Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-09-11
faith Of Inchcape, | will" retorted tho

carl.
The click of the door beside him put
o stop to the dialogue; Accrington hur-
rc away, reeling at every step, and
vanished among the lcafy alleys.
1t was Squire Crecy who had dared to
follow his old friend: he was all abroad,
and Understood nothing of what had
transpircd. Truth to tell, bluff Hal
Cr,c cy was better at topping fence IN o
hunt than in following anything obscure
in the intercourse of his fellow men, for
he was the most accomplished NJ. f. ii.
Master of the Fore Hunt and the sim
p'est-minded, loyal gen ,leman In all
County Stafford.
Io found IncEcape standing like
statue of Michael after ,avng driven
Satan away.
"Wh-wheres the fellow gomez" cried
Jolly Crccy, looking about with big round
eyes, "Wasn't that Dick AccringtOn who
went out with You?"
lnchcape looked at him in silence.
Aftcr all, what right had he to act upon
his own private experience of Accsing-
toms character? If he made accuSat on
against him, what proof could he bring?
None-ho could only biazon forth the
fact that u stigma was attached to his
own character, and throw open the Bit
ter secret which he had kept so long to
sncering, crcdulOus world.
Crecy thought he was in one OF his
black moods, and forgot all about Ac-
cr;ngton.
"Al that nonsense is tco much for
yOu, my lord; l dare say your tired OF
it," Said he apolOgctically: aye see,
the young folks they like fun and frolic;
comes natural to EN- but little OF
that goes q long way with us old follows.
Come and have q smoke in my snug
gcry?" He slipped his hand through
Inchcapc'S arm, and was leading nm
off; but Inchcape took the kind hand
between his Own and wrung it with a
sudden revision Of feeling.
"UoI bless you, Ha ! you're a good
fellow as ever breath. d." said he go
On in to your guests and enjoy yourself
with your good wife and noble son;
that's the NEST natural pace for you.
But ! can't stand it, lIa! | was fool
to come My day was bright, too, while
it la ted. but it's gOne-what haze | TO
do with music and dancing, mirth and
b auty? Don't stop me, man, my hearts
sick"
He looked in the .ov.a', kind, griov cd
face of his fricn for moment, the
| turned away hastily.
make due apologies to Mrs. Crecy for
me-" he add d, over his shoulder, "and
tel your boy to look among his gifts;
| he'll find that s)uf old Inchcapc hasn't
| forgotten him
lie strobe away, and the squire fetched
q gr at sigh before h. Cbeyed him, and
then went back to his guests.
The coed com pany's attention was at
pYcseut som what diverted from Fairy
land; there was a good deal of start ed
whispering, and odd ances inter, hang
ing Nobody quito knew what had hap
pcned; for the departure Of Lord Inch
cape AID the strang +, whom few de-
clared TO te Colonel Accring on, had
been so abrupt, swift and silent, that
the represSed tragedy of it was only
guessed at by the few who had obtained
a partial view of their two stormy faces.
As Squire Clccy came in without either
of his friends, bu with rueful cOuntcn-
auce, a sturdy old fellow waylad him to
ask in q hoarSe Whisper
"What's in the wind Hal?"
"Eh?" cried simple Ha'. "IIellCa! |
say ArchcrlieId, Wasn't that"
"My nephew, Dick AccringtonP"
chimcd in the old man. rear admiral,
whose summer residence was in the
neighborhood; Gust what was going
to ask you. Where is he gone?"
BLESSED if know" growlod the old
sea-dog, whose mansion at Backrock
wa wonderful Cd barrack, crammed
with curios from many foreign cline;
who was malignant bachelor, and who
was tho constant associate Of all the
Young blcods who came to his country
| in the season.
Here a burst of applause from those
who were dutifully watching the doings
on the stage, recalled the jolly pair to a
sense of propreUy, and the lucid con-
ference was over. Squire Crecy lounged
along to his wife, and found her bending
anxiously ovtr Mrs. Dellamere, conceal
| ing her pale face from those around.
"Heloa! hey?" blurted jolly Hal as
usual, openng his big, innocent eyo'.
"Hush, dear!" whispered Mrs. Crecy,
finging him very wifcy smile In the
midst of her troubles: "takc no notice OF
us, Just hide Us a minute with yOnr
blessed broad Lack. Laura was over
come with the-the---"
oTm warm myse f." declared tho
Squire, oh igingly finishing her sentence.
"Inchcape had enough of it-sent his
duty We know, and all that - gone
home"
"You saw him?" questioned Mrs.
Crecy, with beating heart.
He nodded cheerfully.
"Wherc was the other gentleman?"
"Saw nobody Sc, and yet I'm quite
sure they went out together"
She signed him to his place as screen;
her anxiety was allayed. Accrington
must have shrank away from the face OF
his injured eacmy. The Squire obliging-
ly dropped the puzzle, sat down, and,
turning his beaming eyes upon the
"yOunglings," began to moi his head and
tap his foot in time to the music.
Mrs. Delamere opened her languid
eyes and smiled palely upon her friend
"Oh, Laura, Laura" murmurcd Alice,
mournful ly. Mrs Delamcre bit littlo
co.or into her lips, smiled more natural
ly and sat up.
"He is gone; thcy are 10th gone" said
she. looking around the room. She lost
color again and sank back with stiicd
sigh. Mrs Crecy saw al with bleed
ing heart.
Laura loved Richard AccringtOn, OF
she could not suffer such anxiety on his
account
Tho fairy fantasy was drawing TO a