The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-27

greater than that of your forbears. ana
leaVe the evil thing alone. SO. and
only so, may tho cnain he broken.
on, Rupert. you will break tho
chan?" .t'
my darling, Will try"
nc nappy time flew by. May yielded
pace TO June, and July would bring tbe
day on which the lovers were to becom.
one. Edlth had left Lanfair, but nj.
pert stayed to mako his old castle nor.
rect for tho coming of the bride Hs
IN seieu lons one morning In front
| OF the huge portrait of his ancestor
~. "iiiIeu' which almost covered the
wal at the end of the great library.
ana to which he was commonIv I,aii
to bear strong resemblance Pnt
the lecture was that of a st ploomv
man man, some forty years of age, and his
Gditl mad earnestly denie, tho lilte
| ness AT least 1t Is brave face,
he thought and brave he was. NAV
prove his equal in courage IL I am
put to the proofn
lie was interrupted by the entrance
the oxtons both in youth and age. md
to whom the family were very dear
The newcomer noticed his masters ar
| cupation, and then observed that none
ever entered the castle but seemed
to take an interest in Sir Wilfred.
There was gentleman here last week
who had permission to look through
the rooms, and there before that very
picture did he stand, Sir Rupert. for
a good half hour by my watch
Rupert smiled Such attention 4.
flattering," he said
And never a word did the gentle.
man speak TIL the very end" added
the butler. then he amazed me by
Whispering curse. He had not
thought l was so near and he seemed
little confused, but he began to
converse, and among other things he
told me that he was an artist, and he
assured me that he was not talking
at random when he promo. need sir
Wilfrcd's portrait to be worth much
more than all the rest of the pictures
In the castle put together"
Do you think me very like Sir
Wilfred. Holden?" inquired rupert
abruptly.
Yes. Sir Rupert, or you will be when
you come to his time of life That
strange gentleman was something like
him. too"
Once more Rupert examined the por-
trait with careful. narrow scrutiny.
You mad better keep your opinion
from Lady Edith"
V
It was the Goth of June. and in tho
summer sky the sun blazed with the
splendor and intenseness that North
ern lands so seldom know. In de-
nance of the overpowering heat Sir
Rupert toiied throughout the day at
his work of preparation. buoyed up by
the remembrance of her for whom it
was undertaken. The servants who
were with him, and who had no share
in his inspiration, showed at mo-
ments sense of fatigue and listless-
ness that could cause no surprise, but
there were whispers constantly pass
ing between them that might not so
easily be explained. 1.-TWO nights ago
my brother saw IT," was a sentence
that Rupert caught. and then the an
swer: And my uncle saw IT last night
for certain" He impatiently demanded
an account of what 1t was that had
thus been seen. His question let loose
veritable avalanche OF words, but
in spite of the first confusion 1t soon
appeared that the ghost OF Sir Will
fred was believed to be once more visit
ing the Black Pit and that the eyes
of several of the inhabitants of Lam
fair had behed the vision. Scornful
We're the reproaches with which Sir
Rupert received the story without
the speakers. But all were doubtless
glad when the approach of evening
released them from their labors-Ru-
pert ordered his horse and rode off
through the village.
His way not planned out with de-
liberate selection brought him up to
the cottage of Dame belmont. Just as
the sun. glowing bail OF copper, was
nearing the horizon. The dame was
sitting in the porch that was separated
from the road by yard or two of
flower garden, and Rupert drew rein
to greet her. A few words were ex-
changed and then he turned to the
subject with which his mind was filled
Have you heard this last nonsense
that they are talking about my an
ccstor?"
Il have heard what they say, Sir
Rupert" answered Mrs. Helnont sim
ply and sadly. but nonsense can
never believe it to be. Would indeed I
could do sou