
| K ltherine!7
"Yesl" and then Lady Ennismore sud
| denly broke down, and fell sobbing on a
couch that was standing near; "for their
sakes l should die before this should be
| known. IL would kill myselfw
You ought to be ashamed of yourself,
| sir," said Mrs. Twiss. Indignantly, ito act
| as you're doing. You induced child long
| ago to commit great folly, and then for.
sock her at her time of need. And now,
after all these years, you've come back to
try to take advantage Of your disgraceful
conduct Doa't cry, my dear lady; give
| him the ready money that you've brought,
and let him talk reason about the yearly
allowance. Two hundred is too much, but
| perhaps You would give that's"
II will give you five hundred a year )"
| said Lady Ennsmore, in a voice broken
wi sobs, ION the condition that you keep
aDSo uIe 6llence ABOUT the past, and that
YOU keep your present name of johnson and
drop that of Roche forever. Aud | have
| brought two hundred with me- IN notes,
and will give you these on the same con-
ditions"
ITS too little, Katherine said Roche,
| who felt rather ashamed of himself under
the reproaches OF Mrs. Twiss and the sight
of Kstherine's tears. 81 didt mean to for
sake you long ago, IS you know very
well but That cursed business at the bar
racks forced me to fly and there was no
help for it,"
Let it all be forgotten" said Lady Ennis.
more, still in that r-choked voice. LAS
said before you are dead TO me, and for the
sake of my dear husband and children only
am acting as | am doing to-day. 1 will
give You the sum | named -"
Make it a thousand year and IN take
1t and hold my tongue. And as for the
name of Roche, curse it, it never brought
me any luck until now, and I'm really
enough to drop it for good. So let US strike
bargain-give me the two hundred now,
aid pay a quarterly income of a thousand a
year into some bank we can fix on to the
name of George johnson, and FL promise
not to interfere either with you or Lord
Ennismore-but l won't take less!"
Very we'll. you shalt have it. Lorimer
will arrange about the bank with YOU and
| will give her the money to pay in to your