The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-30
1920 ..... 1887

his carriage wrapped in furs and looked listessly out on the scene before him If there was nothing in this life worth living for. It was William Ravenel, but vastly changed from the gentle youth who used to like Nfuriel to call him Brother Anselmo." The influence of his wicked old father had at last proved more potent than the influences of St. Omer.
 Ravenel had come to the bank to sec after the safety of a bounty of his of which the bank was the custodian and the distributor among the same poor Catholic families of his neighborhood. John asked him if he would ride back with him to Enderley.
 "Enderley," said he "Yes. How strange the dear old word sounds" After inquiring after the rest of the family, Lord Ravenel said: And your daughter, baby Maud, Is she grown to be at all like like No" said John, and it was some minutes before either spoke again. Ray enel went to live again at Luxmore Hall and was about daily at Beechwood. He sought always the companionship of Maud. "I know you like Tne," said the artless girl because I make you think of my dead sister, Muriel"
 Now a great shock made Beechwood tremble. John and Ursula discovered that their eldest son Guy, now 2l years old, was in love with the governess It took
 
 amazing fact, and when she did she was for reproving Guy and turning the gov erness, Miss Silver out of the house at once. But John talked 1t over with her and one day Mrs. Halifax called Miss Sl- yer into the library and, with frigid condescenson, announced that she and Mir. Halifax had concluded to let her mar " their eldest son.
 To Ursula's astonishment, the strange girl informed Mrs. Halifax that she had no intention of marrying MT. Guy. Relief and indignation at Miss Silyers lack of appreciation of the honor struggled for mastery in Ursula's mind. But when that young lady informed her that 1t was Ed win she loved, that Edwin loved her, the perplexed mother was overwhelmed and flew to John. After much perplexity they settled 1t. Edwin was to have the gov- erness and set to housekeeping in tho Norton Bury house, where John and Ursula had begun.
 With many tears and imprecations Guy declared he could not stay to witness his brothers happiness and begged to be al- lowed to go away So his father sent him ! to Spain, ostensibly on business, and he wrote to the family afterwards from Paris where his mother feared that he was leading rather wild life. Guy had a strong vein of wlldness and adventure in him anyway. Poor boy" sighed his mother.
 Scarcely was Edwins wedding over than Lord Ravenel proposed for the hand or Maud
 q thought we were to be left in peace with the rest of our children" cried Ur- sula, "and Maud is only q child
 "Oh, l will walt two years If you wish it." replied Ravenel But John answered: : If gave my little Maud to you it would confer no lasting happiness and 1t would thrust my child to the brink of that whirlpool where, sooner or later. every miserable life must go down. Do you realize what you were born to be? Not only a nobeman, but a gentleman; not only gentleman. but man. Would to heaven that by any poor word of mine l could make you realize all that you are-all that you might be!'
 Tt Is too late" said Ravenel sadly.
 'In the whole wide world-in the whole universe---there Is no such word as too late" cried John.
 Lord Ravene sat silent for while, gazing into vacancy, and then. saying You are right. I owe you more than kindness as l may prove some day If not, believe the best of me you can, he took his departure. Not many weeks after they heard of the death of the Earl of Luxmore in France, and that his son, before the old mans death, had volun- , tarily broken the entail of the estate, all of which would be swept away to satisfy the late EarPs creditors.
 The same paper which announced the death of the old Earl chronicled the mar riage in Paris of Gerald Vermyle-but not to Lady Caroline.
 One day, when John had taken his wife and daughter to Norton Bury on some shopping expedition they saw a crazy looking old-looking woman in the street, surrounded by jeerlng crowd or boys. She was dressed in an extreme French manner her face was withered thin. sal low almost to deathllness with a bright rouge-spot glowing on either cheek, and there was a smile on the ghastly mouth. At that moment the Mythe carriage with MT. Brithwood in 1t. dozing through his daily drive, came slowly numbering up the street. The woman made a dart at it and the crowd tried to hold her back.
 "Canaille!" she screamed In terror more than anger "Give way. people, Don't you see my carriage? I am Lady Caroline Brithwoodv' and she flung herself under the horses heads.
 The Squire heard her. For a single in- stant the besotted husband and the di- yoreed wife gazed at each other with hor- TOT and fear. as two sinners might gaze in Dante's Inferno Them Drive on, coachmanv' shouted the Squire. They took poor Lady Caroline to Beech wood and kept ner lneTe an lnNdhu anu wandering in her mind. Until she died the unfortunate woman asked again and again for william" the only being whom she had ever loved with pure affection. But Lord Raveners whereabouts were unknown.
 Guy was in America now-a prosperous merchant in Boston, he wrote them. He had got into debt in Paris and had had drunken row with Gerald Vermilye, nearly killing that Lothario and having to ice across the ocean. After a few years had passed Guy wrote htat he was com ing home and with him would bring his business partner. They were to sail on the ship Stars and Stripes. But the Stars and Stripes never reached port. As the months changed Ursula's dread into a certainty she dropped and faded i'll in body and mind with grief for her eldest and best beloved son. Then one day man stood in the doorway. tall, brown. bearded.
 Why. Maudr' he cried. Don't you know me? I am Guy"
 The joy of that return revived Ursula