The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-14
CHAPTER ",
IN TIE WOOD OF HouaH.

Midnight had passed an hour or more
and the earth was enyeloped in the soft
darkness and dreamy silence OF an
autumn night A warm mist foated
over the county side, hiding the stars
from mundane eyes and making things
below vague and indistinct, and not a
breath Of wind stirred the trees in
Hough wood.
The wood lay about three miles to the
west Of Garland Hall, away beyond the
great sweep OF the swelling upland pre-
yiously mentionedi and here it was
that Sydney elected to hide himself for
the night after his successful plumber
ing Of the safe.
He was lying now in the heart OF the
wood, his couch thick bed of tall
bracken, his pillow the stout handbag
ofleather which contained the stolen
jewels.
The spot ne had chosen was an open
space surrounded by thick growth Of
trees and bushes, and the wide patch OF
fern among which he lay was SO dense
and lnxuriant that no one could see
(, him half.a.dozen yards away.
Az he lay there he pondered on many
things. HisiGhief thoughts were con-
nected, Of course, with his own theft
When the safe was forced open, the
Jewels, bank notes, and cash, and him
self missing, what course would his
father pursue?
the law upon his track2 He had no
) doubt his brother would urge his father
/, to place the matter in the hands of de-
tectiyes, but he felt almost certain that
the baronet would decline TO take that
course. He calculated that his father
would neither attempt to follow nor ar
rest him. Rather than face the terri.
BILE scandaljthe publication OF his theft
would create, lie would prefer to lose
the Jewels and permit him to get clear
away.
And assuming that he was TO be per.
mitted to escape scot free, what line Of
life and action was he to follow in the
future7 Was he to drift back 70 his old
haunts, old acquaintance, old pleas
ares, and old vices
His blood pulsed through his veins
at that thought, and pleasant visions
arose before his mental gaze. It would
be worth much TO 60 back to the old
Bohemians and the old reckless Bohe-
mian existence, a new man with thous-
ands OF pounds at his command. He
would be- able to repay with interest
those who had stood by him In the
DAYS OF His adversity--would be able
also to give back scorn for scorn, insult
for insult, stones in lieu OF bread to
those ours who had refused to cheer
and aid him when his soul was torn and
his spirit broken in the blacklist days OF
his depreciation and poverty.
II was q pleasant picture, and ne
dwelt upon it for space with keenfeel-
ings Of enjoyment. But he was not Q
fool, whatever else he might be. Full
we'll he knew what 1t would mean
what 1t would cost him-to crafty his
desires in that respect.
Once back in the old channel the cur
rent would sprove strong enough to
carry him along with it as before, and
escape would be possible only when he
was strained high and dry--penniless,
hopeless, irretrievably wrecked.
Mol He must prove strong enough
10 resist that. The old past was dead
and buried. The future must be some
thing different.
Where should he go-America Of
Anstfalia2 In either continent the
iatea might prove kind and bless him
with succtss. What he already pos
aessed might prove the making Of Q
great fortune, and some day he might
come back to his birthland o rich and
powerful-even an ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Of society.
Now that he forced himself to think
calmly aud dlspessionately, he cansid
cred that the offence Of which he had
been guilty was OF q yenlal kind. Who
had stronger claim, morally, to his
dead mothers jewelry than he had
Noone, he cried. He had felt for years
that Frederic had resented his fathers
second morriage, and had hated him
sell. Itwould have been little less thar
aacrilege therefore, TO have permitted
his halt-brnther'a wife to wear the
buried womnn's trlnketry.
He was glad now that he had taken
them away. They were his, and he
had got them. How terribly disap'
pointed Mr.. Frederic Carsland and Misl
Adelaide Woodcock would be when
they learned that the precious stonel
had disappeared, and OWNED who had
appropriated them, He felt sorry tha
he could not be present TO witness thell
chaRrin and pain. How furious hi
uely.iaced hali.brother would be How
itr6nuously he would urge Sir Nichola
foplaco the matter inthe hands Of TIT
police, and how utterly crushed ant
dibconcerted would DO his condition
when he discovered that the barone
loved his misslng con more than thI
missing Rema
What was thatP
Sydney Catsland's heart gaye a grea
bound, and he eprAng to his knee
With his hand on his bag. Ho haS
heard the breaking Of twlHs unde
foot, az II aome one were about In thI
wood and near at hand. Had imaginet
nlsd that no had caught the faintea
echo 81 human volcos.
His eyes swept tho open space abou
him, and his audltive powers wert
strained to thor utmost, The mist hat
cleared away somewhat and now tina
his sight had accustomed itself 10 tn
nemi.dafkness he could Gee fairly well
Ho watched aud liOtened and soon hi
fears were verified Here and there
among the tree1 aud bushes, tho form
Of mon could DO dlacorhed, aud now ltit
again d word was waited 10 his ears.
Who were theyH he asked hlmse!
With a sinking heart Had the thet
beun discovered already, and wetI