Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-03
CHAPTER I.
The Edge of the Quarry.

The Edge OF the Quarry.
Towards the close of a November
day young man emerged from
plantation on the summit of the Stone
void Hills, paused for a moment to
light his pipe, and then walked down
the hill with his eyes fixed on the
valley lying thousand feet beneath
him.
He was tall broad-shouldered
young man, and his mere bulk and
height suggested great physical
strength But John Shil, estate
agent to Sir Robert Tankerlane. was
even stronger than most men Of his
size A clean, wholesome life, lived
In the open air, daily round Of hard
exercise, q mind that found no attrac.
ton in the vices that so often sap
the mental and bodily vigour of a
man. had fashioned superb specimen
of manhood from the stout material
which nature had so generously sup
piled. His face, tanned with constant
exposure to sun ana wind, was not re-
markable for its beauty, but 1t was
an honest. manly face, and a close
student Of human nature might have
discovered more in 1t than was appar.
ent to the good folks of Laverstone.
They only saw genial good hearted
young fellow, who took life easily;
but there were depths in John Shil's
nature that had not yet been stirred
by the circumstances Of his simple
life.
AS he walked down the hill, the
sun, mere dull red globe, sank to-
wards the western horizon, and the
mist of a November evening covered
all the valley beneath him with car
pet of grey fog. The light still lin
gered on the upper slopes of the Stone
void Hills, but darkness was creep
ing up from the plain.
Behind him, Oh either side of him.
before him, as far as the eye could
reach, lay the $4,000 acres Of the
Tankerlane estate For miles in ev.
cry direction, every inch Of ground
every house, every tree, every stick
and stone belonged to Sir Robert
Tankerlane. Twelve entire villages
twelve advowsons, more than seventy
farms, feudal lordship over nearly
four thousand human beings, were al
in the hands of one man. vel
known writer, who once spent a sum
mer in farmhouse on the estate, Is
reported to have said that the very
air belonged to Sir Robert, that thu
wind seemed to whisper his name il
the trees, and that the little brooks
as they babbled over the stones. muir
injured 'Tankerlane, Tankerlane
,Tankerlane'
John Shil,, as lieutenant of his lor,
and master, was responsible for tn
management Of the whole Of this vas
territory. But, as he walked dow
the slopes and saw the darkness bio
out the clustered villages, and broa
fields, and wide stretches of woodland
his thoughts were not in any way cor
cerned with the cares Of his Office
They were centered in one small farm
house which lay close to the foot of tn
hill
This house was the home OF LauI
Vane, mere slip of a girl, a negli,
lble item in the population OF tn
Tankerlane estate. But to John Sh
she represented all the glory of hea
en- and earth, for she had promised
be his wife, and he loved her wit
all the strength of his heart. AS "
love was the only passion that he
entered into his life. AS yet it W;
all-absorbing-a lord paramount tn
rode triumphant over his whole n
ture.
Halfway down the hill the path RI
through another large plantation,
the young man passed through the !
tile gate, and entered the shadow
the trees, the grey twilight deepen'
ri