Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-09-18

thought some day young Auberon will
be twenty-onp, or will celebrate his
wedding day, and / provided myself
with this souvenir My chance to pre-
sent it came much sooner than l cX-
pc ted though"
AubeFon, disturbed by his motfcrs re-
pressed agitation, expressed his thanks
more gracefully than effusively; but
Lovcday, charmed at all this apprecia-
ton of AuberOn and its melancholy
romance, beamcd radiantly.
Suddenly Mrs Crccy put an end to
this Gene by saying;
"Co'oncl Accrington, | request your
attention Tor a few minutes; will you
accompany mc?"
He started, and looked amaZedly at
her. Was the lamb going to turn uron
the lion? But he acluiesed b andy and
offered his arm, which with faint bow
she declined III silence they wa ked
side by side through one sa on after an
other until she had conducted him to
the long picture gallery, which was not
Illuminated, and was therefore unoccu-
pied. The paIld moonshino poured in
through the long side window, 6nd lay
across the polished floor III bars of back
shadows.
One portrait at the extreme end was
completely framed with white roses; a
silver lamp burned on a pedestal in
front Of it. This was Aubcron's por-
trait; it had been decorated for the Oc-
Casion by LoycJay and her companion
nymphs
Mrs Crccy led the way to this spot,
and when they both stood within the
the small circ.e of light she turned and
faced her companion. Then he saw that
the lamb had turned upon the lion. She
was pale as her own white robe, and her
gentle eyes glOwed with the great wrath
of her noble spirit.
"Sir, make no preamble" sad she
sternIy; "your conscience tells you what
l have to ask you. Where is EngclOndc
InchcaDe?'
Her accusing eyes pierced his ve~y
soul; hor thrilling voice froZe the bloOl
in his veins Overwhelmed, he gazed at
her and could not speak.
"lOu came here five years ago and
found Lord Inchcapd and his young wife
IS happy in each other as perfect love
could make them-whon you left, you
litU a. a Udll w NJ NbOl VI lOSO lboN IONN
had been scornfully repulscd But you
met them abroad not many months after
ward-and Lord Inchcapc returned
without his wi'o-a ruined man. Rich
ard Accrington, l ask yOu-whcro is
EngclOndc lnchcape?"
Her anger and grief tore at his heart
strings; the food Of tragic memories
she had unlooScd beat down all pride
and braccn dcfance; he buried his face
in h S hands with grOan OF agony
Engc ondc Inchcapc How fair how
immaculate, how happy she had been
when first he saw her! a new love for
him? What blasphemy to hope H. No
-no-no! Lovcday Delamcre belonged
to the honorable and goOd-not to guilty
Richard Accr'ngton!
"Ah! you haze nothing to answer"
Alice Crccy went on. Nothing b t
shame and tea S. And yet you dare to
come back here as if she had never been
as If you had quite fOl COTTON her, and
were ready for fresh lovc!" Or, what
angui urked teneath those breaking
tones "For a moment thought when |
saw you to-nght-'Iie has come back TO
vindicate her to her husband, rem rrse
has driven him to make late reparatiOn'
But no, you have only come to view the
desolaton of that once happy home; and
to OUTAGE the two harm csS women who
suspect YOU, with the base cfTrontry of
impunity."
lie raised his face al dazcd and pale.
as it pos ib c that You thought all
these years she was with me?" asked he
owy.
Mrs Crccy uttered n y of rcpu'sion.
"With you" she echoed with indie
Scribable scorn. "Nc or! / never doubt
cd her. | knew her heart. Oh she
was a 'fawleSs so IL if ever such was Oh
this earth But | believed that her
innocence had not saved her from her
husbands Jealous misconceptions; that
you had traded on his jealousy until ho
belle cd her guilty, and repudi&ted her;
she then fed in shame and despair from
both husband and prosecutor; and that
you caused him to believe her with yol
c,er since Is not this true?"
madam, as God lives, the last time /
ever beheld | ady Inchcape, l left her
at her husbands sde," said Accr NC on.
Mrs. Crecy scanned his ia in wild
incredulity.
as this possib c?" she gasped "IIow
can televe youP No, no, | cannot
She never came back to England Oh,
sir, l teseech you, confess it, is she not
in hiding somewhere to which you could
give US the clue?"
He turned from her bitterly.
81 know nothing of her" muttcrcd he
with white lips, "but belie,e that she
is 6oa6