Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-02-23
lind the Sea Gave upIts Dead (


| OR JASPER sat alone in his arm
! y chair by the library fire. By his
side stood a small carved oak table, sci
with glasses for two. decanter of wine,
a brier pipe, tobacco box and matches.
Such was his custom. and every night
after dinner old John Tregony, who
had served him, boy and man, as a Ire
gony has ever served a Denzil, used TO
| light the library candles and lead Sir
Jasper 10 his seat beside the fire, placing
the table handy TO his side. Then he
would draw large armchair to the 9TH
er side of the fireplace, as though in
expectation Of a visitor, and, closing
the door, would leave Sir Jasper TO his
! thoughts.
There Sir Jasper Denzil sat alone,
brooding over the past till the clock
on the mantel shelf struck ten. Then
he poured out wine, and rose with glass
upliited toward the empty chair. MANY
happy returns of the day, my dear
boy!" he said, with a stately bow to
the chair. Gentlemen" he continued,
with a sweep Of his glass that appealed
to the long rows Of portraits of dead
and-gone Denzils that lined the oak
paneled walls-"gentlemen all, / give
you toast, Here's to the health of my
dear son, the heir Of Mount Royal"
The other glass remained unemptied
and the brier pipe untouched. Sir Jas
per was no smoker, and the pipe be- !
longed 10 his only son, now lost TO him. |
Fifteen years ago they had parted in |
anger, and Sir Jasper had never seen
or heard Of his boy beyond that be had /
died In California Of starvation and /
fever He had refused to believe this
report, and every night John Tregony.
his butler, would lay the glass and the
pipe and place the chair for Master
Harry, who never came.
"He will come Tomorrow" Such had
been the burden of Sir Jasper Denzfrs
life for 10 long years, TO the grief Of
the faithful John Tregony and the cha
grin Of Rufus Denzil, Sir Jasper's
nephew and his next heir.
Rufus could not bear any reference to
Harry Denzi's fate, for his mind was
uneasy concerning a certain report
which he had caused TO be inserted in
California paper, and certain certif-
Gates which be had obtained under false
pretenses from a trusting justice of the
state Of California.
Tonight he felt restless and uneasy {
Is be yiciously caromed the balls on I
he billiard table.
What il he should not be dead after S
Ill?' he murmured. Great Scott. how '
{ blows!" he added, as a violent gust Of /
Wind shrieked with a rattle Of rain c
cross the skylight.
lie was glad when Tregony entered S
With a syphon and spirits, for there t
we're no visitors in the house, and the I
oneliness of the billiard room OPP Il
ressed him.
From the sea sounded the deep voice n
+ the wet westerly gale, mingled with
be distant crash of the great waves e
S they fell with a laundering boom on b
he black rocky Lodges Of Mount Royal
ay
ITS a bad night, John" remarked
ufus TO the old retainer.
Then John Tregony left the room,
hilst Rufus Denzil seated himself TO
ink deep and TO ponder over his sf-
irs.
lie was head over heels in debt. and
S creditors were becoming clamorous.
n income Of e 500 per annum. even
hen eked out by a firstclass hand at
hist and an unerring cue at billiards,
had found insufficient to satisfy
SITES that were hardly to be INDUCED :
by those whose rent rolls represent 1
five figures. :
He turned uneasily in his seat as he
ought Of the old man in the library,
10 was so long a-dyiug. Z