The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-05-11
II.

II.
so you've come,' he said softly.
You see am as good as my word.
The hlngscote Oak must go. 1t is the
last link between me and the work
house-for it. almost comes to that"
1t was evident that the relationship
between these two was something
more binding that the ordinary ties
existent between casual acquaintance
OF opposite sex. Each seemed to &C
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. Let me hold the
lantern for you while you work"
She snatched up the light. He,
obedient to her injunction, applied
his weapon with renewed vigor. The
lamplight threw a warm glow over
his weather-tanned face and muscular
arms.
For time he labored on, his whole
being concentrated on the performance
OF his herculean task. After a space
he paused to rest. A great wound on
the mighty bole of the oak showed
how sure had been his strenuous
endeavors.
When he ceased she broke sAto
quick speech.
ut seems Incredible" she murmur-
ed. that you, Kingscote, of the same
race, the same blood as ourselves,
should be forced to toll like this-like |
a common laborer," The man came |
quickly forward, and flung his arm
around her waist. Their lips met in |
a kiss that could not be mistaken for /
a mere cousinly salution.
"Damaris Kingscote,' he said,
steadily enough. "let us be frank one
with the other. What are the facts? |
| am the poor relation-the blot on
the family 'scutcheon of the squire,
your father. He resents my proximity;
loathes the very idea of our love:
therefore he has brought his batteries
to bear upon me and mine. All that
he could do to ruin me he has done,
and heaven knows that he had been
successful enough.
The girls eyes brimmed over with
tears Alaric was quick to note her
ready sympathy and. he gripped his
axe anew, the silence vibrating once
more with the ringing cadence of his
rnyJnmlc DlOWS.
Presently he rested once again.
"Damaris," he said, did you ever
hear the legend that runs in our
branch of the family, that but for
some strange whim of chance / should
have been in the sources place today,
The ruler of the destiny of Kingscote
Ilebe Farm? From father to son the
has been handed down that
Nigel Kingscote, the cavalier, juggled
n some unknown way with the laws
If succession-that it was not the son
If the eldest son who was your own IA
hers ancestor, but mine; that could
he truth only be known Alright should
,e reigning at Kingscote Manor in
stead of being what | anna pauper,,
ated to cut down the family tree to
aise a pitiful sum of money that must
,e procured"
Damaris stood speeches. and Alaric
NICE more resumed his heavy task
Finally, after long and weary toll
he end came. With cry to the girl,
Alaric flung down his axe and leaped
His hand sought hers.
Tide by side drawn apart from the
giant, they stood as though
pellbound, the only spectators Of the
nd Of so many hundred years OF
ilent, strenuous majesty.
And even as the mighty tree went
to its tremendous fall,
rack as of a pistol shot, foreshadow
q its overthrow The noise came
rom the one rotten bough that the
rec had possessed huge limb some
alf-way up its stem, which now de-
aching first from it parent crashed
own at the very feet of the wonder
lg couple.
Nor was that all. A metallic tinlle
ccompanied the crash Damaris was
ne first to recognize the solution OF
he puzzle.
1t was metal canister long,
box of rusted tin, closed
both ends--a thing Of mystery, OF
ntold possibilities. She picked 1t up,
nd as she did so one end fell away.
he canister contained nothing but
stained yellow piece of parchment,
pom which something was written
a close and grabbed caligraphy,
rebate, hard to decipher.
Alaric swung the lantern up from
lie ground.
aWhat is it, Damaris?" he asked
reathlessly.
Slowly, laboriously, the girl read out 4
le following amazing declaration:
'Mayhap day will come when that
hich /, Nigel Kingscote. do set down /
ere in writing, in the year of Grace,
;47, and do hide in the hole Of the
ingscote Oak, may be sete out In
Ie cleare light of day. And even as
sau Of old did sell his birthright, so
Ars..n1 Iri,,rrrnnfn had ~ the 4