The herald., 1896-07-05
Copyrisht 1896; by the Bacbeller Syndicate.

Copyright 1896; by the Bacbeller Syndicate.
SYNOPSIS.
The young Lord Dornham, Mrs. Jehares
ana her daughter Claudia, old Lord Ver-
lineton and his niece Betty form house
party at the country place Of George Mere
dyth. the cousin of Dornham and next In
auccession to his title and estates. Mere
dyth IL engaged to be married to Claudia.
who had also been admired by Dornham
before he unexpectedly succeeded to his
title She meanwhile had engaged herself
to Meredyth, his circumstances being bet
ter than Dornhams at that time. One
day Lord Dornham is found desperately
wounded and unconscious, with Meredyth' s
gun beside him. Some suspicion rests on
the latter, they having had a quarrel.
Claudia. believing that Dornham will re-
cover and marry her, takes the occasion
to break with Meredyth. Betty remains
faithful, and comforts him.
PART II.
CHAPTER IV.-(Continued)
Betty. sick at heart, comes up the stairs
, that lead to Dornham's chamber-poor
Dick Dornham, lowering now between life
and death. She stands irresolutely on the
threshold, looking from one face to anoth-
er of those assembled; her uncle, Lord
Wellington, over there, and George at the
bedside and the doctor here, and the other
one over there, and the clergyman wait
ing anxiously.
She becomes conscious all at once that
something has happened. Both doctors
are leaning over the bed. and a faint, faint
murmur-a sound as Of some one speak
ing with extraordinary carbohydrates
her ear.
Is Dorham conscious? It Is. 1t must be.
his voice she hears. She almost staggers
backwards. nervous flush mounts to her
brow. Every pulse In her body begins to
beat wildly.
Lord Wellington, being the only one to
see her, beckons to her to stand still and.
moving gently and noiseIessly to her.
presses her back into the corridor again.
HE has recovered consciousness. He has
even recognised us all, but-you must be
quiet. Betty; his case is perfectly hopeless.
Some complication about the heart; shock
or something like that. He is dying-no
earthly thing could cure him. Both Bland
and Mckenzie are agreed about it. He has
really only an hour or so to live. poor fel-
low"
IAN hour! oh! poor, poor Dick" says
the girl. A sharp dry sob, painful. intense,
breaks from her lips; she almost staggers
against the wall near here, as II support Of
some sort Is necessary.
Then all at once through her grief for
Dick. a thought strikes-piercing-s
An hour! Only an hour! And then-then
he will be gone, and George forever
branded with the stamp Of crime.
She pulls herself up from the wall,
standing resolutely. All her strength
comes back to her tenfold.
Uncle Gregory" cries she, catching
verli9g toms arm, "if he is conscious, he
car tell us where his gun is. he can tell us
all about his accident. He can" she
stops as II choking. "Oh, Uncle Gregory,
he can clear all suspicion away from
George"
True" says the old lord. He pauses to
regard her with thoughtful air. ("Now
why the Deuce" asks he of himself. ''is
she so anxious about Meredyth getting out
OF this imbroglio?" His thoughts--old peo-
pies thoughts are slow-pause again
"And why the deuce didn't Meredyth-as de-
cent a young fellow as l know, and a
hephew-in-law not to be despised-fancy
Betty at first, instead Of that abominable
mink" Thus the old man ckaracterizes
Claudia. "Too much boy and girl busi-
ness, suppose, In their childhood, but--a
pity-a pity.")
Under other circumstances he is now
answering out loud Betty's impassfoned
appeal. but am sorry to say, my dear.
that the doctors refuse to have him ex-
cited in any way. Their last hope of keep
ing him alive for even a little time de-
pends upon his having perfect calm"
But" the girl has now the air Of one in
dreadful revolt. "he is dying"
Eyes, yes"
"And George must live"
Deity
II don't care" clenching her small
frm little hands. II will say 1t. He must
die. and are we to let him go without