Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-11-18
CHAPTER XII
THE FINAL STRUGGLE.

The door was opened by Mr.. Duke
himself, looking. as the lad was fright
ened 10 observe, very grave and anX-
iOus.
1T Is no use, George" he said,
shaking his head. Hattie thinks 1t
better for both that she should not see
you. IL would only cause needless dis
tres5, and could do no good. Her de-
cisiou is irrevocabie. She hopes you
will think as we'll Of her as you can"
Georges hands were pressed to his
side as though he would still the awful
aching Of his heart. He looked quite
stupehed.
Say il again, Mr. Duke" be said in
a low hoarse voice. 81 don't think l
heard you rightly, Hattie won'tsee me
till-till-"
Not at all, George. She thinks +.
better not"
Not At all! Not for ever! 1 am never
to see Hattie again! l suppose l am
very dull, but can't quite take it in.
Am never 10 see her again, do you
say?"
Yes, that's riRht-fOr your sake she
wishes it," answered Mr.. Duke, who
for the first time seemed 10 ind dihi-
Guilty 10 defending his daughter. "She
hopes you will 90 away TO Canada, IS
you thought Of doing, aud forget all
about DER, and be happy there"
And she sends me- away like this!
Hattie, who loved ms-does! This is
some mistake-there must be-"
There is no mistake, George"
"Not owiag 70 THAI scoundrsl
Grover
"N0, none. Hattie never got your
message. but that makes 40 oil Terence,
she saws. Come now, be a man. There
are lots Of other girls 10 the world,
but, upon my SOUL" said Mr., Duke,
with sudden emphasis, "Pm not sure
that you hadn't better keep clear OF
them, for they seem very much alike.
Well, / have n be busy now, George,
so must Did you good day" And ne
drew back inJo the hall.
If George, as he turned away, had
been able TO raise his eyes to one OF the
upper windows, be might have seen
Hattie's miserable face looking down az
him. She was praying for strength for
him, that be might be able 10 bear his
trial until the buoVancy OF youth came
90 his aid aud helped him TO forget 1t.
She was praying for strength for her
self also. Her prospect was even darker
than his. and indeed the girl wBS nearly
hsartbroken.
Instead OF going home through the
town, George turned in the opposite d.
ton. lie crossed the bridge and went
away towards SANDY. He had no def
nike purpose 10 taxing that road, but
doubtless soma instinct guided his foot
stems. though it did not rise 10 the level
OF conscious thought. In time he reached
SANDY head, aud, sitting down upon the
edge Of the cliffs. gazed with dull eyes
across the sea ia which be had so
nearly lost his life. With what object
he asked himself, had he been sparsd'
Was 70 that be might linRer on 10
misery? Better far that be had been
drowned. for, with Hattie taken from
him. death alone could bring relief.
What had be done 20 deserve such
watched fate? he had committed
many faults, no dOubt-ves, be would
freely admit that-but N others were
punished for their faults with equal
severity, surely all happiness would
vanish from the world. There was
Austair Grove, for example, a most
shocking scoundrel-how bad be been
punished? He led lie OF luxurious
comfort, and bad not care to worry
him. Was that fair?
But George was still more troubled
about Hattie's conduct he knew she
had loved him exceedingly; yet be was
now asked 10 believe that, in the course
of few months, she had transferred
her affections elsewhere, although the
peril he was IN must have kept her teel-
ings on the rack. True, during the lat
ter part OF his time, when be had meant
her TO know DO was alive, she had not
known it, but she said, through her
father, that it would not have altered
her decision. So during the period OF
her mourning, they wished him to be-
lieve she had been lovemaking; to his
mind this was utterly impossible-as
unlike Hattie as was the lying
message which Grove had brought
20 him. Had treachery been at
work against him again? He had not
seen Hattie herself; be had not heard
from her own lips that she 90 longer
loved him. Had her father deceived
MIN? Parents often did shady things
for the good Of their sons and daugh-
ters, especially the latter. Might not
Mr.. Duke wish his daughter 10 be mar
risd TO a man with "a pretty big bank
ing accopnt?" On the other hand. had
not be spoken warniagly about Will
mott more than once? So George WAS
sadly bewildered-more distressed than
ever al the thought that II this last
conjecture Of mis- Were true, Hattie
was far more % be pitied than himself.
And, indeed, whatever way be looked
al the matter, be could only see some
terrible sacrifice on her part. But the
fact that be could think at all-that be
could cast about for some new anchor
sEe for hope 70 lay h9ld upOn-lhoWsd
there was some strength left in him still.
yst, however, bis thoughts had no
r&earness OF outline. They were all
Inbred and jOstlsd together as ia the
confusion OF a dream. In the same
r,isk7 manner be saw the ola crab
cstfher away down on the beach, and
conceived some fantastic idea OF going
n i've With him In his lonely cottage
snd4f hiding himself there for the rest
~ AZ DAYS. And then, somehow, he
wos Ma Canals; father, mother and
So wsre with him; the old crab
-. 5 cottage had XAnished, he
where. Ne2 Vas In that
oit again. aht Priscilla
t Nc the berbaris