The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-02-21
CHAPTER xII.-A RASH ACT.

pose to Elvira Delane and recoup
himself by her ample fortune for the
disappointment his uncle's will had
occasioned him? Had he done so
much that was troublesome and diff
ficult would have been overcome.
But 1t was not in Pierce Vaughan'a
nature to let bygones be bygones
and seek philosophically to mako
the best of life.
He must forever be fretting and
searching and intriguing. Were il
not for such as he the world would
roll On easier wheels, but then per-
chance misdeeds and cruel wrongs
would frequently pass unpublished.
He had a grudge against Clement
Dunraven for robbing him, as he
considered, of his ~birthright, Cheat
lug hin ou q Aooyne Court a. he
~threvdly g%gspac-ca " . fair cana.
He wa. reau'stJ t.. iS-.ye no ptone
rrtrrne3 uutil no had IN Sore way
~reVengea bun Ell on 81 C!cG..S.
All this was far nearer his heart
than either Elvira Delane or her
gold.
Besides, dainty little beauty though
Elvira was, she scarcely of late
usurped the first place in his feel
ings, II a man so devoid of real
affection as Pierce Vaug han was
could be credited with feelings.
Elvira herself thought that Lady
Marcia Foljambe was her rival, but
in this she was mistaken. Lady
Marcia was merely a useful friend, q
stepping stone by which PIERCE
hoped to carry out some of tho
schemes he had in view.
The individual for whom he had
elected to conceive a passion, proba-
bly, because she avoided and Aouted
him-was Lisbeth Glendinning.
No more complicating or disastrous
attachment, could, under the cir
cumstauces, possibly have arisen.
When Pierce Vaughan came down to
Brentwells to stay at Lady Marcia's
and pretend to the world that he
was the devoted cavalier of the
gushing widow it was because he
knew that Lisbeth had returned to
the Coleshill cottage and that he
could occasionally walk owe and,
as he hoped, improve the occasion
with her.
1t was only a few hours after Jim
Glendinning's departure that he
started across the fields to pay his
first visit. How he would be re-
eei"et 10 ii not know, and-new
sensations 20 this blase cynic, ho
ureaucu We reception he might
mlsV With from Lisbeth, presuming
r. sboGid be a cold one, until he felt
as shy and uncomfortable as a boy
of eighteen bound on a love affair
for the first time.
To reach the cottage from Brent
wells it was necessary to go through
Coleshill, and there he saw a good
many of the idle inhabitants stand
ing about in groups, talking, among
them was the garrulous old woman
he had previously met in the cottage
grounds.
She recognized him at once and
made a curtsey, probably in anticpa-
ton of a tip. Bat Pierce Vaughan
was one of those men who gave
"pothing for nothing and very little
for a haltpenuy." He might per-
chance get q halfpenny worth out OF
Thu old bag he thought, so he called
her to come and speak to him, ask
ing her what event of Importance
had occurred in which half at least
of the Coleshill population was So
interested.
"It's either a ghost or a backslideI
your honor, and no IL can just
make up their minds which it u.s."
"What the deuce do you mean by
a ghost or a backs.ider, old mother?"
"Wby, Jim Glendinning, Lisbeth's
father, as was convicted for a bad
burglary and got twenty years. In
the flesh or out of the flesh he has
walked through the town this morn
ing, and Sam Styles, he do say as he
seen him ye~sterniSht."
"Pooh - nonsense. Sam Styles
must have been drinking, and he
had set you all OF believing IN thu
sb7uu ti-i b, has seen in hls Guns.
Jim uiendinning has been dead this
many a day. Old Josh told Sir
Louis ali abo1t u yoars ago"
"Mercy alive, then it waur his
ghost. l said as it waur. Lord, I
feel my back is a openin' and shut
tin. seen it myself"
"You have seen some stranger
who has a resemblance TO Jim Glen
dining, or what you all imagined
Jim would be like if lie were alive.
And you get up as much sensation az
II the world We're coming to an end.
l thought the Coleshill people ha |
more sense. Upon my word l am
ashamed of you all"
sab, you great gents haven't no
belief" said the old wife with a sigh.
1t did not please her to be cheated
out OF her link with the supernatural.
The only compensation for which
would be the horror they would all