The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-02


with every gift he could need belea-h his
hnad, and then a shadow had come oveI
him, at the thought OF his father. Yet ht
felt that n being apart from him he wal
sparing the old man even worse pain thar
be would have to bear il he knew the truth
and ne prayed that they might never meet.
But even dill they do SO, 50 long was II
since the last time, and he then a mere
child, that did he not betray himself, recog-
milton on his fathers side seemed at least
unlikely The wedding over, NeiIisS Of
lection would deDar her from taking her
place in society, and at the hail. the home
her father had given her. such person as
Mr.. Ferret was little likely to put in an ap-
pearance.
But even the thought Of bis fathers suf-
feTlnZs was nothing TO the old horror which
crept over the lad in its train, heightened
none the less by Nervousness at The
thought of the solemnitv of the service
which be must 60 through on the morrow.
To stand up before Gods altar, and to
take thu sacred VOW t. love, cherish, and
protect the trusting, Innocent, aye, afflicted
girl, how great a mOckery IL would bel At
tue very moment the words were on bis
lips, the hand OF justice might be laid upon
him, and death part them indeed suoh an
one as would be death to her also.
As a hundred times before voNlHg to be
true to his honor aud false 20 his love, the
morrow's bridegroom had gons with
qulcg, nervous step out into the garden
| where he knew he should find Nellie hav-
ing promise to meet her there TO help her
with some flowers whose arrangement sue
had loaded to be allowed - undertake as
the one thing she could do, by way Of par
| ticIpating IN the pre- p8ration for the NOR
row.
The entrance by the garden gate of Sir
| Lawrence stayed him, fortunately, from
| putting his hot ideas into execution
7 - afA rutf haf hal
start, ha,t-shrink. which the barono's sud
ieu appearance always called from him,
| and which to a keen observer must have be-
| trayed som ethiDg amIss. Then in a more
natural Tone BACK so so1nl We did not
expect you until Tonight Nellie will be
| delighted"
The baronet. however, noticed the
strangeness of his looks, and in fear, de-
| termiued to avert the evil which threatened
! if possible.
Gong nearer to Leo, he looked into his
! face with one of his kindly questioning
! glances.
And you, my boy, are you not pleased
! 70 Sc 8 me, tooF'
"Of course, Sir Lawrence replied Leo.
avoiding the gaze, and speak, hastily aad
nervOusly, how else could ! be- whom res
tuember all you have done for me, both as
my master aud Nellie's fathsrn
And yet" said the baronet, still keep.
ing up his set gaze as il he sought by means
Of his own powerful will TO suudue the other,
whose weakness he dreaded so much, ''aud
yet, despite all my assurances, you still
seem TO look upon me as-well as we hovs
say when We were children, as a bogy."
My boyh9od IS far enough away from
me, hidden. it seems behind an iron wall, a
dark curtain, and vet you do indeed play
the bogy to me, and one I dare face 10
| longer" burst out Leo in a way which
m pnp the HStAuar tTaTuhla So avy5-
dence was it of the strength Of the fire with
in.
"What ails you, Leop he asked gravely.
| "Did We not once ana for ali settle the mat
| ter, agree that there was 40 evil now in this
l Dose to do, that for your safety At is
best | should g. on. above all, because you
are not guilty by any save a most cruel fate
| OF the crime, for which other wise you
| might suffer the worst of deathsN
The 70. ds Ia the fathers despGirlng -
sire TO save his child we're splendIdly chosen.
! They recalled to Leo that he was not the
| only one who sui ered in innocence, while
! though he was no coward he could not bat
| shrink from the mention Of the punish meut
| which must follow his confession,
"Guiltlessl' he cried, with a conclusive
| shuGdar. "lf for one brief moment could
be So reel But" he added in tones OF
| fierce despair, such as LEFT no doubt of his
sincerity, III Is not Tor myself 1 care 81
much, l am thinking of Nellie! What
ali God-what would the truth lie to her ~
at is for that very reason we agreed to
suffer-" said Sir Lawrence, retaining his
composure with difficulty, realizing how
terrible was this, the Tirst and lat battle
between him and the guilty in belief soul,
but determined not to give up hope when
81 much depended npon the issue. Why
else? What more can | do to show it than
have dOnei Heaven only knows what nv
Suiferings are-but | do no. finch. | Will
not Look back, only forward-aad hope"
The last touch was an unlucky one. IL
did away with the subdutng power of the
words that had gone before.
"Hopep repeated Leo. There may be
such for you, but for me-there is none
nonel You are wrong, Sir Lawrence, over
to let me enter into this contract.
cannot marry Neil, kno wing myself rs l
am
You doubt my love for her; for it is not
only with my consent, but by my wish
that she will be your wifes" asked the baro-
net. hoarsely, for there was terrible strug
gle going on within him, too, knowing as
ne did, the truth, but for fear Of Royal,
whom Leo, IN his self-jusuication, was
more than likely to demonstrating he must
not cut this terrible tanRie by disclosing it.
mo, no, replied Leo, shrinking back be-
fore the double look OF pain upon the fathers
face.
AAO phA obA c9AlA AlOiO a IlDLnSHJ lhGST,
when, in his desperation, that father struc
at him blow equal to the one he had re-
ceiyed himself.
But | doubt yours ne said in the tone
which gathered fierceness as he continued
Yes, | see; the whole plan is this. You q
back from loving her. You have tired OF
her because she is afflicted
The Y of anguish which broke from the
young mans lips made the speaker pause,
and for a moment there was silence between
the two.
Then Leo spoke, white to the lips, and
tremoiing as If the blow had been a physi-
cal one. God forgive you" he whispered
You didn't mean 1T, | know that" And
he held out q cold hand, which Nellie'a
father clasped in silent misery. 81 am not so
base as that, guilty wretch as l am. Her
very blindness makes me love her the more,
and yet hate myself the more, for had she
her eyes she must read my secret in my
face.n
"Bear up, be a man for her sake" said
Sir Lawrence, needing all his will to obey
his own advice. Think, tomorrow the
new life begins"
thrill OF joy shot into Leo's cold, heav Y
heart, but in moment faded away.
The future cannot lessen the terrors of
the present. he moa ed, hiding his face in
his hands, convulsively. mo power on
earth can blot cut tue black record Of the
past"