The Brussels Post, 1885-3-6, Page 22
TIE EARL'S
BY 13Eli,TRA. M. (LAY,
otu.lior of "Thrown oo th.' %V • d"
A. Doomed LW0,' etc.
"My earl l" The words seemed to
beat against her brain, to rush with the
rush of a mighty river through her
ears. "My earl l' Great Heaven II
whose was he, the handsome, kingly
man sitting there by the side of the
beautiful young fiancee?
Now, let her calm her trembling
nerves, and still the throbbing pulse
and the madly beating heart ; she
could not think while sho was in that
fever of agitation ; she sat down again
and tried to think—tried to drive the
mist from her eyes.
"Help me, oh, Heaven, to see
clearly I" she cried again—"take the
mist from my eyes,"
Tho music seemed to sound from afar
off, the lights grew dim, a sense of in.
tolerable anguish and faintness Dame
over her, from which, with difficulty
she roused herself.
Then by degrees a great calm came
to her—there was so much at stake -
Not life—something dearer than life.
Her senses grew calm and clear; still
her eyes never left for one moment the
Proud face of the handsome earl. He
had slain the best part of her, he bad
blighted her life, he had spoiled this
world, swl had almost closed the gates
of ll,iaa against her—for that she
must hate him ; but she had given her
heart to hien; she could recall his love,
his caresses, his passionate worship of
herself—and for that she must love him.
She remembered bow sweet his whisp.
ered words were, how sweet his caresses.
Life had never hold anything sweeter
than his love.
She longed with the passionate long-
ing of a woman's heart to hear his
voice once more, to be near him, to feel
the clasp of his hands, the touch of hit.
lips. And than she remembered it had
all been false, he had deceived her ; his
love for her had been a mock love, his
marriage a mock marriage. The young,
beautiful, high born girl by his side was
to be his wife, not she, and again from
her white lips came a low moan that
was drowned in the sweet, clashing
music.
CHAPTER LX.
"AS THOUGH SOME GREAT WEIGHT WERE
ON HIS MIND."
They were gone, the earl and Bea.
trice ; Agatha had closed her eyes for
one moment to keep back the hob,
smarting tears, and when -she opened
them again the alcove was empty; they
webs gond, and the vast hall was filled
with the "long drawn-out sweetness" of
a dreamy German waltz, so sweet, yet
so sad, it seemed that one must dance
with tears. She bout over the carved
rail, and then saw them. They were
waltzing together, the handsomest pair
in that room—he so tall and stately,
she so fair and graceful—the blue
velvet and the white satin, the dark
bead and fair face presenting such a
contrast—a, contrast that was yet all
beautiful harmony.
A fierce pain stabbed tho gentle
heart; she had borne mach, but she
could not boar to see his arms ronod
Beatrice—to see his eyes bent on her
with admiring love—to see his face
touching for hair. She had talked of
jealoa.sy—sho knew not what it was.
That was her place—had been her
place for years—and no one should take
it from her.
Vane, Vane 1"
But the sweet, sad music drowned
the sweet, sad cry.
Then slowly and by degrees the
thought of it all came over her. How
could she stand by in sileuce and see
this innocent, loving•hsarted girl sacri-
fioed—how could sho allow this mar-
riage to go on ? If there was any truth,
any justice, he was her husband; and
if ho were not, thou he was so stained
and shamed by his sin, he was unworthy
the love of a pure -minded girl. As she
sat there, watching the dancers, she
thought of all that she had heard of
Lord Kelso, of all that Beatrice had
told her.
"If I had had my senses I should
have suspected it before," sho said to
herself; "it was my hair be carried in
the locket. I remember the day he cut
it off and placed it there. My hair,
though the gold is dimmed now; ani
he said that he had lost something from
his life. It was I whom ho had lost—
thou he levee me and romombers me
still. Whou Beatrice played my favor•
ite airs to him, she found tears in his
eyes—they wore for mo—for mo I It is
ti auo--there can bo no doubt, no more
uncertainty—it is Vane, and I ought to
have known it before; but how comes
ho to be Lord Kelso ?"
She saw the earl and Beatrice MESH -
log the hall, and the jealous pain
deepened.
"I must sco him and speak to him,"
she said to ler rsell, "or I allall duo I"
Suddenly r l o remomborodwhat Boa.
tried had s t a d about the box of cos-
tumes from m the "red -room."
She could 1 u o m on, and in tho crowd
no one won, tuink of her or recognize
her. Her heartbeat fast at the thought;
no llama could comp of it, for Lady
Penrith had urged her to bo thorn. She
would go, she would spoalt to him words
of most solemn warning, Ho should
not recognize her, he should never know
who she was; but she would say such
words to him as would make him pause
and think.
She hurried to the "red -room," a
largo bedroom in the western wing of
the castle. There Lady ?smith's
thoughtful kindness had prepared every.
thing retlnisito for the nus of any hap.
less lady who might be disappointed by
the ucn.arrival of her costume. There
was powder for the face and hair, rouge,
everything requisite for the toilet. The
box of costuiues had been unfastened,
and eolno of them wore laid, ready for
use, on the bed. She took up the first
that came to her hand, and then She saw
that Lally Pourith had also loft two or
three black masks ; mauy of the
dancers had ware masks. Agatha was
relieved when she saw thorn; there
would not be the roast fear now ; she
could speak to him and ho would never
know her.
hastily, with burning hands and
beating Heart, she arrayed herself, ,le.
spite the anguish, paiu and dismay.
She turned, like a true woman, to the
gl. at, and there she stood for a few
miuutes like ono rooted to the ground.
Sho saw iu the mirror one of the most
beautiful women in the world—a fair,
queenly blonde. Of late year's she had
in a great measure forgotten her owe
beauty—the ebarar of it was was gone;
she had never thought of it except as a
barrier to a good situation ; she had
lived so long away from the gay world.
that she bad forgotten she was beauti•
ful, and sho stood now looking into that
mirror with the utmost wonder and
surprise. The dross she had chosen,
without looking at it, was a Venetian
costume, with ride, hanging sleeves, and
square•cut neck, It was made of rich
dark•blue velvet, and covered with seed
pearls. It fitted her to perfection, and
she looked so beautiful in it that sho
dare nob go down stairs—her white
neck and white arms, with their rare
perfection of shape and colour, must,
she knew, attract attention. If she had
gone down as sho was, she would have
been by far the most beautifi woman
present; Beatrice by her side would
have boon as a star before the sun.
She dare not go. She had seen
enough of the world to know that men
will follow and admire a beautiful wo-
man whether she shuns them or not.
Then she bethought herself that sho
might cover the white neck and arms,
fold a black lace shawl in picturesque
fashion over them, which she did; and
fixing a mask, such as the dancers
wore, over her face, she made her way
to the ballroom,
Her heart beat, yet she knew she had
nothing to fear, If Lady Penrith or
Beatrice saw her, they would say
nothing ; they would be only too pleased
to iiud her there.
"I must see him I I must speak to
him, or I shall die I" she said to herself.
In after days it seemed to her like a
dream. She crossed the hall, and went
to the alcove where she had seen the
earl and Beatrice. It was a quiet spot
that no ono would bo likely to invade.
No one gave much attention to the dark
figure, and she, with her whole soul in
her eyes, watched for the pair. There
was Beatrice seated near a pretty foun-
tain, and the handsome earl sbaudrng by
her side. He had just brought her an
ice, and, with an amnsed smile, bo stood
by her side while she aro it.
Near the alcove were seated two
young lovers, and they were compelled
to raise their voices because the music
drowned most other sounds. Agatha
was compelled to hear what they said.
"Look at that picture by the foun-
tain I" said the bob' lover. "How beau-
tiful Beatrice Penrith 181'
"The earl is handsome, in hisfashion,"
said the lady; then they laughed.
"How he loves her 1" contmued the
boy -lover; his face brightens when he
looks at her.'
"How she loves him 1" laughed the
lady. "If ever a girl carried her heart
in her eyes, it is Beatrice Penrith."
Ah, jealous horrible pain that seemed
to tear her heart! What did they know
of him ? Why should they discuss him?
If they wanted to know what real love
was, they should have seen him with
her. Sho could not bear it. Of course
she knew that he would marry Beatrice
—Beatrice was to be bis wife ; but that
was no reason why she should sit there
and hear them discussed. Sho rose
from her seat and walked away.
"Who is that?" asked the boy -lover.
"I do not know," answered the lady.
"She looks very proud and very haughty,
but her dress is not much."
And Agatha thought to herself that
it was very possible to look both proud
and haughty with a sword piercing an
aching heart.
She went over to that part of the hall
where the lovers were; somo strange,
subtle fascination drew her near him,
The group round the fountain was a
large one now; she could form one of it
without attracting any attention.
At last she was near him, so near that
if she hacl held out her arm sho must
have touched him. Sho forgot Beatrice,
she forgot the whole world—sho only
remembered him, the dear, familiar
presence. In her heart she cried aloud
to hien to turn once and look at her, to
speak a word to her, and let her die.
"How weak, how foolish, how wicked
I am 1" she said to herself. "Why should
I care? He deceived and betrayed
me ?"
The dear, familiar face, and she was
so near it. Sho remembered how she
used to smooth those dark eyebrows
with box fingers, and he declared that
the very action sent him to sloop; the'
cluster of dark hair on his brow; the,
clear brown tint of the handsome face;
tho half.laughing, lralf.mockiag smile
that curled the beautiful mouth—a
smile for which she always scolded him,
tolling him it meant nothing, it had no
character. Sho thought of this now as
she stood nom him, but he had no
eyes, no thought save for Beatrice,
Once more the notes of a beautiful, in.
spiriting waltz were hoard, and the
group dispersed. Some ono came to
claim Beatrice, and, Agatha saw that
THE Bll,TlSSELS POST
the earl was unwilling to lei her go,
Sho drew back to somo little distance—
not that she feared be would recognize
her, but that it was better to be on the
safe side. He stood alone for few
minutes -11e never even saw the dark
figura; but Agatha noticed that when
he was alone his face changed, the light
went out of it, an expression of deep
melancholy came over it,
"Ho is not happy," thought Agatha,
as she watched him. "That is not the
face of a happy man."
He sighed deeply, as though some
great weight were on his mind, and then
two or three gentlemen came up to
where lio was standing.
"Alone I" oried one.
"What a success the ball is I" said an.
other ; "but how melancholy you look—
more like a rejected than an accepted
lover,"
"I know what is the matter with mo,"
said Lord Kelso; "I want a cigar."
"Well," said ono of his friends, "I
would not leave the ballroom with so
many pretty faces in it for all the cigars
in Europe."
"I would," said the earl.
How well she remembered. He had
always eared so much about his cigar ;
ho told her once that neither ball, party,
opera,nor anything elsepleased hire when
he could not smoke his cigar. She knew
that he had a fashion of going out every
evening for five or ten minutes, for, ac-
cording to his theory, the only place in
which ono could smoke to perfection
wee in the open air.
Her heart gave one great beat. If he
went now, she could follow him—speak
to him—warn him—and he would not
find out who it was. So she watched
him steadily, and at last, when he
thought himself unnoticed, he stole out
quietly, and she knew that he had gone
hoping for ten minutes' happiness with
a good cigar.
CHAPTER XLI.
A SOLEMN \YARNING.
There was never a scene more
dramatic. The night was warm, the
air full of perfume ; there was a great
hush over the trees and flowers, the sky
was blue and studded with golden stars,
the moon shone brightly, and threw
strange shadows on the grass. A long,
white terrace rose along the whole front
of the house, marble steps Ied to a
seoond terrace, a white marble balustrade
went the whole length of it, and that
balustrade was, in summer, covered
with passion flowers and roses; even
now, this warm September, superb
fuchsias hung their beautiful heads over
the white marble, and made the fairest
picture ever seen. Leaning over the
balustrade, crushing the purple and
crimson blossoins, one had a lovely view
of the landscape, of the gardens, with
their countless variety of blooms, of the
broad, beautiful river, and of the deep
green woods beyond.
To -night the moon shops over Bli—
the river was like a broad band of ail.
ven, the trees stood out clear and dis.
tinct. It was a picture to see the hand-
some earl with the moon shining ou bis
dark face and picturesque dress; he
looked a very Romeo as ho leaned over
the crimson fuchsias and watched tho
rush of the river, the blue rings of
smoke rising from his vigor. His dark
handsome face was thoughtful and sad
—who shall say what voices came to
him in the silence of the eight ?—what
cries he heard iu the river ?-what re-
prnaehes e.e a written for him in the
moonlight skies.
An ,,nsaey tuought Dame to him ; he
half wished he could live his life over
again; then with a toss of his handsome
head, he threw all such thoughts away
—of what use were they
A shadow falls over the grass, a tall,
dark figure creeps noiselessly up to him,
a woman whose dress of dark looks
black in the moonlight, and whose face
is hidden with the fauciful mask.
She goes up to him, and the sound of
her footstep is not heard. She stops
for one moment to look at the bending
figure and the dark, handsome face that
looks so sad in the 01 onlight; then,
gohis up to him with swift noiseless
tread she takes suddenh from her dress
a white lace handkerchi. and throws it
round his eyes, oatchin• t a knot be.
bind. Before. he has ti e to speak or
look round, it is done.
"All, Beatrice," he sal e, "I know that
is you, but you need not blindfold my
eyes; I eau see you oven when they aro
shut."
"Itis not Beatrice," whispered a low,
sad voice. "Itis a stranger."
Ile started and raised his hand to re-
move the Handkerchief, but the, quick
as lightening, restrained him.
"No," she said ; "you are taken fairly
captive; you are bound in Honor to
stand there—blind—until I have spoken,
those I will restore your sight."
"A masquerade," he cried, laughingly;
"remember, I am Romeo,"
"You are a caricature of Romeo—ho
had but ouo love."
"This is a game of forfeits," he said.
"How many have I?"
"You know boot," said the sad, quiet
voice ; "you havo never boon constant
to any ono yet. I am not Beatrice, but
I know her, and I know you, I know
that she ie young and beautiful, and
worthy of a bettor fate than to bo tied
for life to a man who thinks so lightly of
all women, and who believes in none."
"This is getting serious," said the
earl, and his light laughter died away
on the night air,
"I am speaking seriously," sho said.
"This is the kind of night on which a
man's heart lips open before God. I ask
you, is yours a fit life to bo one with tho
life of that pure. innocent girl, who
thinks you a bete ?
"Perhaps not," ho answered.
"Perhaps not l" she repeated, "You
know it is not. Some mon aro content
if they take the life of the body; yon
1.4 -1 -ARM P011 SALE AT A BAR
lgain.—no firm contains about 128 no
roe and 1s within sight of it triving town la
Grey Co, Good market, school, churches, ho.
The Toronto, Grey 0 Bruce railroad runs
aorosstho rear of the lot. Low prise to the
man paying the weal. Gas). terms if on time.
This is a splendid opportunity for a poor man
ora mass with n family, Tho owner Weald
exchange for a smaller farm in Huron 00,
For further partiou l a, s npl l ' to
W.11, ]{17118,
Brussels, P. 0.
FOR SALE.
The u.udersigned will Bell or exchange
for
Farm Property
PARK LOT 1, BRUSSELS,
CONTAINING BO ACMES OF LAID
on which there is a Good Brick Dwel.
ling and Frame Barn. For partiou.
lays apply to
JOHN GREWAR, '
46 BRUSSELS, ONT.
—NEW STOCK OI'—
Buffalo Robes, Rugs & Homo Blankets,
i rIVAONffli
i IVAOHNII
I have moved to my new brick store and
am prepared to wait on all my old custom-
ers and many new ones.
HARNESS
HARNESS !a
Light and Heavy Harness made to order
on short notice of the very best material
and superior workmanship.
I have in Ssook
HARNESS,
WHIPS,
CURRY CONJBL,
BRUSHES
FLY NETS,
DUSTERS,
ETC.
A SPLENDID ASSORTMENT OF
TRUNKS,
VALISES,
SATCHELS,
ETC., ETC.
H. DENNIS.
MONEY TO LOAN.
Nutley to loan on farm property at
LOWEST RATES.
PRIVATE AND COMPANY FUNDS
W. B. DICKSON,
Solicitor,
Brussols, Ont.
Moon 0, 1883.
Taos. 11'LEETCIIElt,
i' ray licit l Watchmaker and Jeweler .
Gold Wat(Aes.sliver rioted Ware,
silverNralfhce. Clerks,
Gold wing., I'/eUns,klc.
I beep full lino of goods usually kept in a
first-oloss.lowelrystore. can wed erstsins,no
trouble to show Goods.
Xso'w.or of m,oesmloao ti.ceaoen.
Agent for Neon Tick ela.A morlcan Ilxpres
Oompany and Great North Western telegraph
Company.
OUR OUSTIIERS.
I wish to inform all that I have rented
the
WINGHAM WOOLEN MILL
Till I get the Brussels mill in opera-
tion and will take in Wool here in
Trade as usual. I intend to take in
All Kinds of Manufacturing Here, at
the Old Woolen Mill Stand, such as
Roll Carding, Spinning,
Weaving, Fulling, trio.,
,And Gzfaramtee to Give
Goocl Satisfaction,.
—ALL KINDS OF—
Knitted Goods
Made To Order,
—SUCK aS—
Jackets Scarfs, Stockings,
c& e..
nave a largo stock of goods on hand.,
such as
Bed Blankets, Horse Blankets,
Sheetings, Union Flannels, All
Wool Flannels, Top Shirts, of
various kinds, Under Shirts and
Drawers, an Excellent Lot of
A11 i'V'ool Tweeds both Fine and
Coarse.
V 'PLEASE (EVE ME A CALL BI POOJII
SELLING YOUR WOOL OLSEwE 0nB.Tii
G O IIOW ,
MONEY TO LEND,
Any amount of Money to Loan on
Farm or Village property at
6 & 6L PER CENT. YEARLY.
Straight Loans will privilege of re,
paying when required. Apply to
A. HUNTER,
Div. Court Clerk, Brussels.
GRUNDY'S OLD STAND,
TEAS ! TEAS ! - tl - TEAS f
J5 Lbs. Young I-Iyson for $1 worth $1.25,
(5 Lbs. Uncolored Japan for $1 worth}
($1.25, 2i Lbs. Young Hyson for $1.00
worth $1.25, 2 Lbs. Japan for $1, worth'.
11.20, 2 Lbs. Gunpowder for $1 worth]
$1.20, 2 Lbs. Young Hyson for $1 worth)
1.40, 2 Lbs. Japan for $1 worth $1.40.1
Coffees from 25c. to 35c. per Lb.
Pure Spices at reduced rates.
Canned Fruit and Fish.
Try Our Famed Acmo Soap,
Crockery Gild Glassware 15 pe> colli below ostial price.
Frosll Oysters always on hand. Quality our Leading Feature,
Terms Cash or Trade.
Geo. Thomson,