Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-11-16
ERNEST DESMOND'S PLOT

HIM La L. -
Fror, the yeranda Of his spacious man
sion Mr.. Ernest Desmond couiu osei
look all Arbordale and the neids lying
rornd about. He could see Walnu'
p;dge in the distance and the river
winding down the valley towards 'ne
lowlands: he caught the trst ana ias'
loolx at the sun. breathed the purest at
,nosnbere and revealed in conscious.
ness of personal preeminence over an
his fellow -creatures.
His grandfather had laid the founda-
lions of the Desmond fotune, ms rather
had increased it to an enormous extent
and diving left a successor IN ms son
Ernest who combined with the Desmond
taste for money making his mother
overpowering ambition and strength OF
will
He looked a long way ahead, laid
plans accordingly, and then went for
ward to the accomplishment OF ms de
signs. unconscious Of obstacles, ana
many a man found out to his cost what
it meant TO cross him.
He was not thirty -five, and for the
first time in his life acknowledged 70
his inner soul with which he often held
prolonged consultations, that he was IN
love.
Whether Annie Wilbur was quite nj
70 be a Desmond had been question OF
long speculation. The doubt, however
was suddenly removed when, on going
ont of town for few weeks. he had be.
come the guest Of friend with whom
Miss Wilbur at the time also stood in
the same relation. He fell madly IN love
and henceforth was frequent caller ut
her home.
He made no haste with his wooing.
for he had no doubt of his acceptability,
and if tremor of uncertainty ever did
fash over him it was quieted in an in
slant by his indomitable will. The idea
that she might reject him, Ernest Dies
mond. esq. the richest and most intin-
ential man in all the country around
was too ridiculous for moments to,-
Grafton
one day he resolved to purchase a
strip of the Barstow estate lying along
the river and erect a mill thereon. for he
realized that there was sufficient water.
power. if a dam were built. TO turn
large amount of machinery.
Young Arthur Barstow was just
emerging from his minority. and in u
few weeks would have control OF the
urcpartv. Barstow is Young and | can
make good bargain out of him if | am
careful. 2 Desmond soliloquized as he
drove down the hill through the village
Ia the Barstow place on the outer edge
of the little town
He found Arthur at home. and after
few pleasant remarks cautiously inquired
about the property.
Am going TO build mill, said Ar
thur = It's fine location. and had not
the property been tied MP we would have
had one long age.
- II will take considerable money,
won't itf' asked Desmond, without
cvincing his vexation.
:. YES, said Arthur. . but my uncle
win advance half and when the mill gets
- going il will soon pay for itself. -
After some further conversation. Des-
mond confessed that he thought il pos
ste for mill and asked what he would
ulke fer the land. Arthur did not wish
L. sell. Desmond made an offer. then
increased it. but Arthur would not sell.
III have the place yet. he said to
himself as he drove away. It'll only
cauSe a little bother
He tried the uncle, whose one great
fail.ug was covetousness Whether
desmond passed any money. into the
uncle's Golfers or not is uncertain. bur at
any rate the uncle abandoned the scheme
aud Young Barstow WAS left without the
means of bnilding the mill.
Desmond made an astonishing offer
and awaited developments. Everybody
thought Bsrstow foolish for not accept.
ing but he had the idea of mill in his
mind and somehow or other il should
n built in spite of Desmond. who he
suspected had something 10 do with ms
uncle's abandonment of the enterprise.
He began correspondence with men
outside of Arhorlale. and the resnit WIS
that one day man appeared from the
East, looked over the ground and went
away. but from that time preparations
were made for the erection of dam and
a mill
Desmond was enraged. for throughout
the whole transaction he had not been
consulted He knew that in the course
of time the owner of the mill site would
be man of power in that section of the
country. but that amy one but himself
should have the honor and reward of
building Arbordsle into city aroused
all his antagonism.
His love for Annie Wilbur however.
increased day and night and at last he
resolved to propose; so he wandered over
to the Wilbur House and invited Miss
Annie for walk. They sat down un-
der a spreading oak and chatted pleas
antly of one thing and another for a