The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-01-23
The Secret Of DunraVen
Castle.
BY ANNIE ASHMORE,
Author Of Faithful Margaret" Etc. Eta
CHAPTER I.
M.NAT-NA.YRKGKhN,

Vn6OAhnt
An day long the blast had scourged the
northern seas into 9 mselstrom OF boil
Ing surf; the heavens we're collapsed by
baden clouds which trailed their ragged
lrts along the surface Of the waters;
HghtDings stresmed from the rent skies
HE fire through IN open door; thundsra
&pOed-it was Wild day, that! J. !
r Set In the midst Of this elemental
&renzy, . rock-bound islet stood, black
and stsadfast; It's bassltio cliffs wefs
crowned By an ancient square embst.
tied tower. A flag stresmed from its
turress, tho broad rose-window OF its
chapel glimmered amid the wild wrack OF
Ahe storm.
r. The breakers rosred around the foot
Of the isle-leaped upon its rocky walls,
8fnging their snowy foam up even to
khe castle parapet, and fell back IN Q
ahoussnd Bilvery rills, to crouch and leap
again in endless, Intellectual fury.
kWhen the hour OF sunset came,
wild glare shot from the angry west
across the seething waste, and along
Mat fiery pathway little ship came
aeeing before the storm under bare
bolea 81 t.E .sa. -.
& She was slight and dainty craft,
more fit for the silver reaches of the
Thames than for these fierce Hebridesn
Yeas Yet like some high-coursged,
beautiful animal running for Its life, she
It'll kept her raveFing pursuers, tha
waves, behind her, and staggered on IN.
daunted.
! It was Edgar Arden's yacht, the Mer.
9auser, which had been blown out Of her
course, and was now running head on
for the iron-bound isle % fast Is the
Wind and current could drive her.
j Edgar Arden and his stout-hesrted
men were utter strangers In these seas;
they had made q long and gallant fight
$or dear life, and hoped even yet to slip
BY the looming rock and find safe sea-
Room beyond.
But as that fierce ray lit the scene,
showing distinctly for the first time the
form Of the foam-swathed rock voice
lose from among the little company on
the laboring bark, o voice like the knell
Of doom:
y sThe sleatna- -vrecken! Beware the
Geat-narVreckenl" .-.t.,
/ The men, clinging each to his plac
that he might not be swept away by the
erowding waves, turned with one &C.
cord to gaze at the utterer Of the warn
ing
It was the only man among them who
knew these waters, an old Highlander
whom they had picked up about Tona
for pilot -
Rain CT shine, no eye had ever before
f, seen old Kenmore moved; his spirit was
= hard as his country's granite, and not
easily daunted, but he was daunted now.
Elevated above them all and hanging on
20 the bare mast, with his long white
locks drifting on the gale, he gaSed upon
the approaching isle in pale dismay.
) @The Seatrna-Vreckenl" echoed Ed
gar Arden quickly, where have heard
shat wild Morse name? Or is it only q
Seminiscence Of some old sea legend?
Strangel It rings familiar in my ear.
But what particular peril are we in from
that black rock? En-, Kenmore
4 He was fine fellow, Arden; the beau
Ideal of q gallant, brave patrician; no
sleepy languor or lily fingers with him,
he was all life and fire, yet with that
look in his flashing eyes which women
love men for. ..
slender and true," as douglas" Of
the sweet ballad, was Arden Of Inch
cape; and If he had not yet discovered
the lady who was destined to win his
loyal heart, it was through no coldness
OF temperament or predominance OF
self-conceit f. ..
|, Edgar Arden had not been very long
promoted to the acknowledged heirship
of noble English house; he was the or
phan son Of the nearest Of kin to the Earl
OF Inchcape; and when that nobleman
lost his beautiful young wife abroad five
years before, having no issue save
daughter by his first wife, he brought
his heir-at.law home to Inchcape Fosse,
and formally ratified his rights
Edgar was already gentleman in
character and breeding. and he entered
shat desolate house like blessing to the
Smbittered Inchcspe, upon whom
crushing calamity had recently fallen.
He had always heard 80 much of Inch
: cspe's fine career, his philanthropio
projects, his political power, that when
he frat came to the Fosse and found his
2insman broken, brooding man, with
noble aspirations all forgotten, and
powers nnheeded, his ardent young
heart was touched, and he loved him
with no commoD love.
, Lord Inchcap6 gradually awoke to
the comforting sweetness OF this unex-
pected affection. He marked the youth
and began to thank God that, since he
was denied son of his own body, this
true man was to stand in that relation
TO him. Thus 1t was that Edgar became
the beloved Of Inchcape, master and
people He was denied nothing that he
set his heart upon-his will was law.
he craved yacht; the earl presented
him with nonpareil In yachts-the
NeI gauser. He wanted q crew; the
due complement Of men was culled from
the flower OF Lord Inchcape's tenantry.
And we'll they loved their gallant young
Captain; they would have followed him
round tho world at his bid; nobody was
90 great or so good in their eyes a.
.Arden Of Inchcape."
Edgar had been alone in the world
since his infancy, when he lost both his
parents. A guardian had then taken
cold care Of him according to the letter
Of his instructions, sending him to q
Hrst-cla academy, and then to Eaton;
but small was the home happiness until
Lord Inchcape took him home to the
Fosse.
Edgar had enjoyed his usual luck in
his trip in the Mergauser until he took
Kenmore aboard like second Jonah.
He had neve. shown tile least devotion
20 his young captain; no had been cold
and formal in what brief intercourse ho
had deigned to hold with him, and .
stern and silent man among his mates on
board the Mergauser.
He was q man Of giant stature,
straight and massive ss tower, with
snow. white locks and psle-blue, piercing
northern eyes. An expression Of hsuteur
redeemed his rough-hewn features from
YulnaritY. and hA had Rall-earued the