Lincoln County leader., May 13, 1904, Image 6

The Planter's Daughter
25 FATE'S REVENGE
L
By MRS. ALICE P. CARRISTON
Author of "A Waif from the Sea," "Her Brightest Hope,"
"Wayward Winnefred," etc.
CHAPTER XI. (Continued.)
Tho door had opened while he was
spenking, and Mrs. Burgess had entered
with a radiant face, bearing several
sheets of manuscript in her hands. So
great was her excitement that she did
not heed the presence of the doctor, and
hastening to her husband, she held the
manuscript before his eyes with trem
bling hands.
"Look!" she cried; "at last I know the
secret which is killing our poor Clah-e
I havo discovered the name of the man
she loves! Read these pages; they were
written by her last night."
Philip Burgess seized the proffered
sheets and ran his eye over their tear
blurred surface. Suddenly a name ar
rested his attention; he uttered an inar
ticulate cry, Hung the manuscript upon
the table and grasped the doctor by both
ha ml .
"(iresham!" he cried, joyfully, "I ac
cept! It is no longer a question of ac
quiring a fortune at the price of my hon
or, at the cost of my name, but of sav
ing my daughter's life!"
Claire herself was a silent auditor of
the triumphant exclamations. She had
reached the open door and paused upon
the threshold, hearing her father's words.
In the next moment she descried her pre
cious manuscript, the secret of her life,
lying exposed upon the table, and with a
wailing cry of dismay she staggered for
ward and Hung herself upon her mother's
brt?aRt.
"Oh, mother, mother!" she sobbed, a
burning flush mounting her pallid brow,
"what have you done!"
'Tardon me, my child," replied Mrs.
Burgess soothingly, as she caressed the
drooping golden head; "but I could not
see you suffer and remain In ignorance
of the cause another day."
"Well done, wife!" exclaimed Philip
Burgess; "had you not acted thus
promptly, I should have rejected the hap
piness of Claire's life for now she will
live!"
"My life my happiness!" gasped the
young girl, raising her head and glancing
in dismny at her father; "oh, father, you
have not read the secret of my foolish
pafBion!" And when he nodded to her
with an assuring smile, she added, in de
spair: "It is a relic of our past happy
life which I have not had the strength
to combat against. Instead of forgetting
this man whom I mot by chance in that
brilliant world now closed to us forever,
I have been so foolish as to cherish his
lmngo in my heart."
"And justly, Claire," replied the old
gentleman; "are you not worthy to bear
the proudest name in the land?"
"Ah, but if you knew his name!" gob
bed the girl.
"I know it, and he will be here short
ly." "He here!" gasped Claire, recoiling a
few stepo and standing alone.
"Yes Lucian Courtlandt! lie comes
to demand your hand in marriage."
Completely overcome, Claire tottered
to the nearest chair and sank into it, and
it is doubtful if she heard Martha open
the door and announce:
"A lady and gentH-man to see you!"
A moment later Lucian Courtlandt ap
peared upon tho threshold with his
haughty mother leaning upon hie arm.
The young man was pallid but coon
posed, while Mrs. Courtlanirt's stern fea
tures were wreathed in smiles. A few
words of welcome were exchanged be
tween Philip Burgess and his wife and
Mrs. Courtlandt, Claire meanwhile ait
ting there with drooping head, apparent
ly uncoiiwiouH of her surroundings.
Presently, however, the words of Mrs.
Courtlandt penetrated her dulled hearing.
"Old friends," remarked that lady,
Wltll llfT'lllll. Aflll.llMnnnnlnii f U .L.
honor of demanding the hand of your
daughter Claire for my son Lucian!"
At these words, Claire struggled to
her feet and threw herself into her moth
er's anus.
"Poor child!" thought Lucian Court
landt, "how beautiful she is!"
"Miss Burgess," said Mrs. Courtlandt,
gently, "are you willing to be my daugh
ter?" Poor Claire murmured tome Inarticu
late words, and her head sank lower upon
her mother's breast.
Then LucUm advanced and took one
of the pendent, snowy hands.
"Claire." he murmured, "will you be
my wife?"
But there was no reply; joy had de
prived the happy victim of nil senfo, and
he lay uneoiiHcious in her mother's awns.
CHAPTER XII.
Two short weeks had made a Hurtling
change in the circumstances of the Bur
gess family. "The lovely residence In
the neighborhood of Youkers." which Lu
cian Courtlandt had telegraphed SylphJde
he had gone to see during those brief
happy hours that succeeded their return
to America had now been rented for the
accommodation of Claire ami her parent
uivtil the wedding should take place, and
later was to become the home of the
married pair.
It seemed Incredible that the brtght
fneod. happy woman, who sing joyously
to herself as she brushed off the spacious
plains, could be Martha Dunn; yet It
was she with ever Hn. , i
lety smoothed from her hone face, and
- 'i in in piece.
It was a balirvv momlm. In -.11 v
on. ot th. x . - "
" IWUI
zephyrs rustle the dense foliage that
shades the verdant earth. Even Claire
seemed to Inhale the abundant vigor of
the scene aa she stepped forth upon the
piazza, clad all in white, with fluttering
ribbons of a delicate violet tint, to greet
the morn.
A quick, light step crunched the gravel
of the path, coming from the direction of
the stables, and a moment later the lean,
athletic figure of Dr. Gresbam swung
round the corner of the mansion and
mounted the steps. As he reached the
piazza Philip Burgess came out, radiant
and cheery as the morn itself. The two
nien shook hands; Burgess heartily,
Gresham with slight constraint.
"Well, aren't we aa Ana ia fina nun
be?" exclaimed the former.. with a trlnnoo
thrilling with pride upon his charming
domain.
"Fine, very fine Indeed!" was the crisp,
buainese-like reply; "but I have some
thing of the utmost importance to say
to you, and as we are alone for the mo
ment, no time could be more opportune
"Oh, then, you need not hesitate!"
his old friend by the arm and led him
to the farthest corner of the wide piazza,
out of earshot of the windows; "now
then," he continued, "as to-morrow is the
wedding day, I should like to know how
Claire has accepted the conditions?"
"Conditions what conditions?" Inquir
ed Philip Burgess in a puzzled way."
"Why, the child, of course."
The old man started and paled guiltily.
"I haven't said a word to her about the
child!" ,
"Is it possible?" exclaimed the doctor,
In wild dismay; "she's got to know about
it."
"Of course she has! Now that you are
here, why don't you tell her yourself?"
While they stood conversing they had
failed to notice that Claire had been grad
ually approaching the house, with her
hands filled with dewy, fragrant rosea;
in fact, they were not aware of her pres
ence until she was close upon them, and
her cheery greeting disturbed the awk
ward silence that had fallen.
"Were you speaking of one?" she ask
ed, earnestly. ;
"Yes," answered Gresham; "we were
speaking of you and your approaching
marriage."
With a desperate effort that was really
pitiful to behold, the farther began:
"Claire, I have something to fiay to
you before your marriage. Listen, my
child; it is a matter of serious import
to you."
"Is it something about Lucian?" she
asked.
"Yes."
than the present." As he spoke he took
she exclaimed, brightening; "anything
you have to say of him I shall be only
too happy to hear. I can never tell you
how content I aim at the prospect of be
coming his wife!"
With one desDnlrinir cl
am. Phllin Rur?pim tnmorf nu7t inn.
tally ejaculating: '
l can t, 1 can't tell her, for it may kill
her!"
Fortunately, at this mnmnnr f n why, n
came out upon the piazza, and announc
ed that her HllstrPKH li nn mill in an
tho doctor, if he would kindly come In.
i will go with you," whispered the
old man in Greshani's ear; "her mother
can toll her better; women can weep together."
And they nntorert tho
Claire standing there, with an expres
sion of dazed bewilderment upon her fatr
iace. une by one the fragrant roses fil
tered through her fingers, and fell un
heeded nnd wilting to the ground; and
uiougn sne was scarcely conscious of the
Impression. It soemnri th,,..i. ,u.
cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, had
risen upon the horizon of that perfect
day.
At last the roll of carriage wheels upon
the avenue beyond the lawn arrested her
attention, and. raisl
a uwv UtT
scried the Courtlandt livery rapidly .ap-
iirum-iiiug tne nouse through the trees.
Her heart stood mill -im . aiL
throb, but when the equipage dTew up
mm uhj wiaow courtlandt alighted alone
it was with a heart heavy with disap
pointment that she crossed the piazza to
greet the lady.
Mrs. Courtlandt took the girl in her
arms, and disposed a light kiss upon her
brow; then linking her arm in Claire's
she led her to a retired nook, where stood
a rustic seat screened by dense vine
that lent an agreeable twilight against
the brilliant glare that reigned around
Being seated, the lady took Claire's hand
in hers and said:
"This la just the opportunity I have
been seeking; I have wanted to talk with
you, my dear. Lucian will be here In
an hour, and this Is the last time that
we shall be together before your mar
riage. First of all, I wish to thank you
for the ierlfioe you have made, and
edV" ,entiments whln h prompt-
"Sacrificel Noble sentiments!" mur
mured Claire. In astonishment; "indeed
madam, I deserve no praise. My action
n the matter has been prompted by pure
ly selfish motives." 7 p
"Oh. I know that devotion has become
second nature with you." replied the
Mftif1?" C1,,le', cbek' ,,bu' row
elf-denial cannot escape our iratltuda.
But you .hall b. rewarded, my 'chi K.
will woo you back to health, and ere
lo. m will bs wconclled to Lucian!
Yes, yea, I hope that some day my aon
will love you."
"Love me, love me, do you say?" fal
tered poor Claire, like one in a dream;
. "he la going to marry me "
I "What credit is there In his giving
Ihis hand?" were the next paarlyzing
words; "are you not a thousand times
more generous in giving Als child a
name?"
"His chiHI" muttered the girl, In a
stupefied way;, then suddenly seizing the
widow's hand, she exclaimed violently,
"his child'."
"Listen, Claire; if It la your will, we
will unite our forces, set up our batteries
against our common enemy, against this
woman whom I hate, aa you ought to
hate!"
At this revelation Claire 'fell back
against the seat, while through her dazed
brain darted with lightning-like rapidity
the thought:
"Oh, heaven grant me the strength
to hear her to the end!"
Then as Mrs. Courtlandt, amazed at
her sudden silence, turned and looked at
her, she started up, exclaiming hysteri
cally: "Ah, yes! The woman he loves the
mother of his child! But I do not under
stand why she does not oppose my mar
riage?" "I will tell you, Claire. Lucian wors
ships me and is passionately attuched to
his child; I promise you that he is en
tirely reconciled to 'his marriage with
you, and regards it seriously, as he does
all other obligations in life."
"Yes," came the bitter response, so
low as scarcely to be audible, "he has a
noble heart!"
"He will he here In a few minutes, and
I will tell him where to find you," said
the lady, rising with the relieved air
of one who has executed a painful duty.
"So kiss me, my dear, and I will go In
and say good morning to your mother."
Claire submitted to the caress, and
when left alone sat for some minutes
among the swaying vines. At last the
burning words rose to her Hps:
"Heaven help me, how I loved him!
Fool that I was to dream that I Bhould
be loved in return! Why, they have been
speculating upon my approaching death;
and If he lends me to the altar to-morrow,
he counts "upon my lying dead be
fore it ere long. This luxury this gold
are but the price of my dishonor! I
want no more of them, and only ask to
return to the misery of poverty!"
Her last words escaped her Hps In a
sigh of unutterable anguish, while to her
unheeding ears came the beat of the
horses' hoofs that bore her expectant
bridegroom!
Upon the spur of the moment she de
termined to go at once to her father,
Inform .him that she retracted her prom
ise, and break off the unhallowed match
then and there, despite the consequences.
She sprang to her feet full of her resolve,
but ere she could take a step the sound
of voices arrested her. Her woman's
curiosity asserted itself; she parted the
veil of vines with trembling hands and
gazed out across the sunlit lawu.
There rhe saw Lucian, the man she
loved with the one absorbing passion of
her life, standing in all his manly beau
ty, in conversation with Dr. Gresham,
who was about to take his leave. The
two men were shaking hands and ex
changing smiling words of congratula
tion. The girl's heart rose In her breast as
she listened, and she clung faintly to the
vines for support until their thorns en
tered her delicate flesh. The physical
pain and the mental anguish roused her
once again to the exigency of the mo
ment, and with precipitate steps she
turned and fled in at the open door.
(To be rontlnnwi.i
The Old Umbrella.
"I've always had It In for the man
who carries his umbrella around with
him as a walking stick or Just In case
of rain, and usually succeeds in pok
ing It Into the face of everybody -with
whom he comes in contact; but now
I've nothing to say," sold a guest In
the lobby of a local hotel one morn
ing last week.
"Upon renchlng this city a week ago
I deposited my umbrella In the check
room of the station and went off hap
py In the thought that I would do no
damage during the day from that
source, at least. Well, Instead of
spending the day In Washington, as I
had Intended, I've been here a week
and forgot all about my parachute un
til this morning, when I strolled down
to the station to redeem It, and myself
a ticket for home. At any rate, there
nmong other checked articles I spied
my old dollar umbrella, and pointed
It out to the gentle-looking little wo
man In attendance as I put down a
.m.Land correslnilng brass piece.
The charge Is seventy cents,' she
'"Seventy cent8,. j .exclaimed, In
tones that suggested she was trying
to rob me. '
'"Yes, sir; seventy cents,' she as
sweetly continued. We cha t
cents for every twenty-four hours an
article Is left In storage.'
"Well, there was no mistaking the
loK CnClUl,0d t,,e r "so
J cashed In. Anyhow, I think Wash"
"Ston 1b a great old place.--Wash
ington Post. a8n
..v cqu,r,! the T,.te.
You don't mean to tell me he ac
agae ft?" 8864 h"? UW d,d '
"Easy. He Just shut his eye an
exercised his will powor.'.-Smo
Not HU F.ult.
Judge-i wm give you jU8t
to get out of town. r
Peevish Polhemua WelL If rm
S3? do? IT fr me
auto dout blame me, JedePuck.
A VENERABLE PASTOR
CURED BY PE
Pe-ru-na Is a Catarrhal Tonic Espec
ially Adapted to the Declining
Powers of Old Age.
In old age the mucous membranes
become thickened and partly lose their
function.
This leads to partial loss of hearing,
smell and taste, as well as digestive dis
turbances. Feruna corects all this by its specific
operation on all the mucous membranes
of the body.
One bottle will convince anyone.
Once used and Peruna becomes a life
long stand-by with old and young.
sj
XgSlfxdHSfaler.
Strong and Vigorous at the Age of
Eighty-Eight.
Eev. J. N. Parker, Utica, N. Y.,
writes:
"In June, 1901, I lost my sense of
hearing entirely . My hearing had been
somewhat impaired for several years,
but not so much affected but that 1
could hold converse with my friends;
but in June, 1901, my sense of hearing
left me so that I could hear no sound
whatever. I was also troubled with
rheumatic pains in my limbs. I com
menced taking Peruna and now my
hearing is restored as good as it was
prior to June. 1901. My rheumatic
pains are all gone. I cannot speak too
highly of Peruna, and now when 88
Max
an An
"Nej
dau, w
the Sv
people
has no
Btupld:
"One
youth,
8he wi
longer
" 'Or
years old can say it has invigorafc " 'Ye
wnole system. 1 cannot buti, '"Gr
dear Doctor, that you must feel Will y(
thankful to the all loving fathi the fro:
you have been permitted to live,
by your skill be such a blessingi
have been to suffering humanir n j
Rev. J. N. Parker. ' Hall's ci
We, ti
Cheney
A Bishop's Letter.
T ti T ,o- n n d:.i. perfec
u. u., uito ii0ns am
Dist. A. M. ., of Charlotte, I ligations
writeR. WBSTi'J
r"B. Walding
I recommend your Peruni t ft"1) To.
who want strengthening tonic ing direc
very effective remedy for all oi 'c ot
complaints." T. II. Lomax. , uJaVi
If you do not receive prompt u
isfactory results from the use d- Manj
na, write at once to Dr. Hartmc'. Tourii
ing a full statement of your en l0tet P
he will be pleased to give you hi a sn'
able advice gratis. one wife
Address Dr. Hartman, Presii "How
The Hartman Sanitarium, Col: "Ever
Ohio. Nothing
a i.
The spring Is the best time to treat catarrh. Nature renew! k-od old
every spring. The system is rejuvenated by spring weather. This r huttc
medicines more effective. A short course of Peruna, assisted by theC"oth",
air of spring, will cure old, stubborn cases of catarrh that have resisted th .
ment for years Everybody should have a copy of Dr. Hartman'slatoto tu "
on catarrh. Address the Peruna Medicine Co., Columbus, Ohio. JLe Co
As Others See Us.
Chapperton Me fwiend Sapleigh Is
aw sewiously ill, doncher know.
Miss Caustique What's the trouble.
Chapperton The aw doctah says
he has concussion of the bwain.
M iss Caustique Indeed! Did he ac
cidentally bump his head against a cobweb!
wm Twtrtmgyi
oaIow MOUnR-MfiDPMIWP
Vmw r . . win iik iw
T?i-T MIDI Brnutiinmv.
imu J r LnmAnr nil t
kmD bTIII I DAOTli-lll B(
nLLLLMrqinuit,. rORTLA
riiRrnl
Too Hasty. f""
"Jones has a new addition L
family." j bi
"Indeed? I must congratuUit
"Hold on It's a son-in-lawM
ia vouBUTUuon.
Pemn'sPileSpecTo)
The INTERNAL REWJ I A
lt r. rt... it, win WnftI I
JSAN
Aa Others Bee TJs.
Chapperton Me fwiend Sapleigh Is .
aw sewiously 111. doncher know.
Miss Caustique What's the trouble. !
Chapperton The aw doctnh says
he has concussion of the bwain. i
Miss Caustique Indeed! Did he ac
cidentally buniD his head
web?
Foot Morrison St.
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