The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-05-01
such an hour He stopped Short
gnawing his lip.
1Continue!" thundered Lord Inchcape.

EuCQ al uOuI ho SloPPou ohoA y
gnawing his lip.
aContinue!" thundered Lord Inchcape.
any lord, can recall no more" pro-
tested Sircombe. enjoying the equivocal
light he had put the lady's words in.
@Was it anything like this?" demanded
the Earl, who read as follows: There
can be no amity between you and me-
You have dared to write me clandes-
tine letter; well, listen to mel have
lot read It. You have come back to pay
me compromising visit: you shall gain
nothing by that but disgraceful expos
ure: for am about to call my house
hold to protect me from the insults of q
midnight intruder Well, Mr.. Sir
combe, do you recollect these words?"
Sircombe bowed in silence. What use
to rebel any longer? He saw that Lord
Inchcape was in possession Of the truth,
and that Edgar Arden was ready to de-
nounce him if he evaded it.
aCan you recall Colonel Accrington's
response?" demanded my lord.
at was o menace, fercely delivered
BE spoke of his love turning to hatred
nd revenge. My lady then defed him.
md the Colonel taunted her with deliv.
8ing over your lordship to his VEN
seance, and promised to work his will
upon you. At that moment, II I am
not mistaken, they heard the appoach OF
your 1ordship, and Colonel Accrington
amused himself by painting the suspi-
cious appearance their situation must
have in Jealous husbands eyes, and by
prophesying the scandal which would
ensue. There was no answer from Lady
pl
she was at my door, ordering me to fol-
low you and Colonel Accrington."
Lord Inchcape laid down the manu-
script, and rose with long breath.
He fixed his quiet gaze upon his
treacherous secretary.
@You have struggled hard to maintain
the appearance Of having suspected
Lady Inchcape," said he. sternly; @and
of course l understand why. Itwas the
only excuse for the part you have since
played between her and me.
"Rut now, in the face OF this testi-
mony; corroborated as it has been by
yourself, dare you still harbor the faint
sst shade of suspicion against THAI
guiltless lady? Speak, sir; will be an
Swered
Raging and sickening with shame. the
secretary was forced to part with this,
his last, poor rag of defense; for Edgar's
fierce eye blazed upon him as he hesi-
tated, and the withering sccrn OF Inch
cape's glance convinced him that he was
not to be deluded
II believein her innocence" muttered
he. with bowed head and ashen lip.
aAnd always have?" pursued the Earl.
hor tuhicnnrnH r.
combe; and he buried his face in his
hands with groan OF heartfelt degrada-
tion.
But my lord and his young kinsman
turned toward each other with out
stretched hands; eye sought eye in un-
speakable emotion. Forgotten was the
crushed wretch behind them; the last
faint doubt Of sweet Engelonde 1nchcape
was cleared away-her husbands heart
trusted in her as OF yore.
One strong hand clasp, and m oment-
ary paling of the majestic face, and my
lord was himself again.
And this I owe to you, Edgar!" he
said, fervently.
aWell, my boy. cannot fitly thank
you; but trust the time may come when
| may possess the power to give you the
desire Of your heart, as you have this
day given me the desire OF mine"
He was interrupted by sudden move
ment of Sircombe's; he was cropping
blindly for the door, his face pale as
dea;h, and convulsed with despair.
The two men regarded him in dismay;
no mortal spending sickness could have
turned the man more haggard, old, or
broken, than had the intoerable expos
ure of his baseness. Ay, but was there
not something more intolerable?
Had not the last blow fallen, when my
Lord InchcaLe vowed to give Edgar Ar
den the desire Of his heart, II 1t ever
should be in his power to do so?
And did not Edgar Arden lore sweet
Ulva, daughter Of this gratful 1nchcape?
Could it be possible, in this strange
word, that the DID,, grave, bookish Sec
retary had dared to feel sweet Ulva's 8
fascination with q mans perception?
Dared he love her?
Thus flashed Edgar's thoughts, turn
ing all his mpassion to scorn; but, my
lord, who had not the key to Sircombe
secret, spoke out of the nobility OF his
spirit.
SStay one moment, Mr.. Sircombe; you
have wronged me greatly: that / might
have forgotten, if you had not wronged
my beloved wife far worse.
"Still, in consideration OF the many
years which you have given to my SER
vice, shall not be unmerciful. l am
obliged to dismiss you: yet cannot con-
template you suffering in mere temporal
matters. l shall provide you with .
home and means to support it honora-
by, but it must be far away from me
and mine Farewell, sir; I desire to sea
you never more
fTo BE coSTIHJ1n1