The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-07
Chapter V continued

4>nta.ives picked up scraps OF news and
eIateu tht IL story in their own style.
Lars placnds were posted over the dis
,rIet Offering a reward to any person
who should be instrumental in bringing
the offender to justice. Upon the strength
of this several spurious arrests were made
and ultimately dismissed, Lut no good
was done. When this excitemt mt WAS at
its height Father John O'Donnell, the
parish priest of Mulrsny, came over to
the castle.
He was at once admitted.
1t was seven O'Clock in the evening,
and Catherine was going through the
form of eating her dinner. 1t was but n
form She sat like urooping lily, toy
ing with her knife and fork, but utterly
unable to taste one of the many tempting
dishes which were being set before her.
When the priest entered the room she rose
and held forth both her hands.
30, Father John. am so glad you
have come !'' she said, and then she sank
into her. chair again and burst into tears.
The priest " as rather taken aback; he
could not see woman cry. He patted
her head as if she had been a child, and
said.
''My dear Miss Power, where is all your
spirit my child?"
40, have none returned Catherine,
drying her eyes and flushing crimson, as
if ashamed of her own weakness. They
have taken that all ont of me. l would
rather be beggar than lead life like
this"
The priest looked at her keenly.
''You would change your mind, my
child, il you found that your fortune was
really gone
NAY Father! Say rather 1 should
live to bless the lips which nave told me
the good news. What happiness has
money brought to me? Before l came
here, I was allowed to live in peace, /
could accept friendship when it WAS
offered to me, l could believe in disin
terested love. Since became an heiress
only eighteen months ago--I have been
the victim of two personal assaults, |
have had to listen to fulsome professions
of love when l have known that the
words have been prom pred only by
greed of gain. The heiress, not Catherine
Power. has been feted all round. l can
not even rest in bed unless policemen
guard my doors 0, Father John, can
you not believe, do not you see that the
poorest peasant on my estate is happier
than I am. -
During the delivery of this speech the
priest had watched the girl KeenIy.
When she paused, with flushed cheeks
snd sparkling eyes, he looked more in
Uently into her face, and said quietly:
i've spoken to the blackguard who's
at The bottom Of all this, aud l don't
think he'll trouble you any more;
What do you mean?' asked Cathe-
inc, opening her eyes.
81 mean your rapscallion of cousin.
Patrick Blake. - replied the priest "Ive
Inspected him all along. So drove over
20 him last night and gave him a bit of
ny mind He was for denying every
ming. at first. but at last got it out of
in.''
she confessedP''
''He did much the same thing, replied
priest. He cursed and swore till l
ut the Church's anathema on him and
old him I'd make the county too hot to
Id him or Mary Carey And before
fl he gave me his word never to modest
again, and to make Mary Carey an
Onest woman
The worthy father omitted to state one
ming; that his chief ally in bringing the
goung rufian to reason was Mary Carey
hersef who hated the heiress of Craig
Castle with all hvr heart. Tn Upshot
was that Blake had gone off to Castlebar,
and from thence to Dublin, among the
designations of which last city he was try
ing to forget his disappointment.
Catherine breathed again. Quite certain
now that Patrick B axe was Enc only en-
my she had to fear, she rejoiced at his
disappearance from the neighborhood.
Some weeks afterwards she remained
under police protection, but at last, quite
convinced that the danger was over, she
dismissed her escort, and resumed her or
binary way of life.
During all this time, Mr.. Langford had
been a constant visitor She received him
cordially for she could not forget that he
had now a great claim on her gratitude,
since he had been in the truest sense of
the word her preserver. But always
when he touched on the old theme she was
determined.
"All that has taken place. she said,
"only makes me more and more resolved
not to change my condition. When the
men quite realize that / mean to remain
an old maid they will let Inc severely
alone"
'sWhy do you class all men together?'
asked 1angford, sadly. "Was there ever
love like mine?-'
81 don't know" answered the lady,
thoughtfully. My cousin must have
never have acted SO desperately. Poor
fellow 70
Langford's dark eyes flashed angrily.
s'You pity that scoundreI?''
'TOf course pity him. Really he has
paid me the greatest compliment possible
he thought me worth taking by storm
After all" she continued, roguishly,
there was something charming in the
old days, when marriage by capture was
the fashion, and the strongest man won.
Speaking for myself | don't think |
should ever surrender to any man, unless
he made me'
"You are puzzle, Catherine, like all
women
81 suppose | am. I wonder now what
would have happened if my savage cousin
had really carried me away? 1 suspect
should have had to make the best OF
bad bargain But there, we live in the
nineteenth century, and although it's in
Ireland there's very little romance left"
And you will not become my wife?''
No, thank yoh,' she replied smiling,
though Indeed ] like you very much"
A few days later Captain Kennedy
called at the Castle
Young Blake has returned from Dub
lin, he said. 81 thought it was well to
let you know in case you'd like to have
police protection again.
Miss Power declined.
II think there il no necessity My
cousin has come to his Senses
The next day she drove in her carriage
past Carey's iun. Patrick Blake stood on
the bank Of the river ashing, and bowling
as she passed. took off his cap with po-
lite grin.
Its ali right" she reflected my