The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-04

| anu my RullG nave blOuRlb tlak
blindness q blessingl All, curse upon it a
thousand fold-for at least to have been as
sured Of my innocence wal not 90 place her
father in danger. All, that must be q
double sting to him in this terrible decep-
tion," was Leo's sad thought. Outwardly
he maintained as bold front as ever.
''She has vowed 60 love me-innocent or
guilty-ay, and has proved IL to the full al
ready"
"You will bind her 70 you, and see her
droop and fade beneath a shadow you dare
not try to lift for fear of making 1t darker 2
asked Royal.
mo; will not marry her until the truth
can all be told, answered the young man,
slowly; ''or at least, ;" as If the resolve cost
him little too much, 81 can put her
to the proof; IL free, she clings to me still.
l need have no fear such as you say to
make her my wife. Or even if then the
proof Is valn-the truth will save her-for
| IL she loves her father more than me since
sne cannot trust me- she will forgive him
for his own sake; or, il she loves me best,
forgive him still in his guilt, since It makes
| me innocent. And the secret will still be
| safe as ever.n
1t was we'll argued; so we'll that it seemed
Royals hand could not possibly hold a
| higher trump. that bis bold attempt had
| failed, to his own ruin. For the moment it
appeared so; for he did not at once reply.
| But there was no need for him to do so.
| The defeat Of all the wonderful plans the
lad had SO carefully woven, the shattering
of the fairy castle he had SO Unexpectedly
been able TO build upon the ruins OF his late
happiness accomplished itself.
my Godl No! 1t is impossibler' And
struck down as beneath a veritable blow
by the fact which in his almost dalirious de-
light at his newly-found innocence he had
| for the time forgotten-grown to look upon
| a nf the hldaOna draaEn kha Il
ready was-that of the fatal confession he
had so lately made, the unhappy lad fell
| back, once more crushed as it were, to the
| earth.
"What do you meant" asked Royal.
THAT the secret can never be safe. By
| this time my confession is in the hands Of
the police, and
Words failed the boy In his sudden and
terrible fall from the nights of happiness
| to the lowest despair.
Royal stood one moment aghast. The
| next, with truly hendish daring, seized the
chance and turned it. fatal weapon as it
| was to his own set end.
And the whole truth will out - the
whole truth, he said painting the picture
in its most glowing coiors. Unhappy boy,
what have you not donel Or rather, what
has not he, by forcing you to such course, ,
| finding 10 useless to try and bind you 20
him-determined, instead, it is clear, TO rid
himself of you entirely. l never guessed my
determination no longer to share his guilty
secret, when 1t actually affected your happi-
ness and the poor child's whom, father-like
| he cannot believe loves you more than hin.
would be of greater service still, if service
| 1t 10. For though you can save yourself by
so doing, you become the dspunciator of her
father and force her to share the terrible
| Office"
Clinohed indeed was the matter. Chance
| had indeed aided the plotter in bis sorest
needs to the very utmost, and If any proof
was needed OF the completeness OF his
victory it was surely 10 be fOundin that,
| Afoer ali that bad passed, Leo, far from
showing any resistance, gave himself at
| once entirely into his hands. Indeed, the
lad was so terribly upset by the new turn
! of affairs that he was absolutely incapable
OF thinking for himself.
Needless 70 say what wes the advice Royal
bestowed. the end to which he worked, but
had never hoped to succeed as now.
| you lnust fly for hs life as il 10 were
your own-quit the country at once and for
ever-hide snywhere-change your name-
Disguise yourself-sever every tie which
makes you Leonard Forester, as completely
as you did those which made you Leonard
| Ferret-Rive up your little blind bride ex-
acsly as you gave up your father-for her
sake"
to me than evsr-when innocent or guilty
alike she has given herself TO me?" gasped
| the poor lad. 20, surely there is some
other way. Win it not be enough to go
away for the timea y, surely in a little
| while she might come to me-"
Royal proved himself skillful schemer
by not shutting OUT all hope. There was
no need. Time was all he wanted Once
Leo safely out Of the way the rest was COM
paratively easy.
So therefore he gave seeming comfort in
| the remark that there was indeed no reason,
perhaps, after all to think Of extreme meas
ure more than In the immediate present
"Who can tell what may happen in q
year or so-even a month; daya You
yourself know what the burden of your
guilt has been to you, while I may tell you
| the visible one Sir Lawrence wears upon
bis back is not calculated to prolong his
| Iifen
God forbid that should reckon on his
death, even in such sore strait as this, y
groaned poor Leo.
"Fhen prove it-and at once-by saving
him, for his child's sake"
For her sake; yes. for her sake" re-
peated the young man, who certainly
| needed such spur TO urge him into action.
After all there is some comfort in the
thought. Alb, yes. And though when !
see her again it will be TO say good-by, al
guilt which parts US for the time.n
"Surely yoH win be kinder to spare her
the pain Of such q parting" said Royal
becoming fearful again lest after all he
might lose the advantage he had won.
go without seeing herr l cannot, and
| will not )" vowed Leo.
$50 let It be then. butn-again chance
came to Royals atd-''rememb a word &c
her of any mystery aud all is lost. Has she
not vowed TO solve all such? To expose the
truth alone will be worse than you doing
| so, for is it likely that a second time her
unhappy father will escape2 You know
how she loves him. It will break her heart
| No, rather than that, stay now yourself and
spare her 30 much misery the more"
But what can she do in-God forgive me
in her blindnessl How can she convict OF
save either of US F' asked the boy, clinging
desperately TO his last hope.
'Onoe the ball is set rolling there is no
knowing what may be. Think already how
false as it was this crime has parted you
| and her. Is not that proof enoughl And
with her love to urge her on to every effort
she will let nothing stay her. Nay, she
knows your fathers skill-his interest in
you-to whom should she rather go9 And
| them
You are right. You are right" groaned
Leo, more and more Powerless to escape the
| web of circumstances so closely woven
round him. "And W hat way to bind her to
L 1911 o.. haak laN b1v