Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-09-07
A MARRIAGE BY CAPTURE.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN,
Author of "The Shadow of the Sword"' "God and thu
Man, Etc.
Copyright, 1897, by Robert Buchanan.
CHAPTER Y.

style. Large placards were posted over
the district Offering reward to any
person who should be instrumental in
bringing the offender to justice. Upon
the strength of this several spurious ar
rests we're made and ultimately dis
missed, but no good was done. When
this excitement was at its height, Fa-
ther John O'Donnell, the parish priest
of Mulrany, came over to the castle
He was at once admitted.
It was z O'Clock in the evening, and
Catherine was going through the form
of eating her dinner Itwas but form.
She sat like dropping lily, toying 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
"Oh, Father John, am SO glad you
have come" she said, and then she
sank into her chair again and burst in
to tears.
The priest was rather taken aback.
He could not bear to see a woman cry.
He patted her head as if she had been
child and said:
"My dear Miss Power, where is all
your spirit, my child?"
"Oh, have none," returned Gather
inc, drying her eyes and flushing Grim
son, as if ashamed of her own weakness
"They have taken that all out Of me. l
would rather be a beggar than lead a
life like this"
The priest looked at her keenly.
"You would change your mind, my
child, if you found that your fortune
was really gone.
"Nay, father. Say rather 1 should
live to bless the lips which have told
me the good news What happiness has
money brought to me? Before came
here l was allowed to live in peace, I
could accept friendship when it was Of
fered to me, I could believe in disinter-
ested love. Since / became an heiress-
only 1S months ago-I have been the
victim of two personal assaults; have
had to listen to fulsome professions OF
love when have known that the words
have been prompted only by a greed of
gain. The heiress, not Catherine Pow
er, has been feted all round. cannot
even rest in bed unless policemen guard
my doors. Oh, Father John. can you
not believe, do not you see that the
poorest peasant on my estate is happier
than | amp
During the delivery of this speech the
priest had watched the girl keenly.
When she paused, with flushed cheeks
and sparkling eyes, he looked more in
tently into her face and said quietly:
"I've spoken to the blackguard who's
at the bottom of all this, and l don't
think he'll trouble you any more"
"What do you mean?" asked Cath
crime, opening her eyes.
II mean your rapscallion Of cousin,
Patrick Blake, replied the priest. "I've
suspected him all along, SO drove over
to him last night and gave him bit Of
my mind. He was for denying every
thing at first, but at last l got it out OF
him."
HE conYessed?"
"He did much the same thing" re-
piled the priest. He cursed and swore
till put the church S anathema on him
and told him I'D make the county too
hot to hold him or Mary Carey, and be-
fore l left he gave me his word never to
modest you again and to make Mary Ca
rey an honest woman"
The worthy father omitted to state
one thing-that his chief ally in bring
ing the young rufian to reason was
Mary Carey herself, who hated the heir
ess of Craig castle with all her heart.
The upshot was that Blake had gone off
to Castlebar and from thence to Dublin,
among the dissipations Of which last
city he was trying to forget his disap-
pointment.
Catherine breathed again. Quite GER
tain now that Patrick Blake was the
only enemy she had to fear, she rejoiced
at his disappearance from the neighbor-
hood Some weeks afterward she re-
mained under police protection, but at
last, quite convinced that the danger
was over, she dismissed her escort and
resumed her ordinary way Of life.
During all this time Mr. Langford
had been q constant visitor. She re-
ceived him cordially, for she could not
forget that he had now 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 re-
solved not to change my condition
When the men quite realize that mean
to remain an old maid, they will let
me severely alone
"Why do you class all men together"
asked Langford sadly. "Was there ever
a love like miner"
IL don't know" answered the lady
thoughtfully my cousin must have
cared for me very much or be would
never have acted 80 desperately. Poor
feHowl'
Langford's dark eyes flashed ansrily'
"You pity that scoundrel9"
0Op oonrca 7 ritv him Really he has