The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-03-19
ISELMERE,
OR;
THE MYSTERY OF NIGHTINGALE'S
BOWER.
Written for the GOLD Leaf
BY S. JESSIE WILDER.
CHAPTER XII.
A SURPRISE.

log the evening ICllOWlng, planning
some way to find out if Mrs. Craven
had the will, both were startled 10 see
Bob Craven approaching. He looked
flushed and angry and turning to lvey
he said meaningly:
$50 this is the way you amuse your
self; mighty fine to be sure, but you
will come with me now."
He started toward her but was felled
to the ground by a stunning blow from
Ronald's powerful arm. As he fell
something Auttered to the ground from
his pocket, but Ronald did not notice
it. He turned to Ivey and said
"We will 60 now, Miss Ivey, before
that wretch regains consciousness"
Ivey, who had been too much sur
prsed and alarmed to speak until now,
rose and prepared to accompany him,
She noticed the paper which fell from
the wretch's pocket and stopped, with
a woman's curiosity, and picked it up.
She looked at it carelessly then her
face paled. She held it out to Ronald
and he took it and read:
"Last Will and Testament of John
1selmere'
"Ivey, my darling, your fathers will,
thank Heaven, is found and your
promise to the dead is fulfilled. You
must never go to Iselmere again.
Come with me and will take you to
Mrs. Vivienne's; she is kind and moth
erly and will receive you as daugh
| ter.'
"Well, Ronald" lvey said simply,
81 trust you in all things aid will do
as you think BEST
Ronald related the whole story to
Mrs. Vivienne and she took the orphan
girl tenderly in her arms, her mother
ly heart melting with pity at her sad
story, and Nina's bright, black eyes
flied with tears as she thought of the
difference between her own happy life
and that Of Ivey and as she gently put
her arms round the girls slender
waist she resolved to do all in her
power to make her happy while she
remained under their roof.
Ronald saw that 1vey was in good
hands and left the room saying, 81
shall 20 at once and remind those peo-
pie that they will be punished for the
crime if they do not leave the neigh
borhood at once
Ivey followed him out o.! the little
porch. "Oh please do not 60, Ron
ald," she said in distress, 81 am afraid
you will be hurt
Ronald replied, looking lovingly
into her anxious face, {" Do not be
uneasy about me, am able to take
care of myself. l want to send those
| people where we will never hear of
them more; for | can't bear to breathe
the same atmosphere with any one who
has treated my darling SO shamefully." p"
She smiled at him as he turned to
close the gate and he blew her kiss as
he vanished among the trees. Mrs.
Vivienne and Nina joined Ivey on the
porch but their lively chatter and evil
dent anxiety to make her feel at home,
could not Danish Ivey's fears. She
knew Bob Craven and his mother to
be utterly unscrupulous, and her heart
sank as she thought of what nigh, hap
pen. She loved Ronald Thurs,on
with the pure, true, love which comes
to US all once in life time, "and oh!''
she thought, chow cruel it would be
were anything to happen to him.
"rhere is the ten O'Clock express, p"
Nina said, as the mourniul sound Of
a locomotive whistle came to them as
it steamed into the little station of
Campton, some miles away. The
words were scarcely spoken ere they
all started to their feet exc!almng,
"What, oh, what is tha,?" The
moon had not yet risen, but in the
black darkness of the night lurid
light was shining, sending its forked
tongues of fame far up through the
trees, lighting up the surrounding
country for miles around.
"It must be, it is Iseimere,' they
| SdlU Ill d"C-StIlIkCI "iltHpCiS, 'uu.
Ronald, what of hlm?"
CHAPTER XII.
IvEY.
| When Ronald reached Iselmere he
found Mrs. Craven bathing her hope
full sons black eye. They were very
angry and would doubtless have used
violence, but Ronald quietly produced
the will and told them that they would
be punished to the full extent of the
law both for mistreating Ivey and fol-
withholding the will if they did no,
leave the country at once. Tney saw
that all was over with them and prom
ised to leave that night on the 1c
o'clock express. Ronald knew thai
they would not dare to break thai
promise, and Fastened home, for he
was quite worn 1T. He was quietly
resting on the veranda at Glen Fern
Villa when Miss Leigh discovered the
fire. Ronald knew at once where il
was and it was with a sense Of relic
that he watched the glowing pile
which had been the scene Of Ivey'
misery, burn to the ground. He though
of Ivey but did not feel uneasy abou
her; thinking that she had retired ant
would not notice it. He thought toe
that it was very probable that the Cra
ven's had added incendiarylsm to thei
. catalogue of crimes, but just then h
{ heard the ten o'clock train leav
Campton and decided 10 let them g
anG meet tie fate which always over
takes the wicked. But Ronald neve