Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1901 — THE JEWELLED TALISMAN PURITAN AND CAVALIER [ARTICLE]

THE JEWELLED TALISMAN PURITAN AND CAVALIER

BY MRS. CAROLINE ORNE

CHAPTER lll.—(Continued.) As Ml. Walwortfr finished speaking, (he •lock commencedMntriking eight. It was the hour for family worship, and as the hist stroke died away, Joseph Walworth, • boy of thirteen, with the dark complexton and sedate countenance of his father, and his brother Benjamin, two years younger, with bright curling hair, and eyes full of the same cheerful light which beamed from his mother’s, entered the room and quietly took their seats on a tow bench a little apart from the others. They were followed by the subordinate members of the household, all of them demeaning themselves in an orderly, quiet manner. When all were seated, Mr. Walworth, removing little Ella from his knee, and telling her to go to her mother, drew his chair to the table, on which lay a large Bible. It had been brought to this country in the Mayflower. A chapter was selected, which he read with a connte■snee expressive of earnest devotion, and a voice deep-toned and full of solemn fervor. ’Hie reading of the chapter was followed by a prayer, and during the performance of each, the different demeanor and aspect of the auditors might have formed an interesting study to a spectator. Mildred Dacres now n.-ui turn winked at Falkland. who in return smiled deris fvcly. But it was in vain that either of them attempted to catch the eye of linrlelgh. There was to him, whose emotional nature was more earnest and profound than theirs, something touching, •ven sublime, in the simplicity with which til was conducted, which could not fail to Inspire a feeling of reverence. “Tarry the night with us, Gabriel,” said Mr. Walworth, when, as the elock struck nine, he rose to, go. “I came for that purpose,” he replied, "but now I don’t feel fully satisfied in my own mind. It might have been a temptation.'-’ As he said this, his eyes suddenly dilated, and for a moment were fastened upon Clarence Harleigh, burning with the same fierce glare as when they rested on him in tin* earlier part of the evening, as be stood at the threshold. “You are too scrupulous,” said Mr. worth. “It surely can't be amiss for you to sleep beneath the same roof with those who differ from ns?” “It isn't that—it isn't (hat," he said, hurriedly ; and then walking up to Alice, he seized her hand. “Alice," said he, “you stand on the brink of perdition. If your feet slip, remember that I didn’t neglect to warn you.” “I don't know what you mean," said Alice, attempting to withdraw her hand from his vice-like grasp. “None are so dull ns those that won’t ond ‘retain!. This very evening, you gave a pleased ear to the honeyed words of oue Who, being not with ns, is against us. I was near at hand and heard all.” “Then you’ve been acting the part of the eavesdropper.” “If I have. It was In the way of duty. Once more f warn you to avoid the unfodly aiid woe to you and him f you neglect heed to what I ■ay." “Gabriel Guthry,” said Mrs. Walworth, who stood near, “I don't know what is in your mind, but as you have taken it upon you to warn Alice, I take it upon myself to warn you, and not mistake fanaticism for religion.” Oabriel stood in a musing attitude a few moments, and then abruptly left the room. “ llow strange lie seems, Aunt Esther;” •aid Alice. "He makes me afraid.” “I don't think that he means any harm," replied her aunt, “but he needs checking. I will speak to your unde about it." All present had by this time risen, in order to separate for the night, - nine o’clock, in those primitive days, being the customary hour for retiring. "Harleigh," said Mildred, ns she pass ed him, “I shall leave here to-morrow morning early.” “Not before breakfast?” “Yes; soon after sunrise.” “Shall you walk home?” "No; I shall cross the bay in the little canoe in which 1 am accustomed to cross it "

“And do you not fear the water, aftyr wliat took place yesterday 7" “Why should I* I have crossed t}o bay In the canoe a hundred times, and Jf some one—the Indian girl, I suppose, I hare heard called Bird-Voice—hadn’t made free with it yesterday, I shouldn't have been obliged to employ Silas Wntkins, nnd then the accident might not have happened. You must hunt it ep, anl have it ready for me at the foot »f the* stone steps.” “Your command shall be obeyed," was Burleigh's reply, though it did not escape Mildred’s quick eye or ear that IV promise was reluctantly given. The time which lie would be obliged io devote to the required service would have enabled him to speak a few words io Alice, who was an early riser, and more he thought of it the more lie felt determined to have what Mildred had ia iinuated respecting Falkland either co» firmed or denied by her own lips. Though, as has been said, Mildred saw that Har' leigh't promise was given with reluctance, she felt no disposition to release him. The few moments it would give her alone with him—for she intended to be in season to meet him nt the foot of the steps— she could, os she believed, turn to good account. “My sweet Alice,” said Mildred, i ncireling her waiat with her arm, as they left the room, “don’t put me into the spare chamber; let me share yours.” “But the spare chamber will accommodate you ao much better." “No matter; your company will more than make up for any lack of accommodation; so remember that to night, and all future nighte I may spend here, i am determined to shrvre jrnur iwn."

CHAPTER IV. Morning had scarcely began to kinule its fires in the east when Harleigh rose. Soon afterward he left the house, and directed his steps towards that part of the bay, opposite a lodge, where dwelt the Indian maiden alluded to by Mildred. He did not notice Gabriel Guthry, who was npproaching the house by a different path from the one he had taken. Alice had risen, and was at her chamber window. Though she soon lost sight of Harleigh, she could see Gabriel Guthry, as he glided in and out among the trees. A feeling of dread fell upon her as she recalled what lie said to her the previous evening, for the thought occurred to her that he was following Harleigh with some evil design, as she saw him stealing cautiously along in a direction nearly parallel to the path taken by her lover. . She had already thrown a short cloak over, .her shoulders, with the half-formed, intention of following him, and by her presence defeat any sinister purpose which he might have formed against Harleigh, when Mildred, whom she imagined to be still sleeping, suddenly roused herself. "You are preparing for an early walk this morning, my dear Alice.” said she. “I half suspect that there’s a lovers' appointment to fulfill.” “I can assure you there is nothing of the kind,” she replied. “You are merely tempted by the beauty of the morning, I suppose, then?” Alice, who still stood close to the window, instead of answ’eriug her, bent eagerly forward, having, through an opening I among the trees, again caught a glimpse of Guthry, whom, for a few moments. ' she had lost sight of. Mildred was at j her side in an instant, and in time to see I a man holding aside the branch of a tree, as if to prevent its intercepting the view of some object. Alice hurried from the room. t Mildred watched her from the window, and sau her hasten to the woods, which she entered, and soon disappeared. “I should begin to think,” said she to herself, “that what T told Harleigh concerning her and Falkland has some truth in it, if I hadn't seen that steeple-crown-ed hat looming up in the morning mist. It cannot be that she has taken a fancy to the grim Gabriel. Compared with him, Mr. Walworth is a pattern of refinement and affability. But never mind. Fulkland or Guthry, I can make equally to subserve my purpose. She might have staid long enough to arrange my hair.” And she went to the looking glass, which was about the bigness of a common-sized window pane. Before commencing the unwonted task, she opened a small pearl box which sat on the table.

“I thought this was whore she kept Harleigh’s gift when she didn't wear it,” said she, ns one of those rare opals, whose lively piny of colors makes it one of the most precious of gems, met her view. As she removed it from the l>ox, the suti darted his first beams In at the window, and kindled it into a dazzling brilliancy. “I am half a mind to make sure of it now,” she added. Fur a moment she stood Irresolute, and then returned it. “No; it will be prfmature. The broad Atlantic must roll between him and Alice when she misses It, or an explanation will make all right between them,” were the thoughts which passed through her mind. Alice, after entering the woods, stopped nnd looked in the direction where she had last seen Gabriel. He was nowhere in sight, but just as she was about to ngaiu move forward, she heard a slight crash, like the breakiug of a dead limb. It was not long before she came in sight of the nmn. Gabriel’s usually pale fnoe was now to ghastliness. He stood as if rooted to the ground, with his cyts glaring still more fiercely than when, the preceding evening, they fell on Harleigh. Alice was near enough to seff that they were fastened on some object ft no great distance. All at once she hefed voices. One of them was Harleigh’s, the other a sweet, girlish voice, which she knew was the Indian maiden’s, 0 who divllt in tha lodge hard by. At that moment. Gabriel Gutf.ry changed his attitude, nnd then she saw that he held a rifle in his hand, fie partly raised it, and Alice, springing forward, was about to utter a cry of warning, when he suffered it to fall buck again to its former position. “A curse on the ungodly cavalier, an,d on the little copper-colored hcf.then by his side. I should have had h‘«m if it tindn't been for her,” said Gabrtel, in a voice quivering with rage. The next moment he turned and plunged deeper into the woods, while Alice, with an unflttered prayer of thanksgiving in her heart, pressed close so ihe further edge of the'woods, that wdth her own eyes she might see that Harleigh was safe. At a little distauce, the waters of the bay broke on a beach of hard, silvery sand, and Harleigh, in a tiny canoe which would hardly have afforded space for the accommodation of a second person, nnd which Alice knew belonged to Mildred Dacres, was just pushing off from the shore. Bird-Voice, with the golden arrows of the sun glancing in and out among h«v ebon hair, which was ornamented with a wreath of delicate nnd many-colored shells, nnd with lips parted with ig smile, stood in front of a rude though pUturesqne lodge, watching him. Harleigh waved his hand to her, and then applied himself diligently to paddling his cuoee. In a few minutes he rounded the bendland. ami could see that Mildred was standing on the up|K>r step, awaiting his arrival. Bhe was skillful in the science of attitudes, and the haughty grace of her magnificent, almost Amazonian beauty, wa« now artfully sqftencd nnd toned down, in , a way wW ;h she knew would b* fastiaat*

log to Harleigh. Her pensive air, In striking contrast with the sparkling and breezy freshness of morning, produced a favorable impression. “A lovely morning,” said she, in a soft and sad tone of voice. "Exhilarating, too, is it not?” said Harleigh, while at the same time he remarked that her countenance wore an expression of melancholy. “It should be, I suppose,” was her reply; "but the truth is, my spirits are too much depressed.for me to be alive to the cheering influences of nature.” "What causes the depression? Hasanything happened?” "I believe I should answer you in the negative; for why should it affect me thus, even if Alice is guilty of an indiscretion?” “What second indiscretion has she been guilty of? I thought her eagerness last evening to act upon Falkland’s hint was enough for the present.” “Nothing very serious. I am foolish for letting it affect me thus. But then, you know she is the same to me as a dear sister.” “Tell me what she has done.” “That for which I, at least, should hardly blame her. She took an early walk, and so have I. T expected to meet yon, and she, no doubt, knew very well who the one was that was waiting in the woods, though the distance and the morning mist, still'hanging round, prevented me from having a distinct view of him.” “It was Falkland.” “I don’t say that it was.” Harleigh sprang from the canoe, and Mildred, descending the steps, took his place. “You are not afraid to cross alone?” said he. “Nbt on such n smooth sea as this.” With a graceful inclination of the head, Mildred turned away, and the next moment was darting lightly over the blue waters. Harleigh did not move from the spot where she had left him. “Harleigh.” His name was spoken in a low, sweet voice, and a hand, at the same moment, was laid timidly on his arm. He turned at the sound of his name. “You are abroad early,” said he. “Yes. I have sought you to tell you that you'are in danger, and may be still.” “If danger threatens any one, I should think it was you rather than me.” “O no; I have nothing to fear from him.” “Yon think he likes you too well for that?” “It may be that he»does.” “You own it, then?” "Should I conceal it, what reason could I give you for his attempting your life?” “Attempting my life?” “Yes.” “How? When?” “This morning! not an hour since. Had not Bird-Voice, been close by your side, he would have shot you with his rifle.” “I had little opinion of Gilbert Falkland’s morality, but T didn’t think him bad enough to attempt a persWs life.” “It isn’t Falkland that I mean.” “Who can it be, then?” “Gabriel Guthry.” “And you didn’t meet Falkland in the woods this morning?” “Neither in the woods nor elsewhere.” “It was Guthry you went to meet?” “No —not to meet, but to watch him.” And Alice related to Harleigh those incidents of the morning already known, and how her fears for his safety had taken alarm, in consequence of what Guthry had said to her the preceding evening. “I have wronged you, Alice. I have suspected you without sufficient cause,” said Harleigh, when she had finished her recital.

“Of what have you suspected me?” she Inquired. “Of preferring Falkland to me.” “It was indeed without cause.” "Have you forgotten that at his request you released this beautiful hair from its bondage? It was a request I shouldn’t have ventured to make, even though n half-hour before you had permitted me to believe that you preferred me above all others." “He never made any such request, and if I was not sorry that Mildred refused to restore the ribbon which, nt the moment we were about to enter the room, she playfully snatched from my hair, it was because I hoped what I believed to lie my improved nppenranee would please, not Falkland, but you.” “Can what you say be possible?” “ft is true.” “I believe you, my sweet Alice. I have been basely deceived." . He was aliout to tell her the way and manner, when Gabriel Guthry, whose approach had been concealed by some bushes, suddenly stood before them. (To be continued.)