Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-30
in THE DEER PARK.

carefully paled off with strong oaken rails,
which many smaller landholder would
have looked on as comfortable little
estate, so many acres did it contain OF hill
and valley, meadow and woodland. This
interior inclosure was known as the Deer
Park: and had been rallied off at great ex-
pense to prevent the red deer, which at
tain seasons are especially dangerous,
iniuring those who used the roads
which the park itself was intersected.
revstoke was wonderful old place, and
ufT King Hal, the Virgin Queen, and the
Scotch pedant who succeeded to her throne
had often taken their pleasure in the vast
demesne, and followed the deer with hound
and horn.
The masters of Greystoke had always
been a wild and reckless set of men, caring
for little but the indulgence of their own
passions and vices. There had, however,
alwavs been q certain method in their reck-
lessness; they had never exceeded their
prinoely means, and had never interfered in
foYal uuarrels and by these means had kept
their broad acres intact
Griffith Greystoke, the present possessor
,f the wide domain, had followed in the
footsteps of his ancestors. As lad he had
been an adept at all sports OF the held, and
when a mere boy he had climbed to the
summit of the ruined tower, known as the
Wizards Keep, and swan in the fathomless
pool in the Deer Park, said to be the abode
OF water Kelpie, and which was the only
spot in the inclosure where the red deer
could quench their thirst.
When old enough he had Joined one OF
the regiments of the Household Cavalry,
and for brief space had run a wild career
of dissipation, but his untamable spirit
would not submit to the trammels of disci-
pline, and, after short military career, he
found it expedlent to throw up his commits
sion and retire for term to Greystoke.
Thus his devotion to field sports won for
him the golden opinions of the country gen.
try, but after time he grew wearied of the
life, and taking with him his foster brother,
between whom and himself devoted at
tachment existed he started, not on con-
tinental tour, for that would have been far
too commonplace an affair, but for an
excursion into wild lands, where the
more savage animals were still to
be found in comparative abundance.
For three years Griffith Greystoke
was absent, and his name began to be al
most forgotten. The game in the Greystoke
preserves increased and multiplied to an
extraordinary degree, for by the masters
orders not a gun was to be fred in it during
his absence. The red deer wandered about
their domains without fear of rifle bullet
arresting their course, slaked their thirst at
the kelpie's pool, or fought out their quar-
rels in the battle field of fern and bracken.
All at once, with suddenness which was
Characteristic of all the Greystoke move
ments, Griffith made his appearance once
again at the home of his ancestors, and with
an addition to his retinue which caused the
L - L /
ment and sent many bitter pang of disap- |
pointment to the hearts of the country |
matrons who had manageable daughters on |
hand.
Griffith Greystoke had brought home |
wife with him. Not a Mexican senorita; |
not the daughter of some Indian raah; not |
one OF those impossible goldminer's daugh-
ters, all beauty and refinement, in spite of |
their coarse surroundings, evolved out of
the inner consciousness of American writers
and their imitators, but a fair, handsome
Englishwoman, some three years older than
her husband, the widow of a West Indian
sugar planter.
How such a marriage could ever have
come about was a mystery tC which no So
luton was offered, and the only person
capable of doing so, Gideon Carthwaite
(Grifith's foster-brother), maintained a dis
Greet silence.
Besides a wife, Greystroke, of Greystoke,
brought other followers back with him. An
aged, white-headed negro, an old and conf
Dental servant of his wife; young Semi
mole Indian whom he had picked up in
Florida; Zulu, and a Chinaman, who had
acted as a valet and general factotum in
camp. All these different nationalities
found accommodations within the old walls
of Greystroke, and matters would have
" hod IL |
Mrs. Greystoke's temper, which was as
fiery and violent as her lords.
In her West Indian home she had been a
little queen of society, and she could not
understand why other women, who did not
possess her good looks or charm of manner.
should have precedence over her, and she
was even Jealous of the respect accorded to
her husband.
One afternoon, after more serious iangle
than usual with Mrs. Greystoke, who had
objected to the archery club holding its
usual meeting at Greystoke, Griffith retired
to his usual sanctum, the armory as it was |
termed, from a collection of weapons of all |
which adorned its walls, and,
lighting cigar, rang the bell furiously.
After an interval of some five minutes the
door was slowly opened and the gray head
Of Manuel, Mrs. Greystoke's confidential
servant, appeared.
master want me?" asked he
"What should / want you for, YOU black
faced imp of Satan?" demanded Griffith,
whose temper had been sorely tried. "Are
there no other servants but you?''
The man made no reply, but still fingered
in the doorway, and Griffith noticed that
here was cut on his forehead covered with
! piece of diachylon plaster
"Who have you been fighting with.
NIanuel?" said he.
=" no fight, master; missile throw candle
stick at me IN one OF her debbil's tantrums."
the negro, grinning like an angry
monkey.
"Poor devil" remarked Griffith, who
vas quite disposed to sympathize with any
7ictim of his wife's ill-temper; "take
hat, and send Gideon Carthwaite to me-"
As be spoke he tossed a sovereign in the
direction of the black servant, who
bounced upon it with alarity, and then de-
parted on his errand In a few minutes
iideon Carthwaite entered the armory, and |
tood awaiting his foster-brother's orders. |
1 tall, fair man was Gideon, apparently
possessed of immense muscular strength.
nd with frank, open expression OF coun-
enance, which was very pleasing to look
ipon.
''Sit down, man." said Griffith. owe
AVE gone through too much together to |
tand on any ceremony when we are alone.
am driven half mad with that woman's
irs and graces, get me something to soothe
nv nerves, or shall do something 1 shall
e sorry for afterward." /
Gideon crossed the room, and opening a
upboard concealed by a Moorish shield.
rought out bottle of brandy and couple
f glasses, which he placed upon small ]
able at his masters elbow.
'Help YOURSELF" said Griffith, as he
lied glass and tossed of the spirit as If