The herald., 1898-06-26

most gallant manner, and hat in hand
'allow me to show you to your coach. u
| "Mr. Vermont" cried Lady Hawk
shaw. IN surprise. IT thought you were
in London. How came you to Scar
borough"
by chaise, ma am" he replied po-
litely; land hope to see the young Ia
dies before 1 leave" (the hypocriteD.
"Is Sir Peter with you. madam"
| mo, he is not" replied Lady Hawk
shaw, her wrath rising at the idea.
Had he been with me. my coach would
have been awaiting me-" And then
turning to Arabella and Daphne, who
were behind her, she said sternly:
| "Arabella and Daphne, this does net
happen again. Sir Peter will come
with us to the play after this"
l caught sight, from a corner behind
the chaise. of my dear Daphne, at that
moment. She stopped suddenly, and
turned pale and then rosy, and glanced
wildly about her. She knewI was not
far off.
How Arabella received Giles sudden
appearanceoI never kneWas could not
see her. But in another4noment he had
placed Lady Hawkshaw, with the ut
most obsequiousness. in the coach; then
folding up the steps like magic, he
slammed the door and shouted to the
coachman, ''Drive1on" The coach ratified
off, and the next moment his arm was
around Arabella, and mine was around
Daphne, and they were swept off their
feet; and III less time than it takes to
tell it, each of us was with the idol of
his heart, whirling off toward Gretna
Green as fast as four horses to light
chaise could take us.
Now what think you, were Daphne's
first words to me?
"Unhand me, Mr.. Glynn, or I will
scream for assistance!'
I MY dearest one!" I exclaimed, "you
are now mine. By tomorrow morning
we will be over the border, and you
shall be my wife,
IAN elopement! Gracious heaven!
And do you mean to marry me, sir,
without my guardians consent?" she
replied, with much violence.
Il do, indeed, my angel, and 1 thought
it was agreed between u.s."
Having done what propriety required,
she began to relent little. and at last
she lay in my arms, asking me, with
tears, if l would promise her never to
sincerity, that 1 never would, provided
got out of that alive.
So all night we ratified furiously
along, and at daybreak we crossed the
border, notified by the huzzaing of the
postboys. We did not forget the pre-
caution, in our brief halts, to pay the
ostlers we'll to do some harm to any
pursuing vehicles which might be after
us. 1t was dank, dismal morning. the
weather having changed during the
night, and we saw that we had passed
the other chaise in the darkness. 1t
was some distance behind, and the
horses seemed much spent. We con-
tinued on our way, to the house of a
blacksmith at Gretna Green, who, so
our postboy told us, usually united
runaway couples. We dashed UP to his
cottage, and he, warned by approach
ing wheels, came out, half dressed, in
the murky morning.
Come to be marrit?" he cried; "step
out, then"
I assisted Daphne out of the chaise,
and then, as we stood on the damp
ground in the squalid scene looking at
each other, the possible wrong l had
done this innocent girl suddenly swept
over me.
1t was only momentary. The more
depressed she, the more should I sup
port, and therefore I called out cheer
fully, II take this woman to be my
welded wife" and such other words
as recalled of the marriage service
and 1 said it so heartily and promised
so devoutly, removing my hat when
L. fInt Ino o~fn nd
Daphne-and her response. so full OF
faith and love, gave a kind of holiness
to it all. -,
Scarcely was the brief ceremony over
for ceremony we made it-when the
chaise containing Arabella and Giles
drew up. And the sight 1 saw, 1 can
never forget.
Arabella's face was quite pale, but
her eyes were blazing. There were
some drops of blood upon her cheek
they came from her wrists, which Giles
held firmly. The door of the chaise be-
ing opened, she stepped out willingly,
disdaining the assistance Giles offered
her. The blacksmith grinned broadly;
he thought his gains We're to be in
creased--for l had not forgotten to pay
him handsomely.
Giles seized her hand. "Arabella," he
cried, desperately, surely you do not
now mean to throw me over?"
For answer, she gave him glance of
ineffable hatred.
This man." she said, turning to me,
your friend, your intimate-I blush for
you-has dragged me here. Rather
would die than marry him. Look!"
She held up her wrists, and they
showed marks of violence.
"Twas to keep her from jumping out
of the chaise." said Giles, wildly. "She
would have had me leave her at mid
night, on the highway-alone and un-
protected. Dearest Arabella," he cried,
turning to her, and trying to clasp
her, Twill you not listen to my prayer?
How can you scorn such love as mine?"
And he was near going down on his
knees to her, in the mud-but 1 held
him up. I confess that the most pain
full thing Of all this painful business,
was Giles Vernon's complete surrender
of his manhood under the influence of
this wild passion. He seemed to have
parted with the last semblance of self
respect.
Arabella answered his appeal by a
laugh of scorn, which seemed to cut
him like a knife.
your own life is in jeopardy" she
said. 1.-THE abduction of an heiress is
a capital offense, and you shall be tried
for your life if it takes every shilling
Of my fortune to do it,
Under the terrible threat of prosecu-
ton, Giles recovered himself surpris-
ingly. He lost his frantic air, and,