The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-09

sweetness in a manner disarmed him,
Herbert's raised crest and pumed-out
feathers set all his own bristles on end.
7 don't believe you" he shouted out
angrily. IF 1 were TO say that to Demon
here, he'd soon make short work Of you
both. He'd tear you limb from limb be-
fore you could wink"
Here the brute grOwled and barred his
sharp white cruel fangs as before.
We are sorry TO have disturbed you"
said Marjorie gently. 1T was quite by
accident believe mei'
AS she stood there in the archway made
by the interlacing branches, the mellow
autumn sun falling on her fresh young
face and golden curling hair hecking
the light blue dress she wore with little
islands Of golden green, she looked Ike
some Lady of the Woods. some sweet
spirit, which had taken this gracious
human shape TO bless the eyes Of man with
the absolute perfection Of beauty. Half
craZed as he was. for ever conscious OF
that dark secret in the past, brutalized
by solitude, secret passion, tortured con-
science and a haunting fear, the Hermit
was yet man like any other. And the
sight of this fair young face, and the
sound Of this clear young voice. stirred
him as nothing had done for more years
now than he cared to count.
She came, too, with a certain strange
suggestion of, rather than likeness to,
something I'm the far past At the first
he could not localize his memory 1t was
as Of some shadowy loneliness, subtle
aud undetermined-an echo of some mel
ody signing in the distance. Then by de-
grees the blurred mirror cleared itself
and the Indefinite became sharply marked.
lie knew of whom this fair girl remind
ed him, and at that first rush Of memo
~ ne covered his swart face In his hands
ana groaned aloud. To her he felt hu-
namely; but that youth BY her side who
was he? What right had he to come to
spy into the mystery of the past? Was
he the resurrection of his old enemy? Was
ne never TO be free from the devil haunt
ing his soul? And yet-the boy did not
look like that hated man. She did throw
back 10 the lost and blood-st ained past:
out ne was OF a different stamp, yet
something familiar too. But whoever they
were, these rash children who had ven
tured on his solitude and braved the foul
mend by which he was possessed, they
must learn to avoid him az thew would
avoid death and destruction. for indeed
IL would be both death and destruction to
venture here again. The knowledge of
the way TO his retreat, which they had
gained, they must neither utilize nor i'm
part, else would Demon teach them how
70 rue their rashness-while leaving him
Tree from the charge of murder
be ON! shouted the Hermit reused
70 sudden fury by the thoughts that
surged through his brain, as though thew
We're internal millraces; and never YOU
dare 10 come here again. Be thankful
You nave escaped so far Another time
ana my dog shall be at your threats
he knows how to tear out the life from
a lambs throat he added. with a horr1-
oath. 90
Goodbye" said Marjorie. Il am so
sorry we have vexed you"
"Good-day," said Herbert, following her
The. Hermit made gesture Of repul-
sion, letting fly a flock Of basphemies and
curses like nest of foul birds aroused
out of my sightg he shouted. Then.
as they turned to go, he called after
t 1t1Srn' hoo,i stay. you two young devils.
DO for II and I will or
whispered Herbert.
In an instant the dog was before them,
barring their way.
mo, we will both go. He will not hurt
us If we obey him." said Marjorie, with
a tuster perception of chance and prob
abilities. And the dog would not let me
go, she added, as this well-named De-
mon crouched there, threatening and OBJ
structive-the ultima ratio which we must
all obey.
They turned back, hand in hand, and
again faced the Hermit, who sat there in
the sunlight, surrounded by the chang
ing autumn trees as though he had been
some trighttul gnome of heroic stature
some mythical ''charcoal-burner' of Ger
man fable, half-man, half-fiend, robber
murderer and sorcerer in one.
Now that you have intruded on me,
you must give an account of yourselves"
began the Hermit, in the same violent
before. who are you? Why have you
come to this old dog-hole of Lone Head d?
Who set you on the track of me? Here.
you, you girl. what is your name?'
Marjorie Pentreath' said the young
bride, proud of her new name.
The Hermit gave perceptible start,
and his eyes suddenly famed with some
thing that was as much emotion as anger
who is hep" he asked after a pause
with contemptuous jerk of his thumb
towards Herbert.
4 am her husband" said Herbert.
silence, till you are spoken tor roar
ed the Hermit, Let her speak, can't you +?
Here, you girl come nearer to me; and,
you, sir, stand where you are. Don't be
afraid" he added roughly. 1.-The dog won t
hurt you. Lie down, Demon So, quiet
sir! Now come" he said again to Mar
jorie: Come nearer and let me look at
you"
Majorie went forward till she came close
to that grim interlocutor. AS a sign of
amity and confidence she held out her
hand. The man was evidently a gentle
man by origin. Robinson Crusoe-like as
he was now by long neglect and brutal
for all his roughness; and when he spoke
his accent was that of an educated man
Almost as If in spite of himself there was
a certain faint aura of former gentlehood
about him-almost as if he were doing
violence TO his truer self by his anger,
his disregard, his very extravaganza of
surlineSs. A less wrathful expression
came into his face as he rose from the
tree-trunk which served him for bench,
ing there before him, like a nineteenth
century wOod-nymph in a picture hat
and pale blue gown.
''Who were you before you married %
he asked, more gently than he had yet
spoken.
He took her ungloved, outstretched hand
between both of his-hs so rough and
hardened yet sim so well-shaped, as
would naturally belong to man of good
birth.
Marjorie Hoyte," was her answer.
"Ah!' he said. drawing a deep breath
1t was as if he had said: II knew it,"
You have Cornish Names" he then
said, after pause, in still gentler voice
Yes. we are Cornish people" said
Marjorie. I'VE both come from the same
place-Summer-Leas, near Penzance," she
added, looking back to Herbert in the
near Observation-Disclosures to her, the Hama
The hands of the strong. rude man
trembed as they pressed hers with a
friendly intention in their grasp.
You were Marjorie Hoyte." he re-
peated softly; and that whelp there is
Herbert Pentreath.'
His voice, his eyes, his whole bearing
changed as he said this. His manifest
interest in the girl did not extend to her
husband
Yes" said Marjorie, startled in that
he knew her young lovers name but
with too keen a womans flair to take
up the point
She instinctively felt that to let sleeping
dogs lie was the only wise way of deal
ing with this formidable hermit of Lone
Head. What mystery soever there might