Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-12-04

ro,1 aWbat are we poor simple hearted !
women in the hands OF specious ms,
,rornt whose oast that he can use all
,nonL'nl through their weaknesses?
%"d NV hcautiful Merron has her h art
ncho. too! No, no, my chs'o, tnere IS
not Ing to be ashamed OF there are
few trGo hearted women who nave not
loved ..o,
sobbed Mcrr on. , t.
s1il Mrs. Del 'amerc, generously hldlng
her kcua Sappo' 'ntfnent u nave
fnnc ed many times o. Ia that Auoeron
loved you He does not love my poor
Loyeday, / am sure OF that"
aYou did not sec him as l saw him
when first We missed Ioyeday ana tho
Colonel" said Mcrrlon, dcsl lalrlnSy.
aSuch grief and self-reproach l never
saw on human face. "
Gle was distressed because he hao
not teen true to his trust" suggested
Mis- Dcllamere though her hopes rose.
"Ah, madam, simple chagrln never
wore SUI th an aspect" m aned Merrlon;
ale said he would never return without
er-or Accring on; love and jealousy
breathed In every accom-. Ay, and
t5oy are worthy Of each other!" cried
sho n b'v; and If he loves her, will
nray heaven that she may love him."
~,;rcat heart" murmurcd Mrs Ee--
lamere. with emotion. And che pressed
one of her rare kisses upon MerrionS
brow.
II was a-reed between them that
nothing was to be aid about their anxi-
city. and they appeared at the NUM- ON
nor with net q cloud on their serenity.
Arcring on had net Teen seon al the
hunt, so that the continued aDsence VI
Miss 10 lamero and Au0eron Orecy'
though gayly observed, was not con
nected with his name.
As time wore on, Mrs lrecy'S anxiety
about the absence OF An0 ron oOilgeu
Mis- Dellamere to contide the matter 10
her, when her applehenslons rose 10
sIch pitch that Edgar perceived her
misery, and connected it with the theme
of their late conversation.
Fearing the worst from Richard Ac-
crinctcn. be got the two ladies' apart for
q mon cnt. and implorcd them to make
him Of usc if Miss De lamcre's safety
was In question
The terrified ladies looked boseech,
ingly at each other; ,shoud they trust
him? oh, yes, ycs'-if truth llvod Oh
earth, surely it II cd In Edgar Aroen;
and, too, did he not possess mysterious
power over the enemy?
So they confied all to him, and tho re-
Gil + was that he started of with iresn
hors, to aid Auberon Crecy.
All this time the honest squire hao
~
for his pace wa obligatory at the fieao
of t table, AMI lie could not nave ui'
gui ed his uneasiness for a moment.
1t was trying to see hi big, oeamine
eyes travelling round and rouna tn
taHle every few minutes in search OF Ch'
fair LCvcday and his idolized Auoeron
but ho wa slow OF spec n, ana MIS-
Dellamere was always ready with SAL!
IN me to reprcs his loud inquiries
Then came the dance, and then lnoee'
the bright queen of 10Y was mi sea- ou
soma subtle spirit set hint oircuiatns
that Mamma Del,amcre did not care u
common her daughter by grant'nl
the same company two appearances
one day so that little Loveday wa' V(r.
likely at home, dressed In CIR lsh can
brio and romping with her dog, lnsCea'
of monoro ling all the eligible partners
and though the gentlemen might mur
mur against madam's pol cy, the lau @
approved her maternal tenderness; an
made the best of Loveday'S absence
But whore was Autcron Crccy? Ina
wa the next query.
",ou know that dgar Arden is re
turned?" ,aid Mcrrioa Rae, very impre
s!vely. ,,,..
| "lc, was he not at dinner? Wha
then?" a
l al e3ead upon It, he ha carried Al
: heron Gro " OF with him for chat; 70
know they always were wonderiu
friends. Oh, we shan t see Anoero
! (recy hero this evening; 1t is not ever
: day that an adored friend comes nome.
So that explanation was accepted ais
: and busy rumor had nothing as yet
ins'nuate concern ng NJ IS Dellanere
: TIE hunt dance ended, rorim ant VIZ
loft to ranose: and still Auberon had N
returned.
) MrA Teramere went home to the n
d vilion. hoping against hope that 81
3 might find | oveday there; but no OF
greeted her save her own sleepy mall
: whom she has.i.J sent to bed before 81
couId observe that Miss Dellamcre WI
y not with her mother
AMI then the unhappy lady drew b.
" cashmeres about her again, and sto
z outside to endure her wild terror alon
o Richard Accrington had taken his r
yenge on her for her carly sin. Ala
he hal known where 10 strike TO woui
- her mortally.
n Laura Dellamere's proud head bow
!. under the blow her heart oled Tor
~ sweet child; something OF the fell spii
e of Accrington was re ea'ed to her, s.
knew him now, mercilcss, vindlctl
1, satanic; q. d this man held her darlll
!" loveday at his mercyl
n The night was cold and bleak, the
IL cnue where she had paced was VIII
70 with the hail that had fallen few hou
10 earlier: a pining and bitter wind moan
, through the trees.
~ She felt nc cold; like spirit she 10
- cred in the lime walk, weeping, prayln
% listening with strained ear agonizi
- W tn breaking heart-a mother bereav
70 of her child. !,
- And in that dark hour Of sorrow &
70 recollection of Engeiond Inchcape nas
- cd uron her with a rev revelation OF q
I brief story
~-Alite (r3cy had always bel eyed her
A. euiltless wife, detained by Richard A
~ crington in revenge; while she had co
i demned her through lurking sentime
i in favor of AccringtOn.