The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-01
BY EDGAR l. WAKEMAN.
Copyright 1921.

was standing beside the Italian porch
of the beautiful Church of St Mary the
Virgin, at Oxford, when the full meaning
of young Lord Neville's words of the
morning was first realized
At that moment l saw him dash past in
his brougham, and at his side was the
scared, white face of the woman we both
loved
I called to him and to her She looked
pitifully back toward me, and seemed TO
plead with the man beside her, while
Lord Neville gave me taunting and
triumphant glance as his coachman dashed
the horses into furious pace. | clutched
at the iron gateway for support but when
! could look again, they were gone.
Then / staggered back TO our apart
ments in Beaumont street Its gay aspect
seemed wholly changed. The sun shOne
brightly. The rich facades were as daz-
cling as ever. Even the handsome house
where all had lived stood there as stately
and grand as during all the years Lord
Neville's muniicence had made it our
home. But as l rang the bell, its sound
startled me. 1t seemed as though death
had entered Beaumont street and had
furled its sable pinions around this one
abode.
Indeed something like death ever broods
Even Richard, our joint valet, who an
swered my summons had the woebegone
look in his face of a funeral mute as he
ushered me into our once dear old library.
The very statues and statuettes gazed
ghostly at me and the bindings of the
books had dead, repellant air. The
room was sitting and ] asked Richard to
throw open the sash and let in the street
sounds and sunlight.
"Wery sorry, Mr.. Newton, fnr his lud-
ships doin's; very sorry faint like
him 1t come on me like a blow, sir; so
it did"
| let him ramble on, for could not take
heart TO question him then.
After your quarrel with his ludship,
this mornin Mr.. Newton, when you cor
nered him as to his intentions towards
Miss Robena, he comed back directly,
an says he. Richard cut it short Have
Sarah pack RObenas wardrobe at once.
Have the brOugham ready 1t the door a
O'Clock ] wish to take a bit of drive
wi Miss Robena. We mayn't come back.
Understand
Course l amt been with tn gentry an
nobility, goin' on twenty year thout
"nowin' W at that means, sir. So [ says,
Orders is orders, sir And he says,
Father An says L. DO stay An he
ups an says, ON double board wages, till
you hears from me- Which Will be-
which he turns to go out.
''Wery sorry Mr. Newton, & tell you
tn rest said Mr.. Richard, with genuine
feeling; for | am sure he had grown to
like me. | told him gently enough that I
wished to hear it all.
well, sir, he checked up a bit, scowl-
ing like Then he walked around here,
'mong tn books, where you've all been so
happy together. sir. He then says:
'Crushin' fought all the time lookin' over
your varsity papers an things IAN then,
after mum bin ALPS fair in love- he
says: My regards an goodbyes to New
ton just say { i'm, easy like, as I'd like
Z have him leave tn place for Lunnon,
soon as convenient; an that there'll be
no use o. chasin' me an Robena; fur she
goes willin .''
Richard, do you believe that is truel"
faltered
"See ere, MIR. Newton, Lord Neville's
my master. I'm on double board wages.
No offence, butt 'ope you won't press that
sort o. questions. -
mo. no, Richard That's right, - I an
swered dazedly. But may | ask, is Ro-
bena's mother, Mrs Hardie, still in Ok
ford 2''
"She left for Scotland on the mornin'
train, sir
"Just this one more question, Richard
Answer il or not, as YOU like. Did Mrs
to make this sudden and secret departure
with Robena2"
LAS to that sir, can't say rightly
His ludship an she was together in tn
garden, consultin' like, after your quarrel
with his ludship.'
Thank you, Richard, " ] returned, sick
at heart and desperate in my loneliness.
'Can you get my luggage ready for the
evening train to London
Its ready now, sir. His ludship's or
ders, sir. -
1t all still seemed like dream to me
while huddled in a corner of compart-
ment of train as it whsked out of the
Oxford station on its laundering way to
London.
Lord Neville and had been friends at
Elton together. Oxford and Christ church
college were the natural sequence. I was
but wears son Neville would some
day become a duke. When | hesitated
about Oxford, on account of the great ex-
pense, he simply said in his royal way
bob Newton, until we have won our de
grees, there shall be common PURSE
| loved the fellow blindly. He was the
only titled STRIPPING I had ever known
without a single vice Commons" at
the college became tiresome at last. and
after our twelve terms within walls"
were done, IL came natural for US to go
into lodgings. The house in Beaumont
street was taken and Neville had fitted
it up luxuriously.
''Now, Newton, old boy, " said the hand
some fellow, IF you only knew of some
dear, good, motherly soul who would
come here and give US genuine home
not a Judging ouse what grand pro
gress we could make to be sure
had thought that. TOO, had thought of
just the person and told him so; Scotch
eentlewoman, very distant relative of
my fathers, residing, with patient ap-
parent aff1uence on a pitiaoly small in
come, at Dumtries. But | also mentioned
to him that her daughter, Robena then a
frail little lass of Is, might prove an en-
cum brance.
rs she pretty, Newton" laughed Lord
Neville.
e'She is beautiful beyond all telling" I
had honestly answered.
He looked at me curiously; laughed
that merry, boyish generous laugh of
his, which always lighted his face glori-
ously, and rallied me with:
'Ah, Bob, see in which quarter the
wind lies. They shall come! -
And so they did. How generous he
was about it all, besides.
He never made them feel dependence.
Mrs Hardie gradually and graciously be-
came the lady Of the house a discreet,
wise mother TO both and we were very