West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-05-09

You love her. you wish to marry
herr" and MIR. Rothelan nodded to
Edna.
l understood why the clergyman
had been sent for. and taking her
hand In mine. said.-
Il do. The ceremony cannot be too
soon for me-
Edna broke from my grasp. md
stood straight before him.
Father" she began. II love him,
and he loves me; but declare TO you
most solemnly | VIII not marry him
or any person until / understand this
dreadful mystery. l VIII die sooner
than bring shame or disgrace on any
honorable man. Some sin or crime is
hurryins you to your grave; let mo
alone be partaker of It,"
IF l did sim" he cried. ficrcely. "It
was partly for you. Who talks OF n
crime? Come. be quick: he VIII re-
turn soon, and then you'll hear the
whole story. They can't drag mo TO
jail; l shall be dead. Co on with the
marriage"
Never"
Her tones had the ring OF steel.
Edna" said, 30 YOU fear to
trust me? II any misfortune falls
who viii be tenderer?'
Mr.. Rothelan sat upright. as IL
nerved by an electric shock
III she We're poor now" there was a
Visible sheer I'm his tones. "penniless.
not the true heir to Rothelan, would
you marry her2"
Yes" and I'm spite OF her resistance
took her hand
That's all. Edward Rothelen, my
cousin came back two years ago and
has been n prisoner In that chanel
Last night hn
drunken, dwelling idiot, but master
here by his fathers will. have been
waiting months to see him die. He
VIII outlive me. Edna. you are a beg
gar. but your lover "a n true man. I
wish / had never said mo- TO him.
Send Mr.. Barlow In"
An elderly. quiet man, carrying the
mark OF his Office In his placid face.
remember my arguments were fran
ucaiiy eager my manner too positive
TO be gainsaid. Edna repeated her
vows mechanically-it was enough for
me then that she said them at ell
We left the clergyman and her father
together awhile. Bearing her 10 the
library, / tried with all the arts CT
love TO restore her stunne soul 20 its
vitality.
We spent that night with T., dying
man. By snatches. between IL terri
BILE hts OF sinking and gasping for
breath, he related, or rather con-
fessed. the horrors of the last two
years.
His uncle and cousin were not ex-
empt from the Rothelan curse. They
ouarrelled, and the son disapDea red
Scme strange stories were told OF his
iawlesS deeds. then for several wears
no word was heard from him. About
this time Arthur Rothelan's wife died.
and he came &c stay with his uncle.
His little girl had been left in her
grandmother charge. When the un-
Gle came 10 ie, the father-love was
Gle came to die, the father-loye was
Rothelan to Arthur. only on condition
Edward never came back.
Arthur Rothelan gay. extraya-
CANT man of the world, enjoyed his
new possessions with a wonderful
zest. He never for an instant dreamed
his cousin was alive. Year after year
he considered himself master OF all.
and ruled absolutely one night a
Feeble tattered wretch demanded ad-
mittance' ana proclaimed himself the
lost heir showed his birthmark--a.
scarlet cross on the right shoulder
He was III. worn out with the disso-
lutte life he had led, and begged for a
place 90 die In. but instead OF speedily
quitting the world seemed to grow
stronger, and talke d about HIS claims.
The master took his valet into his
confidence. He WAS n willy villain
and dazzled by the prospect Of a
moderate fortune. Fortunately for
them both, the vIsitOr's name had not
Deen mentioned TO the other servants.
and where people were constantly
coming and going no one felt curious
The valet and his master arranged
room In the chapel, filled in a thick
wall around IL 20 deaden sound. ar
ranged a window in the ceiling for
Hight and air. and conveyed their
prisoner to II. Arthur Rothelan could
not endure the thought OF poverty.
moreover. his cousin was "a degraded.
besotted man, who scarcely seemed
70 miss his liberty at FIRST. as his
Jaier kept him well supplied with
liquor Six months after this. while
on a visit 90 tho city. the valet was
robbed and murdered. and Arthur
Rothelan held his guilty secret alone.
lie took every prccautiOn. II became
a mania with him. Nights when FL.
ward would be noisy, be used 10 go
Through the house TO see ~ any one
could be listening. This had been his
errand on the first night Of my stay
there
How Edward Rothelan could beva
'fAH aNt.'N caat.H prepared Tor
his escape seemed indeed singular.
He must have worked industriouslv
for long while. and perhaps pos
seFsed more sense than Arthur gave
him credit for. And now the secret
was at an end-the ghost Of RotheIan
vas laid forever
told Edna how had witnessed
the escape. we lived in momrntafy
expectation of Edward'a return. btif
he did not come. Was ho waiting -
take some fearful retribution7 How
ever that might boz Arthur Rofholan
was soon beyond his reach think
he died much as Doe haI lived. That
very day william came in terrified
and breathless % ten OF dead body
De had discovered i1 ths woods A
presentiment SEIZED ma. and j went 20
View IT, Emaciatod. the eyes sunkln.
the hair and beard matted. a most
miserable looking object i tore open
the clothes the right shoulder was
scarlet cross
After the funeral 7 took Edna 90 the
city IT, was long while before qho
recovered beer health and sUirIfe
kothelau was cold. ana th. ant.rrrie-
tnF purchasers rr0YI-lI.l If fuf. "a
hotel ard Grated a fashionable ,.a-
terlng place We went tf.ra .nrs
and walked under tI. r.aare rt 10
stil known as the "gflare walk f"