Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-12-04
ho. he had been Dip all night. The table

was % covered with papers; Lurned-ous
FIRE smo,dered In the gratc.
III q a. have have read her story" said my lord,
aond I nray God for proof Of its truth.
To %" soIn hack the love of such q heart
. sba hot a sweet soul? And If she did |
soSa s.nGlo moment falter ID her 10y |
atty" ,,y
rThen you do not believe her" cx-
claimed Edgar, in grievcd surprise; you
think she deceived yo..p"
mo. mol" cried Inchcape, emphat c.
oI,v. @but she his deceived herself. She
70 now al nv own; and she never was
,,nfsitbful in look or word--he has for-
Sottan her heart. There must have
6esn some hoCc held out fer Accrin3ton,
,,nronsciously 81 en- perhaps, but he un-
Jorstood o II, and sold hi, honor through
thot bnnd Sweet soul! l have tcen
harsh to hef as fire TO bhtterflyi
should have rememb ,red The disparity ID
our ages, and not expected perlsc'
love" oaad
her moro than you wrong her now, salo
Edgar, with heartfelt fcrvor; yet now
can prove It? If you will not be leYe
her. whom will you believer not even
Sircombe's testimony, fIom which
boDed so much, will convince you
sThat Is different matter" said my
| lord, eagerly. "I could believe the YES.
| timony of a snterested person, whep
It ia an impossibility for this STUBBORN
heart of mine to believe altogether the
cmo,iooal outpourngs Of On exQusi'e
snirit like my Engelonde's after Inc
crnel suffarjngs VIII ch she ha' patentiy
endured for my sake She believes wnal
Tho has writ n, becau 1t describes the
state OF her heart now; but-oh, tnaS
could belleve!" IT,, u,,o
wall he turned from his young klnsman
and gazed with unseeing eyes from
| window. =,
dgar's youthful anger died as he oo,
served the naughty nob'e. The storm OF
misfortune which had passed over nun
had wrought such revolution IN MS
nat re as only the afflicted know
The spring OF his mind was brokepi no
longer could he hope or love or trust al
will. The cruel whisper OF sad eN-
per;ence was ever a. his ear reminding
I him that he had been betra ed
Edgar saw that, although Lazy lhch-
cape's story had moved him to inc
DEPTHS OF bis heart, she had not ye'
ga ned the victory; proof wa needed
He counted the hours to SlrcomDc ar
ri a. ..o
He remained for some tine with the
Earl. snd his whole talk wa OF Seat
ma Vr2cken Lord Inchcape Ii. tened
like one srel bound, saying little, ou'
mover suffering the subject 10 Dc
changed. .ud
Ia was spoken of, but as chic
for her father had not seen her for twC
wears, and manlike, picture her as ne
had last seen her, without taking note
of time. Edgar z arted the s"ee'
secret of his own o. O loyalty; for III
was too hishminded to utter his hope'
70 ord In~hcape at time when he wa'
laying him un Ter such deep obligations
@Wait," be thought, proudly; "whei
10 "a bappily reun. ted to his beautiful
Young wife, he may give me Viva OF hi
own froe Will, but this Is not the Ilhc u
crave such favor. "
That afternoon Edgar rode over Il
Co onsl Accr ngton's new purchasc
Cns.le Skeldrak. He was astonlshed q
the evidences OF unbounded "ealC
which met him at every turn; he recoS
nizcd the strength Of opponent NOR
: fully. and his hopes Of o compromlS
sank
A candidate with 80 much money d
: command, could afford to laugh az II
y forbearance-truly, It seemed as II h
could get on without it
But he pushed forward witt grlr
-, resolution to stand TO his guns.
Enquirlng for the Colonel, he was ID
formed by tho gent oman y FOOT q
-, that his master was In his library, er
:, gayed with his agent.
= aPut he will see you, Mr.. Arden,
y prophesied Hardy reverentially' Jus
u step in here one moment while l sen
i" in And he led the singular visitor int
. n surcrbly designed and arranged r.
IO carlton room, ard backed out burStln
with curiosity as to the secret OF III
= visit Of the rival candidate
In very few minutes Colonel Accrln'
ton himself appeared, calm, courtcoi
y and nscrutable, and greeted Mr. Arde
70 without offering his hand (wh ch he pc
20 haps feared might be reiectodl.
70 Edgar Arden and Richard Accrlngtc
b had mot several times IN the course
- their lives, but In such fashion that the
/, IaQ mover CHdnCeu w H"nO O"D w -
10 persona acquaintance; ley knew a
~ about each otter, AID pcsscs ed ar
,r mutual iE.ends.
u The present Getting was, therefor
easy and dignifed; and the Colonel mac
no his political opponent very welcome
N ~ his own hou G, referring with gracel
~ y rai,ery to the profe sonal riNarJ I
~ tween them
- "You find me up 10 the eyes In
- tIoneering bu mess, and quite re olSed
~ rout the enemy" said be, laughing; "
:, If that be impos .ibIe, as dare say it
= to give him hard fight for his victory
u GI am quite sure should lind Col a
crinQton q foeman worthy OF my steel,
r' intended to dispute the field WI
as h'm.n replied Edgar; and his tone al
ly steady gaze convinced Accrington th
p. something very peryonal indeed W
nC coming. He resented the young mar
no cold manner, and writbed conscious
under his condemning gaze. What! W
&C. every young jackanapes who chose
80 sit in Judgment upon him, and treat q
10 mystihcations in this high-and-mlgh
sly e2
aYou don't intend to give in without
tussle sure?" drawled he, putting on
in delicately in 'olent manner.
Mt aOh, don do that, Arden; ] shot
a. have no plea ure in the affa II you
IL low me to walk over the course In drea
solitude. But, perhaps have mlsund
re stood you; Inchcape ha n t Ia LED "
er has he? 1 supposed OF course thaC :