The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-23

ceremony.
WIKI this comfort that Ee might not come
at alI--or that il he did ae and Leo NIGH on
account OF tho formers many duties not
come into close acQua,GtaHce the baronet
WAS obliged TO DO c - -ens for lie dh NJ.
think l. at all possible thaa az or b-inK "A art
SO many years-aui those which lad
broGSh- the clsage from b 'yhood 30 mao
hood to say nothing % ina wljch tie
sense % gil. had wrought in Leo, together
with his aS-u nption D. auoth r name -als
father "ou.d reco izs III
On bis part, Leo. o. course, knew his
rat er, even amongst ire GRO Ad-bu. ne
had already accepted such a recognition,
and his Subsequent conduc- IN the matter as
part ~ his duty To Nelie-tnat duty again
the easier because of the many other Claims
upon mis- attention.
Despite this reasoning, Sir Lawrel zee had,
however, deemed it best 10 keep the knowl-
edge OF the intended waite secret-kaowIng
that had he TO look for ward To the meeting
! Leo might, because of his undentabie love
for his father, be at lessI fsarful-and that
even the risk of a sudden meeting would be
far less because the very rush OF his feeling
would stun him, and yet show him escape
! WAS impossible
Acting, as he thought, for the best. Sir
! Lawrence had not reckOned upon Nellie
turning traitor-or even il he had, would
/ have scarcely dared to warn her.
/ She had heard the news quite by chance
from letter from Miss Hetherington, aud
was, OF course, quite innocent OF the mis-
chief she did III impardng it TO her lover.
The father at first apprehended from Leo
| some new determination TO hy-to give up
all
He was relieved at his avowed intention
TO face the facts out, though, at the same
| time, not little panied by the evident suf-
fering the effort cost him.
Never before, indeed, had Leo felt his re-
morse 50 keenlv,
He could only sit with bowed head, his
face hidden in his hands, mUttering: II
must do 1t. l can't give up Nellie now,
even for this. And vet to be near you, to
speak to you, TO know you, and not as my
father All dad Dadw
The old endearing name came out with
groan and sob pitiful to hear.
Sir Lawrence vent then amongst his
| guests with a heart very far from light,
and was, indeed, not a little relieved when
later on IN the evening, when he went into
the library, Leo having been excused, to the
arrivals with Nellie, TO find hi II quite COM
posed, though looking, indeed, somewhat
pale and with a strange look in his eyes,
half fearful, half hungry, which told that
the battle was still going on within.
| The baronet, however. brought him what
| comfort he could in the shape Of Nellie,
whom he had surreptitiously carried Off
from her room, to her great delight, for all
!
fore the events of the morrow should part
| them.
Leo at once reused himself, and 80 sue
cessfully bore his part that his little white
rose not only never guessed that anything
was amiss but entirely forgot her intention
to question him concerning her fears of the
! afternoon.
This cozy little party was disturbed by no
less person than Royal.
That gentleman had been a little over
| boasttul in Wanting his power to stop the
marriage 20 Madge, which, Of course, was
the substance of his threats and the now
pronounced desire of his mind.
The more, indeed, he turned things over
| In his mind as TO ways and means, the less
power he seemed to have
He had counted at tirst upon merely play
ing upon his scapeRoat's (Leo's) fears enough
to make him fly at once from the place, but
later he realized that very strong spell
must be upon him to have made him give
way in the matter as he had.
And, realizing this, Royal understood the
truth, as had neither Leo nor Sir Lawrence
that 1t was not the latter's assurance of
! his belief in his innocence in the sight Of
God, nor yet little Nellie's love, but some-
! thing stronger and more subtle still, that
| heaven sent mercy, the unconscious con-
seriousness OF his Innocence in every sense
which had caused the young mans self
defeat which he mourned SO truly, despite
| that victory would have besn 80 terrible to
him.
A prey then to no very enviable feelings
I Royal had seen no help but to let things be,
comforting himself with the assurance that,
married or single Leo was still his scape-
goat, while, as his wife, Nellie would be
| bound no less by her oath and blindness
those strong safeguards whose worth he
had not one whit overcaIculated, for even
in the case Of the former failing, which
| time made less likely the latter must keen
safe the truth.
He had, however, thought that he would
not show up downstairs during tie even
| ing.
Besides his having no object in view, he
had no wish to make any very close &C
quaintauce with Mr.. Ferret, whom he hoped
to avoid entirely on the morrow.
! Unlike his partner, he felt that in the
presence Of the great detective he could not
feel at ease.
Having heard, however, that Mr. Ferret
| was not expected to arrive until the follow
! ing day. finding his own society rather
dull, he resolved to 60 downstairs and take
his revenge for the state Of affairs, on Sir
Lawrence and Madge. by getting up a
violent Irritation with pretty girl of some
consequence.
On his way down. through the entrance
OF servant, he caught sight OF the cozy
little party in the library, aud at once, bent
turb 1t, chuckling to himself at the evil
dent discomfort his presence would be to
! Leo.
He had certainly not reckoned without
his host
AT the very sound of his voice, asking
courteously if he was intruding, Nellies
lover started violently.
For moment the room swan round
him, for it seemed that this sudden and IN
expected temperance of this man must
mean disclosure such as he had fought 80
hard to guard against
In inducing Leo to admit The deception
and enter into the marriage Sir Lawrence
bad given him full assurance that he need
fear nothing from Royal. which assurance,
despite bis suspicious OF that gentleman's
! conduct in tho matter of his strange intro
duction to Huntingford house on the night
OF the robbery OF the trust money, Leo was
! obliged to accept.
He did this the more readily that ROYALS
conduct, however strange, was cleared from
suspicion Of actual evil by Sir Lawrence's
sckno wledgment Of the letter. and that the
theft was ascribed TO the Rat, of whom
nothing too strange might be expected.
Nevertheless, the actual presence of this
other parncpator in his guilty secret, com