Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-07-19
CHAPTER XX.-(Coutinued.) !

handing her in. mo one is here, | think
But how came you here?"
Il had lost my way; knocked at the
door, but no one answered then | walked
in, with the hope of finding some one to
make inquiries of; and just at that mo-
ment | heard your footsteps. and then
your voice. Oh, what a blessed sound
that was in my ears"
You have been wandering about here
In the hope of seeing me-of meeting me
accidentally? Was it not so?"
YES" she again answered, slowly, af-
ter another pause.
"But where are you stayng?" he asked
suddenly. Are you provided with lodg-
ing?"
"oh, yes, at Bodmin; have, been there
two days"
"But that is some distance from here.
How can you get there tonight? There
Is no kind of conveyance to be procured"
"Oh, | can walk. Your father is i'll,
is he mott" she asked, suddenly.
He is-that is why | am here"
What would he say did he know of
our love? Would he sanction it? Would
he receive me as his SONS wife? He would
not, and you know it p she said, bitterly
and drawing away from him. He would
think his house disgraced by such a mar
riage. But were | a grand lady, and
ugly as sin, and stupid as an owl, he
would receive me with open arms !"
"You wrong my father, dearest-indeed
you do! No man has higher respect
for beauty and intellect than he has, an
swered Arthur, mildly.
"Yes, as adjuncts to birth !" she cried
bitterly. "Oh, why did / ever seek this
meeting? Why did l not leave you in
peace, and fly from you and your love?
oh, no, no! it shall not be! Help me
to struggle against myself Drive me
from you-let me fly from you! Do any
thing to save yourself from ruin !"
Her wild, passionate voice told of the
struggle that ragged within. She prayed
for the self-control she had never prac-
ticed, and it would not come. The self
Indulgence that from a child had warped
her soul rendered her incapable of self
denying She, loved Arthur Penrhyddyn
according to her nature. 1t was a selfish
wrestle with-to trampe upon.
why is this?" she went on, yet more
wildly. Until met you, knew moth
Ing of such struggles ! thought only of
my own happiness; but now, apart from
you, | have no happiness-no life
am like one under spell. All, that is it !
that is it," and she shuddered in every
limb.
1T is" he answered gloomily. eve are
each others fate Struggle as we will,
we are in the toils-we must fulfill our
destinyw
And you will make me your wife, and
/ shall one day be Lady PenrhyddynT
She murmured.
: Anything to make you mine; for
cannot exist without you," he answered,
an low, passionate voice.
And if poverty comes," she said, I'VE
will brave it together"
"Then the die is cast" he cried, "and
only death shall part 81"
Again that long, low wall of the wind,
as he had heard it in the gallery, and
again he felt as though supernatural
presence were about him. And this time
there mingled with the blast another
sound-a strange, hoarse, rattling noise,
and then gasp, as from human throat.
what is that?" she whispered, cling
Ing to him in mortal terror.
1t was like the hoarse rattle in the
throat of the dying. His hair bristled,
and his flesh crept. Something was near
them. What was it?
Arthur was determined to investigate
the cause of these sounds. He remem-
bered that he had box of waxen matches
In his pocket. He struck one, and by its
light saw lantern with a candle in it
standing open upon a table. puff of
wind blew out his light; but he strucl,
another, and succeeded this time in ignit-
ing the candle. Nothing was to be seen
in the room in which they were But
this opened into the sleeping room, into
which Arthur had never passed but once
before; and that was on the night that,
as boy, he had seen a mother and child
lying cold and motionless upon the bed
Into this room he now passed-she still
clinging to him.
A cry of horror burst from her lips
and she fell senseless upon the ground
while Arthur stood transixed. Huddled
upon the bed, his limbs drawn up as II
with pain, his face distorted with the
agonies of death, was the old fisherman
John Trevethick. He had been seized with
a fit, and died with no one by to helr
him.
Death had been the witness of theil
betrothal, and the death rattle had min
gled with their vows of love-their only
ratification.
CHAPTER XXI.
Recovering from his first stupof Of ter
ror, Arthur extinguished the light, and
taking Mrs. Castleton in his arms, bor,
her out into the open air. What was Z,