The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-25

ever the circumstances, was IN actual fact a
I-..-de .er. but the g was soms strength In
tie y ca, added 10 that or heT love, thst The
deed eyor coming TO light was q mater oil
impos a ility, since The proof lay in her
fathers hands and in Royals, who would
have, rs u sh re. in the profits no interest
in disclosing ~.
Urging upon himself this difficult and
! dangerous task, the Rat suddenly received
al unexpected aid, w-icl seemed almost %
set upon the plan the seal Of providence
As be was alone in the dining room, the
scene # tlis new tsugling OF the sksin,
waiting for the news of Lso's recovery
from his swo0n in the library to go t. him,
and set bis heart to fight the desperate bat
tie there must be between love aad honor,
fear anu hope, letter was put in his hand,
bearing black seal and edge, and brought
by a special messenger
1t conveyed to him the intelligence of the
death OF his weakly little nephew. HE So
cal ed heir, for 1t will be Understood, that
t e succession to the estates was first TO the
hunchback and then to the boy, the only
sol OF a elder brother Of the Rat, aad then
to tue Rat hi self.
The importance Of the news TO the latter
/ in ding his cause Ia TeconCil,ug Young Leo
to the deception will be at once seen.
The Kat mad been the dead boys heir, not
I vice versa as was Of course believed, and
/ thus no longer usIrped the position and
! ute TO the estates. They we're by clear
/ right actually his.
/ 5 aou fact must weigh heavily against
! Leo's scruples True, bis first idea, as had
! been the Rata, miglt he to dispense with
/ the farce, but while the latter saw that this
! vas not TO be thought of because Of his
| ideltlty as the Rat, which would naturally
/ come to light in establishing his claims, the
! boy must see that to tamper with the cloak
| which now as hsrmlsSsly cunni ngly con-
II l. -l.4I - f-f
! dangerous.
Should he, however, persist, which under
| the new circumstances was not at all prob
! able, or become suspicious at the Rats re-
! fusal to eicape from a position al once
| painful aud unnecessary Qhis though
| knowing but half the truth of MS identify
| 1t woud be easy 10 urge upon him the ever
| existing difficulty Of disposlng of the bunch
! back, s. as to escape all suspicion such as
! nigh, lead TO inquiry, while, could be who
| loved her be so deaf to the fathers plea
! that it would break his childs heart to lose
! faith IN her father, to be burdened with the
! new secret Of the deceptionl
That there was danger to Royal in the
marra age, the Rat aid not think twice, for
there was his plea against the Rat-how
could she ever, blind as she was, distin-
! gulsh one ASA sin from anotherl That Nellie
snould ever reveal her knowledge of his
supposed guilt to her husband Wa not at all
! pr babe. Because of the oath she he'd
| taken, and even in receiving his love
| never brOken-she would be silent For
! his own sake so W uld be and to what end
| should eitht her father or ROYAL eve open
her eyes! There certainly seemed none,
while, on the other hand, should anything
| traISplre, Leo's safe was assured by the
marriage, for, as she was the only witness
who was not chained by such reasons as
were Royal and tho Rat to keep size zee ia
the matter, as his wife las Royal had sur
missed in his marriage Ia Madge) willingly
or unwillingly giveu-nn1 t for uer, how
ever Improbable, might yet be, because OF
| her horror of the crime aud the being bound
TO one guilty Of it-her evidence, apart
from the fact Of her blindness, could not be
taken against him as her hus band.
Yea, to win over Leo seemed task not
only devoid Of any ne v in rim nation
| such es had hithe TO sec med to dog every
step the Rat made 20 shake off his old life
but TO settle matters equal all the way
| round.
| Yet while rejoicing not little at the CD.
! perfume new be had received Qittle did he
| guess how, in the future which he thought
| at least promised fair, he would look upon
that very dropping away of his bonds as a
| new pain to mis- inn .risonn emit the Rat did
not for moment lose sight of the difficult
les OF his task, The utmost care must be
! become suspicious, nor yet rehelious.
The Rats first move was judicious one.
He judged thai nothing could 80 reduce
the lad to submission as for him to realize
what the loss Of his little blind loves love
would be TO him. and that the more by his
| own renuncleu Il.
Ihus awaki & from his swoon in the full
tido of his new fear ami rem orse, Leo fouud
himself face to face with Nellie.
She stood in the mi Idle ug the room,
boiling out her hands with a cry Of joy aud
suppAcation.
"Lso, is it really you who are here?'
Yes, IL is / 3" he replied, forcing the
words ON his lips with al effort
And 1t Is /, she sad, the Joy in her tone
Increasing, her arms outstretching more
hungrIly toward him. ut is little Nell,
your little Nelln
But depressing the impulse which babe
him fly to her, to hold her in his arms. and
Kiss once more the sweet, fair face, turning
his head away that he might not be-
tempted oy the sight Of her, shutting up his
hesrt as 1t were, from all feeling of love
and tenderness, LIE answered quickly.
"No, not my Nellie Not now, child
| Never morew
mot your Nellie, never yoursm she re-
peared, dropping her ha DIS, the change in
her voice aud face painful to note LEO,
w. at do you meanl You Tighten me:
NOh yOu boli WudJ mas changed Won
You said you loved Inc, aud you will NOT
come even near me, that l may hold your
hand. You say you will nos have rue for
yolr little love as you told me only so short
a while ago."
The sweet voice faltsred and broke off
into some hing sus oIciousy like sob, a
sound which, while 1t stung Leo almost to
tutoring a CRY of pain, reused him at least
to the duty he felt was Imposed upon him
without fiinchinR, eve if it meant pain to
the poor little blind girl.
''ChavShort while, Nellie, has changed
your life and miue," he said, gently but
firmly, and not going nearer to her, feeling
as If he could MT ue proof a ga INST her blind
touch upon him, the soft, clIuglng hold OF
! her little white hands "Everythi which
served TO uul o US then, divides US now |
would have saved you; there is no need
You are no longer the poor. little, friend
! less prisoner You nave found your father.
You are Nellie Huntlngford, the .ug ter
or man who is rioh Il powerful" Leo
had drawn these conclusions from the
grandeur OF the house, a ID the sh TT CON
versatlon which he now recalled had
! passed betwee mis- beuefactor and his ac-
cusers in the library. There ia new life
! opening before you, a ner and glad one.
Ia 1t you must forget the past, aud with
the rest forget that such person ever lived
as Leo Forreste~. You have no need Of
him row, thank-yeS will say it-tbank