1 H i 1 ...-; tin 1 l n. v.:, n v!'j!iihii iiiHul4!!l!'ffiMM' .fjrsrf . ft 1 174 wsrtn a-si c?,rT9s ts-y j& .1(3 I psa VOL. XIV THE TIMES. in Independent Family Newspaper, IS PUMJSIISD B VERT TUR3DAY BT F. MOliTMEIi & CO. 8 U II S C H 1 1' T I O N J" It I C K . (WITHIN THB C0UNTT.) One Year 1 2 Six Mouths 75 (OUT Of TII1I COUNTY.) One Year. (Postage Included) II SO Six Months. (Postage Included) 85 Invariably in Advance I 1- Advertising rates furnished upon appli cation. The Battle for the Cedars. jiy rnF.ssr.Y v. mokrih. coMixrmi. DO not kuow," was the answer. Whut did he want?" Evans continued. Evans was rarely so curious about stranger? ; but something seemed to prompt him to usk questions about Vic tor. "He was merely making some In quiries about the C'ashel suit," said Douglass. " What did he say about that ?" The clerk hesitated, for lie did not like Evans, and had no desire to utter a sentence that would benefit him any ; but he concluded that nothing could be wade out of the words of the stranger that would advantage Evans. " He appeared to rejoice at the way the suit was decided," Douglas said. " It appears to me, that, whoever he may be," cried Evans angrily, "he is meddling with other people's affairs." Then the lawyer added meaningly, "He may have cause for sorrow yet, Douglass. The end of this matter is not reached, you kuow. It will be very singular if an estate like Cashel's can be wrested from Its rightful owner with Impunity." . It was seldom that Evans talked so much to Douglass, for he was conscious in his evil heart that the clerk did not like him; but the stranger's interest in the Cashel suit had angered him, and for the moment he had half forgotten all this. He attended to the business that had brought him to the office, the looking over of some musty documents, and left the court house. Victor returned to his hotel. " My curiosity is satisfied," he Baid to himself, as he walked along. " It is best, I suppose, that'the case went as it did. This is but the beginning. There are clouds gathering over thai villian's bead of which be does not dream ; and in good time they will overwhelm bim too. At present, I am satisfied to watch this case. I must behold her to assure myself that she is a Cashel. I believe I can tell the true metal." " At what time is the next train for Baltimore due ?" Victor asked the clerk, when he reached the hotel again. " Not till half-past seven o'clock," was the reply. It was sometime to wait; but the hours passed, and Victor found himself moving toward Baltimore once more. On the morning of the next day Vic tor entered Mr. Wylie's office. Ho pro posed to pursue his inquiries about the new claimant to the Cashel estate a little farther. Doubtless Mr. Wylle or Mr. Oldham would Inform bim where Miss Cashel could be found, and be would make it convenient to call upon her. Borne day bis interest would be ex plained. Mr. Wylie was in, but Victor found it somewhat difficult to state what he wished. Talkiug to Mr. Wylie was not like questioning an officer of the court, who would be expected, to answer all business inquiries freely. "My name is Victor," be managed to say at length; and, understanding that you are the attorney for the plaintiff in the suit of Casbel vernut Cashel, I have come to you to inquire if you will be kind nough to Inform me where I can find her." Mr. Wylie glanced ut the speaker's face. There was nothing there to give bim fright for his client; ou the contra ry, the face before bim wore au expres sion frank and pleasant, and was evi dently the face of an honest and noble man. , " Miss C'ashel is with some friends In INTEW BIOOMIT'IISL.ID, PA., TUESDAY, the country," Mr. Wylle said; "but Bhe Is known by anothar name. It Is her request tlmt I keep her identity as much of a secret as possible till this case is settled. If I should direct you where to find her, her secret would be betrayed. But, Mr. Victor, I am her attorney ; and if you have anything of importance to communicate, I will listen to it gladly. Of course, under the circumstances, I am forced to conclude that you have some object of importance in vlew'ln wishing to see Miss Cashel." Victor realized at that moment . thut his position might be misunderstood. It had not entered his mind before that Mr. Wylie might be suspicious of him. He had an object In view in wishing to see Miss Cashel ; but he did iot desire to state it at that time. " I have nothing to communicate at present," he returned to Mr. Wylie. " Of course I cannot expect you to do otherwise than obey her request." Then lie added, after a moment's pause, " I am aware, Mr. Wylie that it seems ridiculous that I should be searching for Miss Cashel, and yet refuse to state why I wish to behold her. You will pardon me for my absurdity. The truth is, I have heretofore only thought of my desire to look upon her, and have not considered my erraud here in its ridiculous light." " Are you acquainted with Mr. Lionel Cashel, the defendant in this case 5"' Mr. Wylle-inquired. Again the same expression came into Victor's eyes that had entered them when Douglass, the clerk, had asked bim a similar question. " I know him," he said coldly. The keen lawyer did not fail to see the gleam in the man's eyes, and be felt doubly assured that his client had nothing to fear from bim. " He likes not Cashel, and so converse ly, for that aeason, if no other, is a friend to us," was Mr. Wylie's thought.' " When will the case be tried again ?" inquired Victor. " In December," was the answer. "At Richmond V" ' "At Richmond." s "I intended to be present at the first trial," Victor continued ; " but I was kept away by business affairs. Good day, Mr. Wylie." And Victor bowed himself out of the lawyer's office. " That man appears to take a strange interest in this case," muttered Mr. Wylie. "It cannot be a mere blind hatred of Cashel that influences him ; for, if I am any judge of human nature, be is not the man to cherish anything of that kind. To say the least, his con duct is singular; and there is some mystery hidden under all this." Frequently, after that, did the lawyer think of Victor, and that interview. " I have made a fool of myself," mused Victor, as he hastened away from the attorney's office. "Strange that I did not think what a predicament I would be in when Wylle should ques tion me as to my object as I ought to have considered that be most assuredly would. I am not sorry that I did not discover ber whereabouts. How would I have felt calling on -a strange young lady, and unable to give a reason for my visit? Truly, I have been decidedly thoughtless." And thus, for the time, at least, Vic tor's quest ended. Meantime, Barbara Lindsley bad re turned to her friends in Virginia. Victor called at the residence of Mrs. Holland, in Baltimore, and, inquiring for her, was told whither she had gone. Victor was sorry that he could not see Miss Lindsley immediately; but still he bad room for pleasurabfe feelings, for be had laid his plans to be much in the vicinity of The Cedars for some time at least. What drew this man thither so fre quently ? It seemed as though it must be some strange, powerful Influence. To return to Barbara. There were still seme guests at De Vere's when she arrived, among them, Vincent Sherwood. , A day or two passed, and during those passing days Barbara watched ;Vlctorta and Vincent Sherwood. She came to the conclusion that there were pretty strong evidences of a pair of lovers. " Hag Mr. Sherwood proposed yet?" Barbara asked, when she was alone with Victoria once. Victoria blushed. " Why, no !" she exclaimed. " What put that idea In your' mind, Barbara ?" " Am I blind ?" cried Barbara, still In the same light tone. ' My dear, the gentleman is certainly bewitched by your loveliness. If he has not proposed yet, he will before long, or I am very much deceived with tokens." Victoria concluded that she could match Barbara's raillery. " Do you know, Barbara," she said. " that that rich Mr. Cushel has not been here since you left V What does that mean ? What am I to infer was the attraction that brought him litre 1"' A pained expression came Into Bar bara's face, and Victoria, glancing up, saw it. " Mr. Cashel hasbeen HI the greater portion of the time," she said ; " and of course, for that; reason, he could not visit us." " Yes, very ill," said Barbara musing- ly. Victoria only caught the last two words, and took them for a question. " Mr. Cashel has been very sick, indeed," she said; nlgli unto death." There was a silence, and then Barbara changed the subject of conversation. Robert De Vere and Vincent Sher wood came in the parlor, where the girls were. " Where have you two been hiding ?" cried Robert. " Vincent and I have been searching in every direction for both of you." " We have been here for some time," Victoria replied, " Not for any great time, sis," Robert returned. " It has not been ten minutes since we looked in here. You were not here then." " What have you on hand that de mands our urgent attention?" Barbara inquired. " We want to take a gallop after din ner," Robert replied. " Do you con sent?" "To be sure," said Barbara. "I de light in nothing more than horseback riding." Victoria acquiesced, and so the matter was arranged. The young people still remained in the parlor, and in the course of their conversation Vincent Sherwood referred to the master of The Cedars. " I hear that his suit has gone against him," said Robert De Vere. " You remember, Miss Lindsley, that we had some conversation about it once." Barbara murmured some reply, in so low a tone that it was scarcely audible. " I must confess that I did not expect this lonftlt," Robert addod. " And a woman is to own that magnifi cent estate," cried Vincent Sherwood. " Id truth, she will be a queen." " I intended to wituess the suit," Rob ert said to Bajbaia. " But circumstances called me to Richmond, aud I did not re turn till after the time it was all over, as I supposed. I bad to depart shortly after you did, Miss Lindsley, but I made my return much sooner." " Cashel bus not been here eluce bis convalescence," said Sherwood : " I suppose we can look for him shortly." " I dare say," Robert replied. " I suppose I am a little premature in speaking of the queen of the Cashel pos sessions," Vincent continued. "Cashel would certainly appeal the case. If he has given it up, I suppose be is in no humor to visit bis neighbors." " He has not given it up yet, "Robert De Vere said. " I understand be carries it t? the Court of Appeals.' Barbara Lindsley bad placed herself at the piano. " Listen !" cried Victoria gayly, inter, ruptlng. " Barbara is going to play." Barbara did play, and Cashel and his suit were forgotten by her bearers, as they listened to the delicious sounds evoked by the music of her touch. The light talk that followed was unim portant. , After dinner the young men's pro gramme was carried out, and a merry little party galloped away from the De Vere residence. The afternoon was pleasant, for a delicious breeze was blow ing. The young people took a road that stretched toward the Cashel estate, cut ting through it half a mile back of the gray stone mansion. Suddenly, in making an abrupt turn JANUARY iy, 1880. mound a little bill, they encountered a man on horseback, galloping swiftly. He brushed close to the girls, but In a moment was past. A long red beard, shaken by the breeze, was about all they had time to distinguish of Lis features. But Barbara's heart beat more quickly. Thebreif glance she had of the man, reminded her of Victor. It was Victor. He checked bis horse for be had recognized Barbara, but the party had already vanished around the turn in the road, nud she wag lost from sight. Victor was on his way to De Veres to call on Barbara, and he debated whether or not he should turn back. He decided not to return. If Barbara had not al ready recognized bim, she would when Le should overtake or meet her, and she Would Infer on what errand he bad started. It was not strange that such a simple thing should cause quite a struggle in his mind, for Victor, the brave, noble, great-hearted Victor, knew that he loved this woman. Who can fathom or explain the im pulses of love ? Love Is diffident t Love stumbles where reason walks erect! Love takes fright at nothing I But when, an hour later, Barbara re turned from her ride, she found Victor waiting for ber In the parlor at De Vere '8. Nothing lover-like occurred in the pleasant hour that followed. They were friends 1 Victor felt that be had no right to presume on aught else. " As It now Is I am sure of her friend ship," he thought. " I cannotafford to peril that, yet, for the bare possibility of ber love. Perhaps some day I may speak, but now I must keep silent, for I am noth'lng but a wanderer, defrauded out of my name even, as it were." , When Barbara went to her room after Victor's departure, she found Victoria there. Twilight was gathering, and the young girl sat In the shadows. Barbara knelt by ber side. " Pet," she murmured softly, draw ing Victoria's bead toward ber. To ber surprise, a damp face touched hers. " What I my darling is weeping," Barbara cried. A faint sob was the answer. "Victoria, what ails you?" asked Barbara kindly. " Dear Barbara, I am very happy," murmured Victoria, with another sob. " Wherefore, pet?" Victoria was silent. "Tell me, Victoria?" " He he loves " Victoria com menced hesitatingly. " Go on darling." " He loves me!" " Mr. Sherwood ?" " Yes." " He has told you so ?" " Yes." " And, darling, you love him ?" "With all my heart!" Victoria spoke more freely now that her secret was out. " He asked me to be bis wife, and I have promised." . Barbara rose to her feet, and took the fair golden bead in ber arms. She bent over Victoria, and kissed ber tenderly. "Heaven bless you, sweet!" Barbara whispered. The twilight thickened into darkness. The two girls sat still, the heart of one running over with happiness, the other happy for her friend's sake, yet with a touch of pain at her heart la wondering what the future would bring forth for her. . There was no need of a forged will. The master of The Cedars had discover ed one that was genuine, with Herbert Cashel's true signature affixed ,and at tested by the proper witnesses. It be queathed to bis nephew, Oscar Cashel, son of the devisors only brother, John Cashel, and his heirs, to have and bold forever, all of the great Casbel estate, personal and real property, tenements, heredltameuts.and so forth. It was no wonder that the master of Tbe Cedars rejoiced with wild triumph, for this will would settle forever the great suit of Casbel versus Cashel. He bad feared defeat, but now he would gain an overwhelming victory over Wylle and his client! This will assured him the possession of The Cedars and all the property of the late Herbert Cashel 1 NO. 3. For many minutes the man could do nothing but rave out his rejolclugs, stop ping only to run his fyeover tbe pre cious document occasionally; but at length he opened the one remaining pa per, thick, and, like the will, somewhat yellow with age. As ho read It, his face paled. It was nothing that could take away ' from him the Casbel fortune; but It was a narrative that could influence an hon orable man to but one course; a narra tive that only the basest of villains could disregard aud hide away. The story of the marriage of Herbert Cashel, and loss of his wife and child at sea. Tbe man finished reading the paper, and then with a curse, stuck it away in tbe secret drawer. Tbe will he placed in his breast. He pushed the drawer, and it closed with a sharp click, hiding Its se cret story from all the world, save cne man. that man the one who would be the last of all to give a clew to itt On that night, the rest of the master of The Cedars was disturbed and brok en. Visions of terror flitted across his dreams, and in imagination the will that he had discovered was taken vio lently from bim, by some avenging power. He rose in the morning fever ish and unrefreshed. Still, be exulted in the possession of the will, and after he had eaten his breakfast felt better physically. In the evening Evans re turned. As usual, the master of The Cedars sbut himself and the lawyer in the library. ' Well ?" he inquired deliberately. He did not intend to announce his dis covery immediately. It could do no harm to know whether or not Evans would go as far as he had bargained. It would be something of a triumph to let tbe attorney proclaim that he had forged a will, and then Inform bim that bis work of crime was all needless. He fancied that this would give him some thing of a hold on Evans. " All right," Evans replied to that one Interrogative word. There was an expression In the law yer's face, half fear, half triumph. He had completed his task but it was so very lately done, that the realization of his crime remaiued present before him ; time had not hardened him to the con templation of it. Oppositely, however, be could not forget the wrong value of his work. " Where is the document ?" asked the master of The Cedars. Evans drew forth a leather-bound wal let, and from it took a paper, which he gave to his client. " Very well done," said the master of The Cedars after he had glanced over it. Evans flushed slightly at the words of praise. He had lost his sleep in prepar-. ing that paper, and he was glad that it suited. Besides, how much depended on its being well executed. " But I have something that will an swer the purpose better," continued the master of The Ceaars, a gleam of tri umph coming in his face as he drew forth the true will of Herbert Cashel. Evans took It, but could only stare at it in a meaningless- sort of way for a time. " What Is it ?" he asked presently. " What does it seem to be ?" " Another will, Herbert Cashel's. What Is tbe need of two? It is your work ?" " It is his own' a genuine document," cried the master of The Cedars. "Genuine!" echoed Evans. "I do not comprehend." " I mean that this is the will of the late Herbert Cashel, signed with his signature, and attested by the proper witnesses, as you can certainly perceive by examination. Evans the suit is ours beyond a doubt !" Evans understood at last, and trem bled a little. His first sensation was one of disappointment. Vanished for ever wag his hold on tbe rich man be fore him! His mine of wealth had tak- , en to itself wings and flown away I But the Becond thought of Evans cheeren him. After all, there would be great peril in attempting to use the forg ed will. Now all danger was gone, and he and his client were sure of their case : and the winning of it wuld be a great triumph for bim as an attorney. Hla fee would be a fat one, as well, In ad.-, ditlon. To be continued. '
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