The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-04-07
CHAPTER vi.
A House of Cards.

I
gers. All his dreams had van
ished in moment. His house
of cards had toppled down. His ambi-
lions were surely and positively de-
stroyed at one stroke. He mechanical
" picked up the letter and reread It
Had It been his death sentence It could
not have affected him more cruelty:
Dear Narhaniel-l scarcely know how
to write to you about what has happened.
I am afraid I am In some small measure
to blame. Ten days ago your sister show
I'D me q letter from man named O'Con-
hell
Kingsnorth crushed the letter In his
hand as he read the hated name-the
name Of the man who had caused him
30 much discomfort during that unfor-
tunate visit to his estate In Ireland.
How he blamed himself now for hav-
ing ever gone there! There was indeed
a curse on it for the Kingsnorths.
He Strengthened out the crumpled
piece Of paper and read on
"a man named O'Connell-the man she
nursed in your house in Ireland after he
had been shot by the soldiers. He was
coming to England and wished to see her.
She asked my permission. l reasoned
with her. but she was decided. II l
should not permit her to see him IN my
house she would meet him elsewhere. 1t
seemed better the meeting should be un-
der my roof, SO consented. 1 bitterly re-
,proach myself now for not acquainting
you with the particulars. You might have
succeeded in stopping what has hap
pened.
Your sister and O'Connell were married
this morning by special license and left
this afternoon Tor Liverpool en- route to
America
I cannot begin to tell you how much
deplore the unfortunate affair. 1t will
always be a lasting sorrow to me- l
cannot write any more now. My head
Is aching with the thought Of what It will
mean to you Try not to think too hardly
Of me and believe me, always your af-
fectionate cousin,
MARY CAROLINE WEXFORD.
Kingsnorth's head sank on to his
breast Every bit of life left him. ev-
erything about his feet ashes, the
laughingstock Of his friends.
Were Angela there at that moment
he could have killed her.
The humiliation of it! The degrada-
tion OF it! Married to that lawless
Irish agitator! The man now men,
ber of his family! A cry Of misery
broke from him as he realized that
the best years Of his life were to come
and 60 fruitlessly. His career was
ended. Despair lay heavy on his soul.
Standing on the main deck Of an At
lantic liner stood Angela and OCon-
nell.
They were facing the future to-
gether.
Their faces were turned to the west.
The sun was sinking in a blaze of
color.
Their eyes lighted up with the JOY
Of hope.
Love was in their hearts.
A year after the events in the pre-
ceding chapter took place O'Connell
and his young wife were living in a
small apartment in one Of the poorer
sections Of New York city.
The first few months in America
had been glorious ones for them. Their
characters and natures unfolded to
each other as some wonderful paint
ings, each taking its own hues from
the alteration of the other.
In company with a noted Irish or
ganizer O'Connell had spoken in many
of the big cities of the United States
and was everywhere hailed as hero
and a martyr to English tyranny.
But he had one ever present handi-
cap-a drawback he had never felt
during the years Of struggle preceding
his marriage. His means were indeed