Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1899-07-01 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

IGHT.  SYNOPSIS OF OPENING CHAPTERS. iin wild despair, "nay, nay, I will never sully the The story opens with a vivid description of I fair fame and honoured trams of Roy! Ah, me! Craiglands, a picturesque old hall, the propertyl Ala. me! ' And the bewitching face of Myra Teesdale of Arthur Methuen, who had left it to the care: gazed at the slender lorm cf the fair young girl of his trusty servants whilst he was abroad. The , with a smile of triumph. building, uniquely situated amongst the hills of I • • s s • • • Yorkshire, and built of rough grey stone, was The effect of all that poor Birdie had learnt was blessed with all the beauties which Dame Nature i terrible to her. NN ith reeling brain and 'agonised feelings entirely beyond her own Bedews, bestow. The site, being near the Derwents i control, not knowing or carirg what one did, she added to the charms of the "house on the hill- wandered forth on the following evening—away, side." Neglect had, however, resulted in the hall assay into the darkness. She just remembered to say good-bye to her being in a somewhat dilapidated condition. The door Princcs in 4ho stable. and, that ever, she owner had been away from home for thirteen i histemed to the village railway station. years, ever striving to forget the bitter memories! She had no time to purchase a ticket, and bur. of the past—a past which reminded him that he riedly took a seat in one t-f the carriages. bed loved as a man loves but once in a lifetime; I The train happened to Le the very rne which that he had called a beautiful, blue-eyed girl i had brought Arthur back agAln to Combertoe. "wife" for three short months; and that a dark- i Too late! toe late never a word with lom—never ness more dense than a starless night had fallen! a last look at one who had evo• been s.) dear and upon him, and almost destroyed his, hope, and kind to her. intellect lie decides to return from Fiance to Crying and heartbroken, dazed and utterly Crsiglands, to the dear old Yorkshire, and de., miserable, she lay back in her seat. sesatehed a letter to his agent at Conberton.l A young girl, sitting oppositne to her, felt Eleven years before the epenin gof the story 1 sympathy for her in her wretchedness; this new Arthur Methuen had turned his back on his home, I friend for Birdie was one Honor Wayne, who end a little girl was brought and left to the care of during the past week had 10E4 both father and Lucy and her husband, George, the housekeeper. I mother, and was now leaving her home on her to London to try and find some sort of emThe parentage of the child was not known— way ployment. And now, with her fair girlish face. Arthur returns and is uneeremtiniously welcomed I earnest, winning ways, and a soul pure as an by Birdie, as the little stranger girl is called. angel's, looking out from her dark blue eyes, she They become rz:,0(1 friends, lie sees the photo- graph of his wife, and wonders if she is still alive. I was soon in friendly converse with Birdie. The He contemplates suicide, and is stopped by two girls decided to be closely linked together in the coming future; such as she, Birdie had Birdie. He endeavours to trace the parentage of said to herself, must remain no longer in the the stranger without success He could only glean that a lady had home of Arthur Methuen, arid she must never driven up to the house, and ..t es gain on Roy St John. upon the door being opened she walked straight cal.Anerfalleth. trouble for .T!'irdie.had come about into the house and gave the child into the charge through the me 1 videsigns of Myra Teasdale, her of Lucy, and before the housekeeper could collect . , sworn enemy, who had worked upon her her scattered wits the mysterious lady had dis- feelings with such terrible power and appeared. Five years elapse, and Birdie Wise row 1 malign b Iru t ety, that the poor girl was literally quite a young lady, lovely as a poet's dream. She! unaccottetable for the course she had so suddenly was concluding her education at York, and the: and so irrevocably taken. day had arrived when she returned to Comberton. I The next morning Mr Methuen did not underShe receives a welcome from :ill rides.. itir:i:e i stand one word of what Lucy told him as to urneys to i'dossysides, a neighbouring hall, but io nds it inhabited. Interv.ew with Mrs Leslie. Birdie's going away. He started at his houseI keeper. He leaned his herd against the door for irdie's encounter on the road home; she receives a few minutes, paralysed, motionless. There a fright. The acquaintance with Roy St. John, must be some mistake; it could not he true! who rescues -her trom a drunken man. • • • . • * 1 At the Comberton Railway Station Arthur