The DeLand weekly news. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1887-190?, 1906-06-01

SO you've come, he said softly.
You SCI l am as good as my word.
| The kingscOte Oak must 90. II Is the
last link between me- and the work
hUuse-for II almost comes TO that.
% vas evident that the relationship
between these two was something
more binding that the ordinary ties
existent between casual acquaintances
uf opposite sex. Each seemed 10 az.
cept the situation as inevitable. Then
the girl went On, hurriedly.
"YOu'll catch cold. Alaric. dear. II
you stand still without your coat In
this bitter cold. LIT me hold the
lantern for you while you work
She snatchcd up the light. tie.
obedient 10 her injunction. applied
his weapon with renewed yigOr The
lImplight threw a warm glow over
his U,athcr-tanncd face and muscular
arms
For a time b. lab0red on. his whole
Icing concentrated IN the performance
10 his herculean task After a space
Dee paused 10 rest \ great wound on
he mighty hole q the oak showed
Iow sure had been his strenuous
endCavOrs.
when b. ceased she broke .lto
quick speech
1t seems incredible. she murMur.
3d. that YOU. 20 KInCscotD. q tho same
race. the same blood as ourselves.
should be- forced 10 toll like this-like
a common laborer. The man came
quickly forward, and dung his arm
around her waist Their lips met in
a kiss that could not b. mistaken for
\ mere cousinly salution.
"Damaris KinEscote." he said.
steadily enough. let us he frank one
with the other What are the facts?
! am the pOoT relafion-the blot on
the family scutchepn of the squire.
your father. tie resents my proximity:
loaihes the very idea 81 our love:
therefore be has brought his batteries
/ 20 bear upon me and mine. All that
he eoaid 20 60 ruia we NJ has done.
and heaven knows that be had been
successful enough.
The girls eyes trimmed over with
tears. Alarte Was quick 20 note her
ready sympathy ana. he gripped his
are anew, the silence vibrating once
more with the ringing cadence q his
rhythmic blows.
Presently he rested once again.
-Damarts." Ne said. did you ever
hear the legend that runs In our
branch Of the family. that but for
some strange within % chance ! should
have been in the squire's place today.
the ruler % the destiny % Kingsc0te
Glebe Farm! Prom father 20 son the
tradition has been handed down that
/ Nigel Kingscote. the cavalier. jugEied
| In some unknown way with the laws
~ succession-that u was not the sou
/ 20 the eldest sOn who vas your Own Ia
TIERS ancestor. bur mine: that could
the truth only be known Alright shOald
10 rcignlng AZ Klngscote Manor in
stead Of being what I ANA pauper..
/ fated 90 cut down the family tree to
raise a pitiful sum % money that must
b. procured"
Damaris stood speeches. and Alaric
once more resumed his heavy task.
Finally. after long and weary toll.
the end came. With a cry Co the girl.
Alaric flung down his axe and leaped
backward His hand sought hers.
Side by side drawn apart from the
lettering giant. they stood a. though
U.EllUDu8ls NV N4ig nlNNAANoNe " INC
end % 30 many hundred years %
silent. strenuous majesty.
And even as the mighty tree went
shuddering 20 Its Tremendous fall. a
crack as % q pistol shot. fOreshadow-
ed It's overthrow. The noise came
from the one rotten bough that the
tree had possessed a huge limb some
halfway up It's stem, which now de-
taching trst from u paFeat crashed
down AZ the very feet q the wonder
ing coaple.
Nor vas that all. A metallic tinkie
accompanied the crash Damaris Was
the first 20 recognize the solution %
/ the puzzle.
II Uas a metal canister-a long
time-stained box a. risted tin. closed
n bath ends--a thing of mystery. %
untold possibilities She picked u up.
and as she did 20 one end fell away
The canister contained n0ihing but
n stained yellow piece q parchment.
upon which something was written
IN a close aud Grabbed ealigraphy.
archaic. hard To decipher.
Alaric swung the lantern uP from
the ground.
what IS Il. Dumaris'' he asked
1 bfeathieatly.
Slowly. labOriously. the giri read out
the following amazing decsaratioe:
'hayhap a day VIII come when that
which I, Nlgel Kingsccte. do set down
here IN writing. IN the year % Grace.
Iet7. and DO hide In the hole q the
Ringscoae Oak. may be sete out IN
the cieaFe Light q dsy. And even a.
Euan a old diA sell his biFthrtght. 80
Do I. Nigel Klngsc0te. bead a. the
| house % Kingscote. renounce my right
and the night % those Who come amer
me 10 Be the true and lawful possess
Ors q the faire lands % Kingscote
Manor.
Yet not voluntarily doe this. but
Tor the Iife u him. my soa. KnoU.
\ then. that I must Gee the country.
Cromwell. the regicide. hath dcreed
| that ! shall de. Therefore,, have