Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-06-14
CHAPTER III.


. ness has fallen, and still the great
shadow lies upon the house. Dorm
! ham, although by no means MORALLY
wounded, has still, TO both the doctors
anxiety, remained unconscious. Pale,
/ inert, he lies upon his bed, needless OF
George, who every half hour steels in
and out of the room-overwhelmed as
! much by his grief for his cousins sad
condition. as for the terrible suspicious
resting on himself. If old Dicky would
| only wake and tell
He is in the library now, sitting in a
very forlorn attitude by a fire that is
| slowly dying out for want OF attention,
I when Betty comes into the room.
Why don't you poke that fre?"
says she in a sort of angry, heart
broken way. She knows that as yet
Lord Dornham's Inconsistencies has
not been broken; she knows too, that
/ Claudia'S engagement with Meredith
has been broken.
"You. Betty? You are not rat"
I says he. getting up and holding out his
hand 10 her. Where is your Uncle?
Where is Lord Verlington?"
oh, never mind him. says Betty.
I've given him his cocoa. But you,
| George-yOu?'
Her eyes are so eloquent, so grieved
for him. that he knows she has heard.
yes, she has got rid of me-" says
he. Il knew she would at the first
chance. She has been growing very
cold 70 me Of late, and-this was her
] chance. I belive she always preferred
! Dick. though she would not have him
when he asked her
"She told yOu-herself?"
"Her very own self" and with a BIT
ter smile and without a termor. her
self" Betty's face is pale and shocked.
"Oh. how could she? 1t was cruel.
Inhumanr'
Every human, she was only doing
the best for herself. Don't look so hor-
| rified Betty. After all, I have borne
] the news very calmly. I am indeed
! surprised at my own want of feeling;
I can even look forward without much
wincing TO the thought that. If poor old
| Dick RECEIVERS, l shall some day have
10 salute her as my cousin and-Lady
Dornham, At all events, il is better TO
l lEdA III Ant u AAAA AOM AAAt oOAIAnAA u VI II
that she never cared a rap about me
than afterwards. She wanted 10 know
if the gun beside poor old Dick was
mine. Where was his? It's the same
old game all through. and of course
I every one wants TO know that, and
can't answer them. I have nothing to
go on but nv word. and that seems TO
count for little. Anyway this is a
good opportunity to learn who ones
real friends are now. You-at all
events, Betty"
Tears spring TO Betty's pretty eyes
fixed so kindly on him.
As he sees those tears a little pain con-
Iracts his heart. All. if those other
! ewes could have looked at him like that
| through such a shining veil of tender
ness. And then comes another thought
"a far better one. How beautiful are
| Betty's eyes! How clear how honest,
Long ago they played as boy and girl
! lovers. PerhapS-he almost smiled at
/ himself for the abSurdity Of the thought
it would have been a good thing If he
! and she had remained faithful to their
| youthful dreams, But Betty, if no lon
ger his sweetheart as in those good, old
bygone days. is still a friend. staunch,
true-a clever friend besides; and, for
| the first time IL seems to dawn upon
him. very pretty one. too.
ooh. I am your friend. of course. -
says she; "bIt-clp't y,u md that
| gum"
NO: I have hunted everywhere. I
! am sure he must have come N for a
gun Of mine and put his own aside in
! some corner. Or could some one else
| have come in and taken his gun and
OH that way madness lies. l can't
make it out. 1 must say, Betty" look
irg at her. 'it is a comfort 10 talk 70
some one who does not suspect me OF
wanting 10 murder my own cOuSin!
Il HOPE YOU ARE NOT GO
ING TO BID VIOLENT
IF I were you. George, says Betty,
in a clear and stirring tone. Il should
not give way to silly thoughts like that.
am YOUR friend forever, as You know,
but there are scores of other friends TO
support YOU and believe in you, as you
| will know tomorrow.
ct don't know" deSpondently. any
wav. they are not here now. And
with sudden glance al her exquisite,
upright figure. a little naughty now as
| she dwells on the thought Of his hav-
ing possible enemies in the near future.
oh. have courage, have courage, cries
she,
"Whv. 1 will" says he, smiling and
: taking her hands in his. Il shan't give
M hope until the very last. He will,
! he must recover. and yet-he looks like
death. Betty, To hope again seems to
me 70 be only again undone.
"Sull-hOpe.
is that your wish? Well. will obey
YOU. l will hope. You bring luck with
you. think
"Ah. that is absurd. That is TO
nance" Her smile is very sad.
"Of high order.
No"
The highest. We believe in ro-
nance. don't we Betty, YOU and 1? Do
you remember the old days in the woods
where the Hamadrysds and all the 9TH
or wood fairies lived? We believed
then. And now We believe, too-only
| the fairies are older and bigger and
have other and greater sounding
names. We are the last worshippers at