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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1885)
18 THE WEST SHORE. " I always knew there was something uncanny about the poor child," whispered Urban to his wife. "Alas! she was born," said Muriel, low, "at the sad time when my mind was nigh distraught by that fearful inquest, and I lay in fever and delirium. She has never been as other children. I often marvel at her strange words. But she is clover, bright, happy, good, and be yond her years in sense. Thoro can be no fear that her bond is really affected. I have never had cause to dread such a terrible lot for hor." " Please God I " murmured the father. " Surely Provi dence would novor odd so great a curse to that which has already fallen on us." "Do not say a curse!" whispered his wife. "Who knows but hor peculiar condition may prove a blessing?" "It is all very odd," criod Edna, suddenly, as she stood at the table. " I should so like to see this Judg ment Hall." " That, in all probability, you will never do," replied Urban. " Hut why, papa, why?" said the child, eagerly, as she came to hor parents. "Does it not belong to the Ash fords? And are we not Ashfords all?" "Can I tell her?" questioned Urban Ashford of his wife. After a moment's consideration Muriel nodded her head. " Come hero, Edna, and sit on my knee," said her father. " I have a talo to telL You ore a great girl now, as you say, and can understand most things. Perhaps tho time is come when you ought to know that which I oin alKiut to say to you. Listen, my darling. Once on r time-" "That is the way all the pretty fairy tales begin," cried tho child, eagorly, as she nestlod to her father on his knee. " Is this a fairy tale?" " Would that it wore," pursuod Urban, with a sigh. " No; it is a truo story, dear. Thore lived a Sir Ran dolph Ashford. He had a younger brother whose name was Emoric, and an orphan cousin, who was looked on as a sort of dependent of his family, and who was called Urban-" "Urban?" said Edna, looking up. "Why, that is you, papa." "Sir Randolph Ashford was, for a time, childless; and hod he no son his brother Emerio would have suc ceeded, on his death, to the title and estates, or, failing Emoric, his cousin Urban. Do you understand?" " Oh, yes, papa. I understand jorfoetly." "Well," pursuod the father, "onojday the sounds of a quarrel wore heard iu the woods of Ashford HalL A gamekeeper camo up and found Emerio Ashford lying senseless-dead! His skull was fractured! A blowly stake was found by his side; it had evidently been lately cut from a tree. Can you bear to hear this wretched story, my child?" " Why not, papa?" said tho childdreamily. " Some how I feel as if I had hoard all this before; though I don't know who told me." Tho father and mother looked again at each other. " Go on, papa; please go on! " . "As a wretched fatality would have it, Urban Ash ford, who had likewise heard the sounds of quarrel, also came up. He was horrified at the sight of his murdered cousin, as he lay before him. The corpse was conveyed to the hall. What is called a 'coroner's inquest' was held. It was a sort of trial; for suspicion fell on Urban Ashford. He alone would have profited by Emeric's death-3ie alone would have any cause for wishing to rid the world of him." ." But you were innocent, father you were innocent, I know," said Edna, in violent excitement. " Urban wns innocent, my child. God knows his in nocence I " and the man paused in strong emotion. " The only shadow of a proof against him lay in the fact that he had in his possession a clasp-knife just such a knife as the stake with which the deed was done might have been cut by. The coroner's jury returned a verdict which went to say that Emerio Ashford had been 'murdered by some person or persons unknown.' . The real murderer was never discovered. The foulest suspicions rested on poor Urban's guiltless head. Whatever the verdict of the jury, the verdict of the world for him was ' guilty.' He retired into seclusion, with such small fortune as was his, to bring with him his dear wife and his darling little child, who was born just at this fatal time." "And they loved him. They" said Edna, twining her arms about her father's neck and kissing him, " although the wicked, cruel world might hate him.'.' "They did," said the father, returning her caress; " they were his only solace." "And that was all?" asked his child. "Not quite," said Urban. "A son was afterwards born to Sir Randolph Ashford. Had Urban committed so fearful a crime he would have sinned in vain. Lady Ashford, the mother, died. But the boy lived and throve; and Urban thanked God that it should be so. But now now" "What, papa?" "That boy is dead"" "And this causes you sorrow?" " More than you can think, Edna," said Urban Ash ford, in a despairing tone. "Between Urban and his cousin Randolph stands now no relative. The malice of the world will assail him more cruelly than ever. It will again accuse him." "No, no, it cannot," cried the child, springing. up. "Accuse my own papa my good, dear papa! it cannot it shall not!" " What can you do, my poor little girl You cannot brave the malice of the world." "I can I will!" exclaimed Edna, with an inspired look. "I can hoar voices soft, pleasant voices whis pering in my ear that it will be so. They sound louder and louder, nearer and nearer." " What dors she mean?" criod Muriel Ashford. " I hear sounds, too; but they are as those of a horse's hoofs." In truth, the noise of a galloping horse might be dis tinctly hoard.. It stopped before the house door. Urban and his wife looked at one another inquiringly.
