Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
is ~
pounds, for I’d have gottén that much out
of him,” said the man, doggedly.
“Not one pound would I give you, even
had I the sum you name.” . .
“Then I swear my way; you killed him
because ho would not Ief you have his
daughter.
“See, the servants are coming, so what
will you do ?”
“This P”
Tho words came venomously from the lips
of Leon St. Vale, and springing upon the
man, he hurled him to the ground, placed
his foot upon his throat, and held his
sword-point over his heart.
The next instant up dashed Lemuel, the
butler, and other servants alarmed by the
phot, and in stern tones Leon St. Vale said:
“Send on board my vessel for a guard of
marines, for this man murdered Sir Grey
Alstone.”
CHAPTER X.
THE TABLES TURNED,
YHE will made by Alvin Alstone, the
‘brother of Sir Grey, was a strange
one, in that the father confessor of
the dying man, Pere Brandt, had foreed
him to make it in favour of Lady Eve, the
priest himself having been made to influence
the millionaire brother of the baronet, by
n secret power held over him by Sir Grey
Alstone.
Thus driven, for fear of the curse of the
Church, to make his brother’s. child his
heiress, should she marry his former choice,
Lord Caverly, Alvin Alstone had leftavith
the inheritance a bitter curse.
This was kept by her father away from
Eve’s ears, but it enme to her at last, and
when she saw her father borne dead into
the mansion, she dropped upon her knees
and cried bitterly:
“Oh, have merey! The curse of Alvin
Alstone has fallen upon me in this cruel
naurder of my poor father,”
Fortunate was it for poor Eve that Lena
_La Rue was with her in her deep affliction
to givo her consolation, for Leon St. Vale
had shunned a meeting with her, and him-
self escorted the man he had accused of
‘murder to the prison, where he knew he
must take him, and not on board ship, as he
had at first intended.
Ho had suddenly taken a bold, desperate
stand to save himsclf, when threatened by
Robert Brent, and he was determined to
carry it out to the bitter end,
Had Brent not appeared, hard asit would
havo been for him, he would have told the
CAPTAIN
t
}
ERONY)
truth of a’ strii¢cle with Sir Grey and the
accidental discharge of the weapon, though
he felt that is would forever sever him from
Lady Eve.
But when Robert Brent threatened him
with the accusation of deliberate murder, ho
felt that it would be believed against him,
as there could be seen no reason why the
man should make a charge so false without
cause, and then the desire of self-preserva-
tion flashed through his mind, and he acted
as the reader has seen,
Having taken this bold step, he was
resolved to maintain it, as then Lady Evo
would not know him as the one who killed
her father. He would bury the seeret in
his own heart, and yet win the fair girl for
his wife.
But he had not the courage to face her
after the fearful deed, and leaving to
Lemuel the duty of breaking the sad news
to her, he marched off with his prisoner
to the guard-house. : -
Wholly taken by surprise by the bold
manner in which the tables had been turned
upon him, Robert Brent was at first seem-
ingly dazed, and sullenly arose at the stern
order of his eaptor. :
With his silk sash the young offieer bound
the man, and, saying that he wished to avoid
the crowd in the streets as much as possible,
started by the cliff path to the beach, to go
that way into the town.
He saw the form of Sir Grey raised in tho
arms of his servants, and Lemuel hastened.
on ahead to the mansion with the sad tidings,
and then he ordered Brent to march,
“Great Heavens, lefftenant, you surcly
don’t intend to lay your crime on me,” said
the now thoroughly frightened man, as he
moved sullenly down the path, his bound °
hands behind him, trembling nervously, and
his face livid.
“Y surely intend to make known the fact
that you tried to extort money from Sir
Grey Alstone, and when he refused, attacked
and killed him, wrenching his pistol from
his hand to do it with,” was the cool reply.
“They'll ask why you didn’t come to the
rescue P”
“‘T was asleep in the hammock, and when
awakened by loud voices arose and started
to Sir Grey’s aid, but was not in time to
save him, , :
‘“As you are a common sailor and I an
officer, 1 will be believed and you will hang
for it.”
Look here, Iefftenant, Dll compromise
with you,”
“T accept no compromise,” — |
- “Then I out and tell the whole story, an.
the old woman in England ean verify it, and
you'll get a wife who had not an honourable
parentage, and who will bea pauper, if she
Pelt oe ot rom mle