Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-12-18

love, and yet Nora Warner had been
ready to stake her very soul upon it.
she had borne one of the looks such as
an insane person would be supposed to
possess, and had, in fact, seemed singu-
larry calm, except for the excitement
caused by the telling of her story.
Conflicting doubts arose in the mind of
the young girl, and she suffered quite as
much from the uncertainty of knowing
the truth as from the facts themselves.
She was not to be allowed to remain
long in this state, however. Events were
clustering about her own home that
were destined to have much concern with
her future.
Meanwhile Lawrence Richmond was
like a tiger at bay. He was in the tolls
or the oppressor, and, although he squirm-
ed under the yoke, he could do nothing
but what the Captain wished.
The Captain knew full well how he was
hated, but he was too bold and reckless
to heed it much, and let events shape
themselves.
The situation had not been a very pleas
ant one, menaced by those two women
OF the dead past as it had been; but he
was a man who believed firmly in luck
and fate, and something seemed to tell
him that all would come out well.
So far rs Barbara Merriles was con-
cerned this had come true, for she would
trouble him no more, unless her spirit
could come back to haunt the man who
had been the curse of her life, a thing
that the Captain had no fear of.
Thus affairs were allowed to drift along
in their own way, and the fatal hour
drew near when the climax was to come.
The young girl felt her soul recoil in
horror at the thought OF making a sacri-
flee even for her fathers sake, for he had
given her to understand just about how
it was.
Still it was not so bad as it might
have been at a former time. Her heart
lay dead within her, and she could not
take half the interest in matters that
she might otherwise have done, but yet
the idea Of marriage with that man was
quite enough to horrify her.
There was one however, whose inter-
est in her never tagged, and that person
was Roger Darrell. He knew she loved
him, and, if her scruples would not per-
init her to marry him he was at least
determined that she should not be forced
to marry another against her will.
There was one of the servants at the
Terrace who had become aware of the
love that existed between his young mis-
tress and the master of Darrell Chace,
and whom, some time previous, Roger
had been In a situation to assist in a
material way.
After that event Andrew had taken it
upon himself to convey all that he saw
and heard in reference to Miss Carol to
Roger Darrell. He did not act in a mean
manner, but, believing that his object
was good, and that the end justified the
means, he was continually on the look
out for something Ringing on the case.
Thus the young master of Darrell Chace
was aware Of all things of Importance
that were tr~anspiring at the Terrace.
He learned, with great surprise and an
ger, of the plans that were being PER-
fected for the speedy marriage of Carol.
Both the Captain and Lawrence Rich
mond would have been amazed could
they have learned how much of their
mutual understanding was known. Roger
was quite well aware of the fact that the
soldier duelist possessed a secret which
he held over the head of Carols father,
and that this same secret was to be the
open sesame" to the old gentleman's
treasures.
He knew hat Carol hated this Cap.
tain Grant, whoever he might be, and
he became firmly resolved that, if it
must be the last act of his life, he would
prevent the unholy marriage. Since
words would be of no avail, he was ready
to proceed to still stronger measures.
He remembered the story of young
Lochinvar, who carried off his bride just
when she was about to be married to an
other, and yet the cases were far from
being parallel, for in this instance there
was a barrier between them, and, even
though he saved Carol from such a fate,
it would not bring them any closer to-
gether.
Meanwhile preparations were going on
at the Terrace for the wedding of Cap
tain Grant and Carol. The young girl
had not spirit enough just then to resist,
Her faith in Roger was not gone, but IL
had received a terrible shock, and this
rendered her quiescent with the numb
pain that filed her heart.
The preparations were not of a magnif.
cent nature, for it was the Captains wish
that the ceremony should be quiet. What
was his object in this, he, the man SO
full Of display and love OF ostentation,
they could not comprehend; but Law.
renee Richmond suspected that he was
afraid some one who had known him in
the past might learn of his whereabouts,
Filled with this idea, the Virginiar
made haste to have an announcement OF
the coming marriage in several different
papers of Washington and Richmond
With rare cunning he also contrived &c
have a little item go the rounds Of the
press in reference to a vow the soldier
had made years before, to always wear
his left hand covered by a black kid