The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-02
IcoPYR1eHT, 1892, BY TnLorsoN & sox.l

toe sake OF the health Of the lovers.
The baronet, however, had another Oh
ject in view. He deemed it best for 81 con
cerned that the marriage Of his daughter
should take place as early as pass be ID
felt bitterly that ne should have to sur
render his child 30 soon to anothe's care
but he did no. hesitate to make the sacrifice
when he knew how at am moment, by al
accident or flaw in his plans, she might 50
greatly need some one who would take III;
Iiace. Besides, neither Royal nor Lee
we're to be counted on with CO fiieuce.
In wha. way the former could object 70
the marriage Sir Lawrence hardly anew
but he had lately felt develop within MN
an underlined but powerful fear OF his part
ner which he could not suppress, ana "llcn
certainly added 10 his wish 70 .CYIIe Nel-
I've with a guardian aud protector VI
Royal himself little had been heard since
that night when he had fed from Hun,Ing-
ford House.
Believing the whole game up, he had fed
abroad at once, remaining IN hiding until,
reassurrl d bv the fact that the ne wspapers
contai ed nothing 10 support MS Tears, he
had concluded that somehow the Kat had
managed to tide things over.
He reiolcsd not a little a, this, but his re-
ioicing5 we're early cut short. He received
a letter from Sir Lawrence lin th -ir own
cipher) entirely dissolving tie partnership,
once and finally but Offering him a good
pension for bis maintenance in the future.
ROYAL was much taken Gback by the turn
Of affairs, but being just then on the scent
Of a good piece OF bust ess which be was
quite villain enough TO execute by himself,
he submitted quietly at first only making
provision for the FIGURE by writing TO
| Madge, who, despite all abe now knew, clung
| 70 him STILL not ouly because of her VOW to
save him. but for another and more pow
| erful reason-to follow up the Huntingfords
in every way possible, and keep him in
formed Of every detail concerning them.
As for Loo, his future ia .her-iu-law I'M
derstood bis nature well enough TO know
that. despite the greatness Of his love for
Nellie, which had conquered his aversion
to mating in his guilt with any woman, the
sacrifice of honor to love cJse him every day
not little suffering.
Scarcely al hour, a moment, but the lad
was fighting over and over again that uat-
tie. Self-accusation was strong, but the
love was stronger, at least in the beginning
Were the struggle prolonged there was no
knowing what might be the ISSUE For this
reason too, then, the sooner the wedding
took place the better
There was another part to Leo's suffer-
ings, however, worse even than his sef-re-
proach. 1t was that horror he felt at seeing
before him daily, hourly, the living monu-
meut of his crime in the father of hls little
blind love. The torment ne suffered from
this cause it would be difficult to describe.
1t was agony which ate into his heart like a
canker, and even when he was most per-
susded that there was no harm in having
given way to the Rats persuasions, drove
him almost beside himself
Dimly realizing this, Sir Lawrence kept
apart from him as much as possible, often
absenting himself from home entirely, sore
against his will. 1t was on this account
that he had refused gently but firmly TO
acceds to Nellis's request TO let them all
live together after the marriage just as be-
fore.
Such an arrangement would have been
after his own heart, for the unhappy father
felt that the hourly outrOuring OF his
daughters love was the one thing which
would make bearable the future that seemed
so dTear and dark and full Of pain, none
the less terrible to bear because self-inhicted
by that ono false step.
But for the lads sake it was impossible
and since upon him depended little Nellle
happiness, the father did not hesitate L
make the sacrifice.
Mean while Leo bore bis pain as best hi
| could. Sometimes IL seemed to him that ht
| could do so no longer, that sooner than be
| prey to such an agony OF selt-reproach al
his guilt imposed upon him, sooner than tie
| her to him, wretch, who, however SAT,
| from punishment was not the less a crimI
| ualt u muAueEeT, no WOuLu give Dis nttl'
| love up.
Bot directly he had forced upon himself
this resolve, he realized to the full VIVA
that giving up meant, and it became impos
sible
The nearer the wedding day approached
for, about Two months after the union o.
Nellie to her father. It was fixed at tn,
same length Of time distant, (Sir Lawrenc,
dared not show too much haste) III,
greater, became the horror within him a
what he did, but also the greater grew tn,
love Tor little Nell, who, indeed, with in
creaslng health, strength aud happiness, be
came yet more fairy angel, such as would
have enchanted any heart, and actually Sc
ensnared that OF her lover, that while hC
was almost driven to madness by the dssir,
TO give her up because 1t was right could
only cling the more convulsively to her
feeling that In her love lay the one hope and
light in all his desolate, dArkened life
1t was not strange that it never occurred
10 MIN that there was another way open tc
him than to fly from hero nfession.
While be had not had strength to doubt
her fathers judgment and comfort as to in.
nocence in intention, to have let his LITTLE
love SO much as guess his secret would hav,
been the worst punishment Of all. He c1ulC
think OF going away, flying from her with
| out word, leaving her forever only faith.
less as it were-and heaven knows tina
| thought was painful enough-but beside bel
love, his sin stood out 50 great, so black. 50
terrible, that even to think of it when il
her pre- renee made his very heart stanc
still, his face grow pale and dra W. his eye
light up as by glow wi hin, look of al
most more than mortal fear.
| AT these times IL was as well little Neli,
had no eyes, or she might have recalled
| wildly the secret which had once so nearly
divided them. aud which upon their uniot
she seemed to have put 50 entirely from he
| mind, for never once since in her pleading
bad she mentioned 1t, to her lovers glea
relief. And yet pain also. For by her ap.
! parent heedlessness of she plainly attached
but little importance to it, and so to deceiv,
| her seemed doubly cruel
| That the truth should come to light with
out his will, Leo did not imagine. So Ions
a time had passed, Aoove all SO great wa!
the trust he had Ia the Rats deception
who, it will be believed, in exposi it /
him. laid but little stress upon his own fear
Of its failure at any moment), that disco very
seemed next to impossible and above all Of
so little consequence compared to the actua
| crime.
And SO time went on, until once more Sir
Lawrence saw his plans near completion
the wedding Gay Of bis child fixed for thu
morrow.
The very day before, observing that with
the near approach OF the day, Leo grew
more and more uneasy TO his presence, {
sure sign OF the greatness of the struggle
within him, and fearful, now that all prom.