The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-04-28
miscellaneous
BRIARSlIERE.


her trusty little cob, raid no heed 70
| the weather, so absorbed was she in
! her own thoughts.
! Ralph Underwood vas coming that
| night to ask her 70 be his wife, she
! felt sure, for his manner at the
| File cheers dance had .'een unmistak
able.
What answer should she give him ?
Could she ever love man she did not
altogether trust:
All, if OILY Jack could speak she
| knew what answer she wound give if
| he ever asked the same question, but
| Jack never would, now, though years
! ago he had shown in 4 hundred little
ways that lie loved her.
But that was before his father died,
| and Briarsmere was found to be
mortgag ed and all the affairs terribly
/ involved. So now Jack was a poor
man, ana lad even undertaken work
as Underwood's agent 10 pay off the
mortgage, which Ralph held.
Es1ne was rich, and could do as she
| liked with the fortune she had inner
| tied from her mother, but was power
less to help Jack because of that uu-
written law that "a man is to WOO, a
woman to be wooed.H
The rain poured down and at last
| awoke Esme to II sense Of what was
going on around her.
The rain poured down in torrents
and an ominous roll of thunder in the
distance made Beauty tremble.
1t was a lonely part Of the road;only
| little cabin much out of repair, was
in sight. She hustened toward it,uot
knowing if Mrs. O'Grady still occu-
pied the place or whether she had al
ready gone to 1--we with her sister in
Kerry.
ON trying to lift the latch, Esm"
found it was locked, but discovered q
shelter in the peat shed at the back.
As she stood there caressing her
horse to allay it's fears, she was startled
to hear key fitted into the lock of
the door i'll front of the house.
The boards Of the mud covered
walls were in fitted and rotten, and
Esme could distinctly hear two men
talking as they entered and shook the
water from their clothes.
"A good thing we are here SO near
the place. said Underwood.
Yes" answered a voice which
made Esme blush in the semi-dark-
ness, lit is IA bad storm. but it will
| soon be over. | am not sorry it las
come now, as you will see something
| must be done to the place before
another tenant occupies it. 1t isn't
fit for a dog to live in"
| Il shall do nothing; it's no use
| spending money on property of this
kind. These peasants are used to
Digging It, Leave the pace alone.h
"ThaG is, of course, your affair, Mr..
Underwood, said jack In my posi-
ton as agent it was my duty to point
| out to you what was needed, but
cannot make you do it. Only l tell
| you as man to man, that the neglect
of your tenants interests is disgrace
to the neighborhood. have worked
as your agent in order to work off the
mortgage which you hold on my prop
perty, but | suppose the foreclosure
YOU threatened must come, for l can
not work for you any longer and have
not money to redeem the estate
And pray why am | to lose your
valuable servicest' said Underwood.
You know that during my manage
ment your profits have nearly doubled
but when it comes to C:istilling liquors
in underground distiIleries and ex-
pecting me to be a party to the fraud,
| draw the line
How da.e you speak like this to
mel said Underwood, choking with
rage. You pauper, if had not en-
ployed you, you would have starved.
You are eXaggerating my poverty,
said Jack in calm tone. 1t is true,
by honest work | hope to regain my
property. but when you expect dis
honest work, you have come to the
| wrong man.
4 l., Loo nd
Esme could hardly catch his words
for he was already o. the road, / have
ordered back the pipes and stills"
THE dickens Won have repeated
Underwood, as he paced the misera ole
room.
A quarter of an hour later Esme wal
i'm the COSY office OF her friend ant
adviser, Mr.. Rance.
1t IS large sum of money to inves
in landed property, Aliss Esme.'
Il know said the girl in her quick
bright way, but what does that mat
ter? | have ever so much more thar
is spent. Besides happen to know
the mortgage will be foreclosed if THU
money is not paid, and | have othe
reasons as WELL
Beauty trotting along in the twi
light was within a mile of her owl
warm stable when she suddenl.
swerved from q. dark figure walking
RAPIDLY in the shadow.
Esme, who had been sitting lightl
in the saddle, thinking over her al
ternoon's work, was taken unaware
and flung TO the ground.
STOPPING over her. Jack--for it wa
he who had unwittingly frightene
the cob-lifted her quickly in his arm
She was dazed and stunned, and a
her head rested on his shoulder h
stopped and pressing his lips to hel
he stole the first kiss that he ha
ever dared to hope would be hi
right.
'EsIne,' he said after a pause, i
which each read the others hear
4 never dared TO hope that you ha
given me your love, and | have Il
right to ask you to be my wife, for
y few weeks | shall have no hom
!. Briarsmere is DO longer mine. | kis
: ed you because | could not help it {
you lay in my arms, and | though
you had tainted
'Briarsmere is mine,' said Esm
7 smiling, and it is very mean of yo
q Jack, only to want to kiss me when
will have fainted.'