The Globe-republican., 1891-12-17
CRUEL
-=AS=
THE CRAVE
The Secret of DunraYen
Castle.
BY ANNIE ASHMORE,
Author Of Faithful Margaret" ETC.. Etc
CHAPTER vII.-Continued.

CHAPTER vII.-COntinued.
She rose, deeply agitated, quite un
conscious of the beseeching expression
of her proud eyes, and only feeling tina
she might betray her thrilling hope an(
fear unless she changed her position.
Still holding her hand, he rose will
her, and spoke On with imperious urgen
cy. Speak; do you grant my request
or must l take nay own?"
A stifed sob came from her very
heart; she could not comprehend him
%The-the namc?" she stammered.
hat is it?"
"What! you do not guess?" cried he,
with fierce DISQUALIFICATION a gance
Of satanic mirth crossed his pale, anx'
ious face. She tore her hand from him
In wild revulsion of shame and wrath
show should | guess the new object OF
your vagrant fancy?" demanded she,
disdainfully.
mo, no: this is no fancy" exclaimed
AccringtOn. forgetting every lesser emo
ton in his fervOr, "this is the best love
of my life; l grew nobier merely by
musing on her; she is my peace, my
happiness; without her l can never be
cOmplete-my golden-tressed Aurora!"
@Her name?" breated Mrs. Dellamere
with bIoodless lips and dilated eyes, like
one fascinated by terror.
''Oh, true, you claim formal an
nOuncement," said Accrington, recover
ing himself. Il love your daughter Love-
day, dear madam, and crave her for my
wife"
The tide of Mrs Deliamere's feelings
reached its highest point of horror.
"My daughter your wfe!" she ex-
claimed bitterly with a recoiling gest-
ure. Il shall never consent! Such a
union would be abhorrent to every nat
ural instinct"
"You refuse" said Accrington with
flashing eyes. ais the past, which /
have Outlived, so sweet to you that it
renders such a union unnatural?"
But he could not goad her into consent
thus: it was her child's happiness she
was defending-she could suffer humili-
ating taunts for her sake.
"It is impossible OF that and every
ground" said she, her voice shaken
with passionate repugnance. ~YOu are
q treacherouS man; there have been
falsenesses in your life that even l have
seen. You cannot have my daughter.
Also, her heart is engaged"
She shook off his grasping hand from
her cashmeres, and fastened away.
But no. far; before she hal taken a
half dozen steps he was by her, look
ing into her face with laughing devil
in each of his eyes.
There can be but one explanation of
this resistance" said he. you love me
yet"
She stood looking up at him, her eyes
flashing with fierce scorn; her hands
locked together to crush down the wild
forces within her which threatened to
leap out in some vengeful act.
"You are q craven" she said, with
something grating in her sweet tones.
"If my heart could still cling to a man
like you should tear it from my breast.
You are false. l shrink from you, I
despise yon; is that love?
She waited a moment, with glowing
eyes fastened upon him, for any reply
he might venture to make, but as he
made none, only gnawed his lip in
speeches. humiliation, she turned quick
ly, and passed from his view with her
own silent, sweeping grace.
He returned to the fountain and
threw himself once more upon the stone
seat with a muttered malediction.
He had not believed she could defy
him: he had not prepared himself for
the open exhibition of her scorn.
Conscious Of his powers of manage
ment, he had thought to manipulate
Mrs. Dellamere through her wounded
pride until she would give him her con-
sent to win Loveday to save herself from
the suspicion of loving him yet
She had laughed him to scorn. and
he was vulnerable to the shame of be-
fnsv IL \
hate her
busy brain. He recalled his various
loves, and how sincere each had been in
its time How much this proud. imperial
beauty, Laura, had been to him in her
day! how sweet and warm had been
that early love. and how he had suf-
fered when she cas-. him aside for q
richer mate!
All! she deserved to suffer in her turn;
he should not spare her.
Then a wild memory Of Enge.onde
Inchcspe flew like a red-hot bot
through his soul, her majestic purity.
her unsullied fidelity, and her bitter
fate.
He clenched his hand and drove the
6lighting thought away with a heartfelt
imprecat;on.
Then stole the image Of Loveday Del
aamere upon him, tender, softly; no
shadow of modification or remorse
blurred that memory: he unused upon
her dawn-like youth and innocence, her
sunny beauty, which radiated pure Joy.
and he craved for her with passionate
Intensity as the wretched crave for hap
pine
Then he reviewed the resistance just
offered to his desire, and laughed sar-
donically.
He would brush aside this opposing
will as II it were q cobweb across his
path, let who might suffer.
CHAPTER VIII.
CALAIS. I HAVE A RIVAL.
Was 1t true that the dashing Scotch
belle. Merrion Rae, had fallen in love
with young Auberon Crecy?
The ancient sibyl Carisbrooke said so,
but then she said many foolish things.
and saw twice as far through a mill
stone As other neonIo