The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-10
CHAPTER II.-CoNrINUED.
HEART AND DIAMOND

HEART AND DIAMOND.
The frown on the elder mans face dark
ened ominously, but he controlled himself
and asked abruptly:
''She is in earnest, theng She-beneVeS
IA you-loves your
A shrug Of the broad shoulders expressed
at once carelessness and conviction.
s'In earnestl She is SO abomIDably IN
earnest that have actually caught the in
fection-only our natures are different.
Madge is-well, suppose she Is good girl,
or means to be, whel cas- don't mean TO be
a scoundrel but / suppose / am. I've never
been lucky enough before to have 70 do
with a real lady-one with blue blood and
family pride. Anyhow, this game with
Madge has seemed different from the others.
She is the sort Of girl who would give her
life when once she has won-but the win
ming was hard. That led me on. was in
no mood TO be beaten, least OF all by Wo-
man who is ten times handsomer and ben
times more spirited than any other ever
metz Royals voice almost faltered, but
he quickly went on: HER father was a
hot-tempered old idiot. but she feared him.
Luckily for me he was proud. | had only
20 declare myself to be-well, almost as
great a scoundrel as am, to keep her from
owning up and begging his forgiveness aud
blessing. A runaway match was the very
natural consequence But | bad to work
as hard as hero in q melodrama. Talk Of
murder II is nothing TO the lady-killing l
had TO get through Royal smiled. so
far, 80 good. You know you found the
door open last night. didn't forget to inn
press upon her not to bang it after her. but
merely TO close it, when she ran away"
But why were you not with her"
IL told you she is q queer girl. Very
high notions of propriety and that sort OF
thing, so she fell In at once with my sug-
gestion to come 70 London alone-leaving
her fathers house early enough to give you
time to make your entrance and walking
across to a station some way down the line
20 avoid being tracked. l am merely to
meet her at London Bridge and conduct her
to lodging"-with a motion to a room
above
"You villainl"
"Strong words-to your partner" was the
reply, with a sheer. You are a nice fell
low 10 talk like that! You entered her
fathers house last night and robbed him Of
everything Of value you could lay your
hands on, and now you cut up rough be-
cause l run away with his daughter with
her consentp'
IT may be thief, but never yet harmed
q woman. You say We are partners-I say
we were. l am not fallen low enough to
1oin you in such DEVILS games This de-
cides me. From this hour-you go your
way and go mine"
There was no mistaking the earnestness
with which the older man spoke.
you mean itp asked the other, with one
Of bis side glances.
81 do" was the resolute reply. "t don't
want to talk cant, but it has come home to
me bit by bit that have made a mistake
Revenge won't undo the past; won't restore
my lost honor; won't bring my wife back to
life again, or make me a worthy father 10
my child" -
said Royal. There are too many ties be-
tween u.s.
~ tell you we do part, come what may"
was the reply. "And as for tiesn-a snap
of the fingers finished the sentence mean
ingly.
THAT Is your last wordP' asked the other.
sit is, so help me Godm
IF you can't get on without that it's
just as well we did split" was the reply.
But the fellow was plainly baffied, and
for some moments there was silence in the
room, broken at length by knock on the
door.
1.-THE postmanI" said the elder man, as he
reconnoitered through the slide "Why, It
must be years since he paid us visit.
There's no one IN the world who would care
TO write TO me. Surely Dark has not been
fool enough to put line on paper"
He opened the door and took the letter
eagerly.
1uO lOuDR mhu meanwhile not OBJ
serve him but following distractedlY his
train Of thought, muttered to himself, "a
splits And just now, with this affair on my
hands, it's awkward"
At that moment the elder man gave a cry
Of pleasure.
"My child Ny child"
The words called the others attention to
him.
"What is it," he asked, none too civilly.
"Ah! Ralph you scoffed at my prayer
just now, but 1t has been heard and an
swered."
"Answeredl Howr
by an angel! By my child. my lost lit
tie Nell Listenin
my Dearest Father:
Il wonder, when you read this
name, If 1t fills you with as much gladness
as 1t does me when l write it. | will not
listen TO those who tell me that 1t lie so long
since you saw or knew your child that you
must have forgotten her. Il is only lust
now that, after having believed was alone
in the world, with no one to love or care
for me, have learnt the glad, glad news
that have father. who, because l am
sure he judged il best, could bear that we
should 80 long have lived apart-I say so
long because the reason which makes me
claim you must soon bring us together.
bring us together-my father and |! How
glad even the thought makes me!
This home, dear father, in which You
placed me, is broken up. Our kind mistress
is dead, and, through the wickedness of one
she trusted, her money aud ours has been
lost, and we are left to begin the world
again. AT first the news was terri bic TO me
but when because OF it they told me had a
father. was selfish enough to be glad when
Others we're in such sorrow. But how could
help 1t, when 1t gave me 20 nv fatbsr9
This Is the sole address you left with our
mother, without even your name. in case
OF such need. which in obedience TO Won
the kept from me till now. But now am
flying 70 you to claim your love and give
you mine. shall wait a little while for
your answer, and If, because this is only ad-
dressed by three crosses, 1t does not reach
you, shall not wait, but come aud seek
you. So, till then, my dearest father,
Your loving child,
NELL"
my child God bless her, God bless her I
Her words have been sent TO save mew
The readers iron composure gave way.
and the fierce light in the gray eyes was
quenched in tears. The other rose abruptly
70 bis feet, drawing his DARK cloak round
him, muttering savagely, "Well / didn't
mean badly, but If things do go hard the
luck will be TO blame, not 1"
de banged the door behind him, and dis
appeared out into the street.
Lett 70 himself. the father, after q few