The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-25
Copyrighted, 1896 by Fitzgerald Molloy.

copyrighted, 1870, Dl
viscount Rupertswood flung down the
y,siting card which on returning to his
home close upon midnight had been hand
ed him by his valet
when was this left?" the viscount ask
Cd frowning at the piece of cardboard
which lay upon the table.
"A couple of hours ago, my lord"
"Was there any message given with it?'
1.-THE gentleman inquired when you
would return, my lord"
"Wel?"
81 told him 1 didn't know. my lord, and
he turned away without another word"
And that was all?" said Rupertswood,
tnterrogatively, as he fixed his eyes upon
the servant. questionipgly, suspiciously.
THAT was ALL my lord"
The vlscount absorbed in thought, walk
e5 Nd and down the room; then seeing his
valet as wordless and immovable as
statue waiting by the dressing table, he
addressed him sharply, saying, go to bed;
sban't want you tonight"
The man quietly made his exit, on which
Rupertswood took up the visiting card
once more, whilst the letters of the name
II bore seemed to rise and swell before
his sight. Then, acting on an angry i'm
pulse. he flung it into the fire, as if with
It's destruction he would Danish the men,
cries it aroused, the sensations it created.
The night, midway in November, was
wild and chill. Now and then he could
hear sharp, sudden showers rattle against
the suffered and curtained windows, and
the manning of the wind as it swept across
innumerable roofs and past forests of
cbimneys in it's destructive course toward
the sea.
Lighting a cigar, and drawing a wide,
low saddle-bag chair to the hearth, he
sat down before the glowing fire that
frightened his comfortable dressing room,
and began to mediate on the situation
which faced him.
OF more than middle hight, well built
and agile, his figure bore traces of his
military training. His dark eyes, heavy
udded and slightly protrudng, his wide,
thick lips we'll screened by moustache,
and the full moulding of his cheeks and
chin indicated his appreciation of the
pleasures of life. And of these had he
tasted TO the full for nearly twenty years,
since as a young subaltern he had joined
a crack regiment in which he HAD remain
ed until close upon 40, when fate having
removed the uncle and cousin who had
stood between him and his title, he had
resigned his commission.
Strong in his character and adventurous
in his deeds, he had early in life gained
the interest and favor of society; and his
memory remaining with his regiment, sto-
res were told over the mess table con-
corning his talents and exploits, his luck
at cards, his knowledge of horsefesh, his
II. iudgn1enf of Wip skill a TOlO and.
above all, his success with women. But
the most remarkable event in his career
remained unspoken.
Ii happened that whilst in the army he
conceived himself to have fallen in love
with Lucille Hengist, a girl whose rare
beauty was her sole dowry. Having at
birth lost her mother, she had during the
eighteen years of her life lived in solitude
with her father, the light of whose eyes
she was. But arriving at the age suitable
TO the marriage market, her worldly-wise
aunt, Lady Kapperly, had insisted on the
girl coming to town that she might be
introduced to society and take her chance
Of securing an eligible husband.
With the charm of youth and innocence,
of natural grace and exquisite loneliness,
Lucille Hengist created a sensation of
which she was scarcely conscious. The
men who thronged round her were many,
but her smiles seemed reserved for one,
much to the annoyance of her aunt for
the man favored-an officer in the army
with but slender income, and without
any probability of his succeeding to the
title and estates he soon after inherited
was not considered eligible. If, however,
he wished to marry her, no words of his
betrayed his desire; though they were not
wanting in warmth of expression and ten
derness of tone such as he had frequently
found effective in winning the hearts
with which he played, in fooling the ears
that had gladly listened.
But before he had time to win the girls
affections her aunt, wise in the worlds
lore, had interfered, when by series of
manoeuvres the gallant officer found no
further opportunities for. making love to
TINS charming girl, whose inexperien2e
and guilelessness alone had led her to lis
ten to him. Nor did Lady happerly's la
bours on her behalf end here, for she
brought forward from the background
where he fingered, the Earl of Deans
grange, shy, sensitive young man of
three and twenty, who from the first had
looked upon Lucille with an admiration
ne was too timid to express.
Long a minor, his wealth was great; the
only child of the mother who had guard
ed him, he was free from vice. With rank
ana fortune such as his as prize, the
toi and struggle to secure him as hus-
band was immense but so far he had es-
N'ptu uHSCdlneu from enuedNOTS lntJ
would have sorely tried a more worldly
man. Until now his affections had not
been touched, but at the sight of Lucille
mat love awoke within which strung his
HE to deeper and to fuller measures.
In noting the impression her niece had
made upon this great prize in the matrl-
monial market, Lady Kapperiy's delight
was unbounded; and her qualification was
scarcely less in degree than that of the
earFs mother, who seeing in Lucille a
sweet-faced gentle natured girl innocent,
unconventional, and lovable, rejoiced to
mink her boy might secure his life's hap
pness in gaining such a bride.
Lucille, who admired this timid reserved
young man, so unlike those surrounding
MN, felt gratified at having won with
out effort on her part the affection which
50 many had striven in vain to enga se.
Ihat she liked him was certain, but that
she loved him she could not say, having
no experience of the emotion which wakes
the heart to a newer life; therefore lik-
ing and loving were to her at this time
anonymous terms. Her aunt VINO
spoke to her on the subject ignored all
questions of sentiment in consideration
Of more substantial matters, and assured