The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-25
CHAPTER XVI.
THE DoLr FROM Tlle BLUE,

| ihE hJbl HANpal Ah- pLSE Tee
On gaining his own private chamber
where he was sure OF privacy Sir sgd
ney Carsland flung himself into chair
and gave up his mind to the thoughts
which seethed within it, lie had been
wishing for some time to be alone in
order that he might calmly lace the not
work OF difficulties which had slowly
woven themselves around him since the
moment Paul Meredith had avowed his
love for the nit brow girl and his inten-
ton to marry her
From the moment when the bGronet
first learned that the name OF his wards
sweetheart was Salome Birmingham, his
mind had been charged with vague
visions oiimpendipg troubles, aud when
u few days later Paul related the girls
story unto him his doubts were CON
frmed.
This Iowly, nurtured lass who had
worked on the banks OF his pits was tho
child OF the woman he had married all
these years ago at MarlComhe in the
days when he was poor and fugitive
from home-was his own daughter, and
he dared not own her,
That tho discovery had alarmed and
amazed him needs no recording, IL
seemed to him nothing less than won.
dsrful that the beautiful Spanish girl
he had wooed and won and aftarward
deserted when fortune smiled upon him
should have borne him q daughter after
his flight, and that the sell same dGugh-
ter should turn up as pit brow girl
who had toiled from early morn to
evening within sight OF his own prince
ly home.
When he first heard OF Salome Bar
bingham from his ward no had said that
he would call on the girl and make her
acquaintance. That expressed inten-
ton was not thoughtlessly made, for ut
the time he desired to SEQ the girl and
learn more about her. lie was satisfied
even then that tho pit brow girl was
connected with himself in some man
ner, seeing that her name was made up
of that Of his first vile and his own
middle name-and moreover the name
he had been known by ut Marlcomhe.
He had intended to discover all he
could respecting the White Gypsy's
past, and in case his suspicious were
confirmed he had resolved to send her
away. II she were his daughter he was
prepared to provide for her in hand
some manner, but he was not prepared
to lot her remain near him where their
relationship might through some means
or other become known.
But when Sir Sydney realized that his
ward really loved and intended to
marry Salome he was checkmated. 1t
would have been useless after that to
have gone to the girl in order to induce
her to leave tho neighborhood, and to
| have questioned Salome closely con-
corning her history might have re-
vealed more OF his own hand than it
would have been safe to show, for Il
once the girl and Paul obtained the
slightest milling us to his interest and
connection with her, his secret wouid
be in their keeping ii they only cared
to set to work to discover it. Even
after the lapse OF all those yeaEs it
would not DO an exceedingly difficult
task for shrewd and determined man
to follow ZIP the trail Sydney Barring
ham had left behind him at MARI
Combe.
III one sense the barontt had been
pleased to think that his unacknow-
lodged daughter was to marry his ward.
If he dared not to avow his relationship
to her it was pleasant to know that she
would be comfortably settled in life as
Paul Meredith's wife. Had he been a
widower and childless 80 far as his sec
and marriage was concerned it is prob.
able that he might had publicly acknow-
lodged Salome as his child.
But to do so now was impossible, and
he shuddered at the thought OF the
storm which would burst around him ii
Lady Carsland ever discovered the
truth.
AS he sat there bordering the past
ond endeavoring to pierce the clouds
which yelled the future, he felt that he
would have cheerfully resigned half his
fortune ii that jewelled ornament had
never turned up at all.-or If il had not
been discovered by his wife in salome's
possession.
How had the brooch drifted into the
girls hands2 How had the girl herself
drifted to that corner Of Lancashire?
There seemed something insCrutable
about both things, and that sense OF
some mysterious agency being ut work
in order TO expose his old sins lacerated
his breast and filed his brain with
painful thoughts.
Alter all these years Of peace and Sc.
curity and good fortune, was he to be.
come an object OF derison and sCorn to
tho world? II the whole truth were to
DO revealed-if his old Gins wero to find
him out, then he might bid farewell to
England, her ludyshtp, aud his daughter
Cordelia forever.
But how was he 10 avoid the threat
enipg sword which might full at any
time, when no least expected the blow?
He sat there biting his lips and cud-
Ceiling his brains for scheme which
would clear away the troubles and diff.
culties which beset him, but out OF all
his thinking there was evolved but one
plan, and that he was afraid to commit
himself to.
This was to 80 forthwith to saIome
Birmingham, and throw himself upon
her mercy-to tell her the whole truth
from tho beglnning-to narrato how he
had been driven from home, become q
thief, got robbed, met, married, and do.
serted her mother, when ho learned
that his father and brother were dead,
and that he was rich man and q titled
one. For his sake no would urge her to
leave the neighborhnod at once, and gc
TO Il place where Paul Meredith could
Join her on his return. Then they
would take her aiiiancod into tho secret
and he, on account of his prcat lovo ior
her, would overlook everything, would
marry, and his good namo would be
saved, and his wlO's aud daughters
also
I Tint scheme soemed feasible enough