The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-06-16
IN THE DARK.

Two men stood among the Dorsetshire
hills. Just before them a slender bridge
SPAWNED a stream, and on the other side
nath lad on toward Woodcliffe, Sir James
Twins residence.
.sWhv. LEROY. what is the NATTER Are
you ill?'
.No. no. am not ILL., will tell my
story''
.eBut YOU look so strangely exclaimed
his friend. care you sure you are not
in2"
"It is nothing, Cecil, - Leroy said in
deem. hoarse voice. "Hear my story. A
year ago I first visited this place, and ere
1 had been here many days 1 saw Lillian
Irwin, and-do you wonder at 1t!-feu
madly in love with her. She did not seem
to be utterly Indifferent to me, and, in
fatuated, I lowered near her till could
restrain myself no longer, and, feeling
that my love was returned, asked her TO
become my wife, But she scorned my
love, almost spurning me from her, and
In my anger I swore dreadful oath OF re-
yenoe upon her, vowing that another
should never claim her for his bride
false hearted coquette that she is
"StopP' And Richard Cecil sprang
with bound to his feet, confronting the
other with clinched hands and blazing
ewes "Say not word against her or
will fell you to the earthl No one shall
dare defame her and livel Beware!"
For an instant Albert Leroy stood gaz-
ing in the face of his friend, and then,
with kissing oath, he sprang upon him
with "a tigerlike f1erceness.
Staggering with the suddenness of the
attack, Cecil clutched at the throat of his
antagonist and then fell backward over
the edge of the stream. But even as he
fell his uutstretched hand caught shrub
that grew out from the bank, and, cling
ing desperately to it, he strove convulsiYe-
" to regain his footing.
Above him bent the face of his treacher-
GUS friend, stern and pitiless, and below
the torrent dashed along over its rocky
bed, white with foam.
"Help, for heavens sake, LeroyP' cried
Cecil forgetting that it was he who had
assailed him.
"Ha, hap And the young mans face
glowed with an evil triumph. ''Do you
suppose would save you, my rival, from
death? This is the way will have my
revenge upon herl No one shall ever
claim her if it is in my power t. prevent
itl'
"Leroy, would you murder me'" gasped
| Cecil, gazing up wildly into the face above
| him.
"Yesp' was the answer, deep and thrill
| ing. Before would see you marry her
| I would plunge dagger into your heart
| with my own hands. You shall die, even
upon the eve of your bridal, and the bridal
| shall never be until stand by her side as
| the bridegroom. Dier
| And, bending low, he detached the
| white, nerveless hands, and with low
| cry Cecil Ainsworth fell down in the
| seething waters. A moment the dark
| proved murderer stood and watched the
body as it was borne away by the torrent;
| then he turned and strobe toward Wood
| cliffe.
| Without pause he walked leisurely up
| the front entrance, and, reaching the
! door, he was about to enter when it was
flung open and tall form appeared on
| the threshold.
"Good evening, Sir James Irwin" said
| Leroy, with bow.
| 'Ah, MIR. Leroy, is it your" said the
baronet hurriedly. "Have you seen Lii
lianf''
/ missing?' exclaimed the young man in
surprise.
| eyes, gone we know not where an
swered the old gentleman somewhat anx-
lousy. "Just before sunset she went
| out alone. We have searched every where
| for her, but in vain. 1t is SO strange-so
unusuall But Cecil, is he not with your"
| NO, ne ulu nOU COIu0 With luo 1TOLl
the village" Leroy answered. where
can Miss Lillian have gomez"
81 do not know. I fear-I know not
whati''
| ''Are they searching for her now?"
eyes, all are looking. Oh, heavens,
| what has happened to her that she would
vanish SO mysteriously and upon the eve
of her wedding dayP'
81 must go and search for her." And,
turning away, the young man rushed into
the darkness.
On through the stiffness beneath the
great elms the young man passed, his eyes
| bent upon the ground and his thoughts
| fixed upon the disappearance of Lillian
| Irwin.
Suddenly from the darkness just before
him two figures emerged, and with low
cry he recoiled as if from some spectral il
fusion. In one he saw the form of the
man whom he supposed to be lying dead
| at the bottom of the torrent in the glen,
and in the other Lillian Irwin, supported
by the arm of her betrothed.
/ A cold perspiration bathed his forehead
and his hands were clinched till the nails
cut into the flesh.
"Albert LeroyI" Richard Cecil stepped
forward nearer the covering wretch. Ode
spite your vow, Lillian Irwin will yet be
come my bride. Some good angel sent hel
to my rescue, and even her light strength
6ufHced to save me from the death tina
you had consigned me to, and so your plo
has come to naught. Go and let me never
look upon your face again! You are fa1
too despicable for me to attempt to punish
you for your crime. give you your life. ,
With one look at the pale, yet beautiful
face of the maiden before him, ALDER
Leroy turned and fed into the darkness
| New York News.