The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-01
CHAPTER vI1r.


day OF rest. AL secular thoughts and
ayocations were, as much as possible, set
aside, aud after the usual attendance at
the house of God the remainder Of the
day was Invested Of useless solemnity or
formality by profitable reading or cheer
full conversation.
As usual, Granville was with them at
dinner, and so far recovered his natural
and pleasant department. that Roses
heart rested again In happy confidence
and serenity.
Dinner waited some time and was at
last served and over before Dunbar made
his appearance-a circumstance so I'M
usual that it had given rise to some anx-
iety on his account, and Lillian's was not
diminished when abe met him In the hall.
what Is the matter, dear Eustace?"
'.Do not be alarmed, my darling. I
will not keep you In suspense. ] am
panied for poor lie Barron's wretched
family, but will explain when we are
all together. II is story l do not care
to repeat but once
After hasty greeting from the family
he said:
early this morning our friend Austin
called TO inform me Of the troubles at Le
Barron's. You all know that the brag-
gnrt adventurer De Courtney has for
some months had his eye on LIE Barron's
apparent riches under the guise Of ad-
miration for their eldest daughter. I
knew that Estella and her mother were
greatly smitten with him, and Maud was
pining with envy. The more cautious
and suspicious father had written to some
merchant abroad requesting reliable tes-
timonials respecting this prince in dis
guise before he would yield to the hasty
consummation of the marriage, for which
the ardent lover was so urgent. 1t seems
that when the poor father had confessed
the ruin and degradation that were clos
ing upon them, and Estella had borne
her part in the first outburst Of wild
passion that assailed him, her sbrewd
mind conceived plan for her own safe
ty, which, with consummate heartless-
ness, she at once proceeded to execute.
Silently retiring from the wordy war-
fare, she wrote hasty note to De Court
ney asking him to meet her at restau-
rant near by, sent itby her French maid,
doep In oil her secrets, and silontly made
her exit from a side room to the rendez-
vous. Sho safely calculated that in the
tumult her absence would not be OBJ
served. In that unhappy family you are
aware that self Is the dominant power.
and Estella we'll knew that when the
hercenesi of the storm then raging had
passed 1t would be succeeded by tears
and hysterioal lamentations that would
claim the attendance Of all the servants,
thus leaving her TO consummate her self
isharrangements unmolested.
"What passed between her and De
Courtney can only be conjectured blythe
results assd letter loft bs3iRa fof M
mother. 1t would seem that shereturned
to the house as secretly as she had left it,
directed her maid to collect all her val
uables and pack her wardrobe, while she
proceeded to secure what money or Jew
elry she could find in her mothers or ais
ter's rooms and departed with her spoils,
attended by her French waiting maid.
Quite early this morning, as Austin was
passing Roseville, Maud, apparently in
great excitement, called to him from the
library window. He entered, and giving
him but brief statement of the last
nights revelations and proceedings she
begged him to find me and urge me to
come to her Immediately.
"Austin gave me all the particulars he
could learn from Mauds hasty and fren-
Eied recital, but when / wished to stop
here for advice and if possible to get Mr..
Newton to accompany me on this deli
cate mission he objected, saying she had
especially desired that nothing should be !
said to the Newtons. therefore pro-
ceeded at once to Roseville. Strange
sounds startled me when entered the
dreary house, but Maud, who was wait
ing in the hall, evidently ON the alert to
prevent the servants from seeing me,
hurried me into an Office distant from
the parlors. 1t disgusts me to think of
her inhuman, selfish ways. But it may
be that she did not realize the terrible
tragedy enacting around her."
Don't linger,' cried Rose. "This
suspense is dreadful"
II will be as brief as possible. Il
seems no thought had been given to Es-
telia's absence during the night, but
Maud in the morning had ordered her
attendant to bring some ornament or ar
ticle from her wardrobe, which could
not be found. On examining further her
jewelry and most of her choice posses
sions were missing. Then her maid
limited that Miss LIE Barron had been
going on strangely the day before, and
all the servants remarked it, but the
madam had been SO bad they had hadno
time to give It attention. But now would
Miss Maud please go into her sisters
room and see for herself and not be say
ing disparaging things to poor waiting
maid2 judge from the accent of both
mistress and maid that Maud, becoming
furious at the spelling OF her goods. had
visited her wrath on the one nearest to
her. On entering her sisters chamEori 1t
was vacant, the wardrobe and bureaus
empty, and on the table lay an open note
to her mother Of the most insolent and
heartless character.
'She said that, seeing inevitable ruin
coming upon the family, and having no
disposition to share 1t with them, she had
ct once sought her dear Victor, and not
wishing to reveal their misfortunes had
simply informed him that her father had
peremptorily forbidden her to hold any
further communication with him, as he
pretended he had received adyices from
abroad to his discredit, which she did not
believe. but this cruel fathers commands
compelled her to say farewell.
"sOf course the unfeeling girl con-
tinued, I knew dear Victor Would not
listen to that i1ea for o moment. but, as
/ expected, begged for an immediate
marriage that very hour, before I re-
turned to my paysnts. When was once
his own, I could quietly collect all my
jewelry and wardrobe, and we would
leave at once. making our bridal tour o
pleasant voyage to his natdve land. He
was sure father would soon recall US
when he found resistance was Of NO
avail OF course she could not refuse so
elegant lover. They were married
xuithin fhs hnur n,,d an fiso hasfe, seasro