The Banner-Democrat., 1898-03-19

Richard Accrlngton?"
II dare not con, ,ecturo, II it Is not
from amiabe courtesy to stranger"
replied Mrs. Deilamere, placidly.
,sHa, ha! I don't do things Tor moth
ing. have Merrion Rae staying with
me this summer; she wants Auber0n
Creey. but / intend Linn for-hem-for
somebody e'se Merrion RAGS fine
girl, good b.ood, beauty, no money-she
shall have Richard Accr.ngton, eh?"
She looked round at Mrs. Dellamere's
startled face, but caught nothing moro
interesting than that first twitch Of sup
pressed anguish, succeeded by COM
placent brow.
San excellent match, should say"
observed she, with al the ngealing
grace of finished manner; "let us hope
the lady will prove doci.e."
"No fear of that. once Auberon
Crecys booked for the other girl,
chuckled the ancient cynic. 81 he2r
Accrington is buying that fine old place.
SLeld ak Castle, near Archerheld's
barracks Twas in the family genera
tions ago, you know, and was squandered
away by clever scoundrel just like
Dick I'm going to have him restore it,
furnish it splendidly, and take his wife
home He shall have the Rae. she's the
handsomest thing of the season-every-
body daughters excepted, OF conrse."
added her grace, with a court bow q
century old.
aHe has returned with wealth then?"
sad Mrs. Dellamere, languidly in
| terested.
aCartloads of wealth; trust man
with face like his for that! He did
something somewhere, and got a cut at
the secret service fund, and so-he's
! able to buy an ancestral castle and
borough"
! Thus the old gossip prattle1 on, and
| even she, suspicious as she was, could
not half comprehend the feverish in
terest with which Laura DelIamere
listened to the splendid fortunes of this
-once obscure man whom she had madly
betrayed in her fatal ambit on to wed
with Dellamere, the old, cold, brutal
husband who was dead.
She had broken AccringtOn's heart
| for thought she had) as ruth.essly as
/ she had broken her own; and had borne
proudly al, the disgusts and bitternesses
Of life since; aye, even during that sick
ening time when the man she had loved
seemed to come back to her with timid
and tender adoration-only to fly like a
madman from England for love OF Lady
| Inchcape
But he has come once more, ah, why?
She is so weary of regret, SO famished
for true love, that she dreams bewil-
dering dreams where all seems possible,
/ and almost believes in the mystical full
| fillment of her life'S unacknowledged
hope
'Tis the third time Of his coming
Fortune has special blessing for Num-
Der Three!
Colonel Accrington had not been idle
during these few weeks since his re-
turn He soon comprehended the con-
ditions of Lord Inchcape's existence,
how seldom he was to be met in public
! life, and how frigidly he kept aloof from
all that went on in the neighborhood.
He ceased to fear him as a forbidden
| presence forever intruding on his hours
! of pleasure or ambition; he felt that
Inehcape's pride would prevent his seek
| ing occasions to show his scorn of him.
self-a little care might save any future
future repetition of that scene which
had burned into Accrington's conscious
ness like shameful brand, discovering
| his own helpless cowardice to himself,
and rousing q passionate desire for
| vengeance.
No hate so vindictive as that which
| the iniurer bears the injured-until pen
itence and restitution wipe off the score.
/ Accrington could not repair the wrong
he had done Lord Inchcape without ex-
posing himself to the heaGs OF political
power as a false man, and base, whom
to advance would be to disgrace them
selves
And he intended to advance; the eager
ambition of manhoo1's prime was upon
him; he had proved his powers and seen
them recognized; and he now longed to
grasp the prizes that hung highest on the
| political course.
He would enter Parliament, that was
the first step. He had not dreamed OF
Stafford as possible arena for his abili-
ties when he came to England; the mere
presence of Inchcape would have been
| enough to darken that scene; but the
radiant vision of Loveday Dellamere had
| dawned upon him like new revelation
of happiness; her beauty was much, but
her unutterable joyousness chained him
to her with fascination as strong as
that which draws man perishing with
thirst to the delicious sparkling fountain
! He was very thirsty for deep draught
of happiness. untinged by any taint OF
sin or regret; and life with Loveday
seemed sure to be as bright and care-free
as herself.
Love and vengeance twined cord
strong enough to hold him fast in Sal
ford; and here he was, the admired lion
of fashionable fete, and the acknowl-
edged antagonist of Edgar Arden, in the
approaching election for Stafford
The member for Stafford, one of the
neighboring landowners. had very re-
Gently died; and the Earl of Inchcape
had been telegraphing in every direction
for his heir to return, as he wished him
to stand for election; but Accrington was
first on the ground, and, supported by
his kinsman Archerfield. and by his Law
ish expenditure, he was already foe to
be dreaded Still the Inchcape interest
was strong, and his side the popular one
Arden's return might completely over
throw Accrington.
He had taken pains to meet Miss Del
lamere as frequently as he dared; he had
Joined Mrs Dellamere and her daughter
in their morning walks-had sat neal
them in church, his dark, distinguished
face like weil-cut cameo, bent devout-
ly over his prayer-book, and his gentle
lingering glances stealing toward the
Dellamere pew at patient intervals.
1t was as favored friend that he now
offered his arm to Mrs. Dellamere for c
promenade among the guests, after pay
ing his devoirs to the duchess.