The Portland daily press., 1897-12-08

was astonished by an apparition. A car
drawn by Two handsome chestnuts drove
up, and deposited the fair form OF Miss
Catherine Power.
~ am glad I have found you,' she said
quietly. II wish particularly to talk to
you"
| He rose with a curious look, something
between smile and soowl. and re-
Piled
"As you please Shall we talk here, or
will you go ins1de'?'
sis anyone thereY"
"Only Mary Carey
"1hen Wen talk outside. Come with
| me to the river bank"
| They crossed the road together, and re-
manned some time in earnest converse
ton, out of earRhot of the driver of the
car. AS the conversation proceeded Blake
| seemed to be speaking angrily and fierce
ly, while Catherine pleaded to him in
dumb show.
| AT last they returned. Blakes pale
face looked bright and triumphant, while
GATHERINGS was blotted with tears. He
assisted her onto the Gar, and raised his
hat with grin.
'sThen it is bargain?" she said, anx-
iously. II have your prom1se?
80, yes,'' he answered, "mum's the
word, cousin. Keep your promise and
I'll keep minel'
He stood with his hands in his pockets,
Ehistling and laughing as he watched
the car driven rapidly away. The sound
of a footstep made him turn, and he en-
countered the eyes of Mary Carey. The
girls face was pale with passion, and her
voice trembled rs she said:
81 saw We together. What brought her
over here?''
"What do you think?" said Blake,
| laughing.
Il don't know and 1 don't care, but
| - hot cho;c Of fcI,a
comes again between you and me. I've
had enough of thatH'
| YOU'RE fool, Mary"
Ppm no fool neither. I know what
Pm talking about. "
) ssShe's come to her senses, that's all, !"
said the young man, Struggling his Shout
ders, she's afraid"
MAY be she's reason"
True Tor you. = She's going away
| to Dublin, she says.
''The devil go alter her and stay along
wild her,
"Stop bit and whisper. This is what
she wants.
And he whispered rapidly in the girls
ear.
| sYou don't name thatl" she cried.
81 do, though"
."And what did you say?''
81 said I'd take the money and hold
my tongue!'
'What would Mr. Langford say if he
knew Would he marry her after alp
maybe he would!'' said Blake. with
savage oath, 'but 1 II take care he never
does. If sho's too good for me in spite of
all she's too good for him, the omadhum.
promised to let her alone, but said
nothing about him. So saying he strobe
back to the inn, and Selling bottle,
poured himself out glass of raw spiri6s
stHere's her health" he cried. May
che 1.-Two lonu and r,vOspari She has more
sense than gave her credit for!"
News of GATHERINGS visit to his rival
was waited in due course to Philip Lang
ford; indeed he could not fail to hear of
it, since it was very common topic OF
conversation. Wiseacres, including Cap.
tain Kennedy, shook their heads over it;
it corroborated their original suspicious,
that there was some mysterious connec-
ton between the lady of the Castle and
her savage kinsman, whom she was now
anxious 10 keep silent,
Lnngford said nothing, but grew the
very incarnation of silent despair. He
had good reason to be miserable, for on
two occasions when he had called at the
Castle theslady had declined to see him.
He wrote to her in passionate terms beg
ging an interview she replied very briefly
to t he effect that she had determined to
see no one except. the priest.
Father 'Donnell, the only person who
|
deed when he heard of her visit to Blake.
He told her fatty that it was an act of
folly. tsAs
Everybody is talking Of it, my child,
and coupling your names together. -
sWhat does it matter?" she exclaimed.
But your reputation is concernedh ~
| 81 am quite Indifferent on the subject.
"Saints abovei' cried the worthy
father. "Do you know what they are
saying, that you have bribed Patrick
Blake to hold his tongue! My child,
there is only one course open to you to
tell the whole truth and punish the viii
lain who has done you such shameful
wrongl'
81 will never do that!' she answered,
sobbing.
"Let me speak Let me confront the
scoundrel! Release me of my oath and
let me punish him as he deserves. y
''He is punished enough already" was
| the reply.
"Punished9 He is a free man when
bar
"sin, specially sin like his, is its own
God forgive him!"
Arguments and remonstrances were
useless; she was resolved on keeping her
own counsel.
''But l have done one thing, dear5 Faith
err" she said finally; 81 have spent the
dreary hour here in writing down, over
my own signature, the whole story which
1 have whispered to you in confession. 1t
may be necessary some day to produce 1t,
to vindicate my reputation from evil
tongues. That task leave to you,
should anything happen to me. but so
long as live I shall need and require no
vindication.'
She took from her escritoire small
manuscript book, and placed it in the
priests hands.
"While 1 was writing it down." she
continued, cit all seemed strange
dream-horrible, unreal-and even now it
scarcely seems to have happened. And
now my mind is mads up. am going
for time at least, to leave this place.
have friends in Dublin with whom
shall be safe and happy-as happy as l
can ever be- You will see me there from
time to time, will you not, and bring me
any news? In the meantime, ! know my
secret is safe in your keeping.
The good priest gave her his blessing
and departed, taking with him the manu-
script which she had written.
Ito be continued