Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-09-17

the little house, ana Lord otrauDenzee
rubbed bis chin irritably as he walked
to the window and on the low veranda
heard the sound Of Nannie's hopeless
sobbing.
Yes, decidedly he was glad be was
going back to Straubenzee. At that
moment he did not feel that the Chud-
leigh Salterton had been q success. and
his usual philosophy little failed him.
for over and above this present irritation
against the folly Of lovers be was aware
Of another and more wounding feeling
that Of keen disappointment at the
attitude Of Miss Gregorias, whose inde-
pendent straightforwardness Of character
had, up to now. 80 strangely appealed
to him.
It was one thing that he, as stran-
ger, should have elected to keep silence
when her fathers murderer appeared
boldly in their midst, but he thought
she might have spoken to him, have
credited him with understanding the
motives that held her back from de-
nouncing and giving the man up to JUS
tioe. The replies from Paris and else
where to those inquiries which Hagar
had insisted on Dr.. Martins making
all bore the same tenor-that abe was
Of blameless reputation, but had been
completely sacrificed by her father to
his scientific pursuits and had led with
him life of the greatest privation and
misery. What those pursuits were DR..
Martin managed to conceal from Lord
Straubenzee, as he was under solemn
promise to Hagar that he would do.
And her host had rejoioed to see the
improvement in Hagar's health and sp-
pearance during the past fortnight. and
he may be forgiven If he felt the pride
In 1t that most people do in their own
creations, and now she had bitterly dis
appointed him.
The door opened behind him, and she
came in. Standing there, with the table
between them, she said in a low voice:
"You are blaming me in your heart.
and deserve 1t. But does the lark hate
the hand that opens it's prison bars and
bids it soar upward to heaven? Does the
slave curse the smith who strikes the
fetters from his wrist? he gave me my
liberty. let him Co."
She bowed her head. He could only
see the clean, threadlike line that ran
from her brow to where her hair was
bound in masses on her neck.
Poor girl. poor girl!' he said, with
weight lifted from his heart. She was
still sincere She trusted him, and his
opinion Of her was unaltered.
"Those babies out there are broken
hearted" be said as he came round the
table. II am going to separate them for
whole year.
IA year,"
The words leaped from her. she look
cd radiant as if she had come into
kingdom, and a misgiving crossed Lord
Straubenzee' s mind, and he frowned.
is she in love with tho boy. too?" he
thought irritably, and once more philos-
ophy departed, and without answering
her he went across to the little drawing
room and sat down to his table, where
q book and a shaded lamp welcomed
him as old friends and uncousciously
soothed his rufled spirit.
But as bo sat rubbing his glasses Ha-
gar drew near and stood just outside the
circle Of light, clasping and unclasping
her hands like child who wishes but
fears to speak
BE looked up kindly, and when he
saw how weary in soul and body she
was ha aatdI
"What is It, Hagarr'
"You think I am in love with Will
Cassils, sir" she said. land he does
not even know that there is another wo-
man in the world but Mamie. Never
will know. You may send him away
for a year, for ten, but he will come
back like bird to his nest, and Mamie
Mamie will be waiting for him.
Only they were all reckoning without
Blake, or as he was usually called Black
Trelawny, all save Will Cassilis. who
knew his man, the greatest daredevil,
the most reckless lover that ever woman
had, and in all whose wicked life, when
he had set his whole heart and soul ON q
thing and wanted it, he had got it.
"Goodby, Willie, my own Willie"
cried Mamie a few days later. as, re-
gardless Of servants, porters and her
father, she leaned out Of the railway
carriage window, with both arms round
her lovers neck, her splashing tears
falling heavily on his strained, miser-
able young face. ITS only year,
Willie" And then the train carried her
of, and Will Cassilis, in the first real
anguish Of strong, passionately loving.
loyal heart, walked blindly away,
thrusting aside the hand that IN sym
pathy Lord Straubenzee held out to
him.
1t was only a year. as Mamie said.
but Blake Trelawny would have the
start and keep 1t.
CHAPTER TX