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Show I we scarce felt the ground under our feet. The two post-chaises awaited us on the highway, the postboys full of confidence; con-fidence; the horses, the best in the town, were eager to be off. We jumped together in one, and were whirled into the town, and were at the door of the playhouse almost before we knew it. One of our postilions speedily found the coach which had brought Lady Hawkshaw there, and, in pursuance of his instructions, got the coachman off his box to drink in a neighboring tavern, while one of our postboys stood watch over the horses. Giles and I remained in the chaise until it was time for us to make our descent. At half-past ten the play was over, and then began that hurry and com-I com-I motion of the dispersion of a crowd in the darkness. We heard loud shouts for Lady Hawkshaw's coach, but the coachman did not make his appearance. appear-ance. There were many officers and ladies from the garrison, and a number num-ber of equipages; but soon they were driving off, while half a dozen men at once were shouting for Lady Hawkshaw's Hawk-shaw's coach. At last my lady herself came out of the entrance, followed by Arabella and Daphne, and at that moment mo-ment Giles slipped out of the chaise, and appeared before Lady Hawkshaw as if ho had risen from the earth. I, get Into trouble. She afterward told me It was because she feared we might be stopped. We did not forget the precaution, in our brief halts, to pay the hostlers well to do some harm to any pursuing vehicles which might be after us; and our plan seemed to be prospering famously. So all night we rattled furiously along, and at daybreak we crossed the border, notified by the huzzaing of the postboys. It was a dank, dismal morning, morn-ing, the weather having changed during dur-ing the night, and we saw that we had passed the other chaise in the darkness. It was some distance behind, be-hind, and the horses seemed much spent. We continued on our way tc the house of a blacksmith at Gretna Green, who, so our postboys told us usually united runaway couples. We dashed up to his cottage a humble place, surrounded by a willow hedge and he, warned by approaching wheels, came out, half dressed, in the murky morning. "Come to be marrlt?" he cried. "Step out, then." I assisted Daphne out of the chaise, and then, as we stood on the damp ground, in those squalid surroundings, looking at each other, the possible wrong I had done this innocent girl suddenly swept over me. And in her eyes, too, I read the first conscious- THE LOVES of the LADY ARABELLA By MOLLY ELLIOT SEA WELL k ) (Copyright, I'JUi, Hubbs-Men-IUCo.) SYNOPSIS. too, was on the ground, but out of sight. "Pray, my lady," said he, in his most gallant manner, and hat in hand, "allow me to show you to your coach." "Mr. Vernon!" cried Lady Hawkshaw, Hawk-shaw, in surprise. "I thought you were in London. How came you to Scarborough?" "By chaise, madam," he replied, politely; po-litely; "and I hope to see the young ladies before I leave" (the hypocrite!). "Is Sir Peter with you, madam?" "No, he is not," replied Lady Hawkshaw, Hawk-shaw, her wrath rising at the idea. "Had he been with me my coach would have been awaiting me." And then turning to Arabella and Daphne, who were behind her, she said, sternly: "Arabella and Daphne, this does not happen again. Sir Peter comes with us to the play, after this." I caught sight, from a corner behind be-hind the chaise, of my dear Daphne, at that moment. She stopped sudden- ness of having committed an impropriety. impro-priety. This dirty, unkempt blacksmith, black-smith, the coarse, laughing postboys this, a way to make the most solemn and spiritual of all engagements! I felt an uncomfortable sense of guilt and shame. It was only momentary. The more depressed she, the more should I support, sup-port, and therefore I called out cheerfully: cheer-fully: "I take this woman to be my wedded wife," and such other words as I recalled of the marriage service -"-and I said it so heartily and promised prom-ised so devoutly, removing my hat when I made my vows, that it heartened heart-ened up Daphne and her response, so full of faith and love, gave a kind of holiness to it all. We were two rash and foolish young people but we loved each other truly, and we made our vows solemnly, determined to keep them. Perhaps that counts for move, in the eyes of God, than all else; at least, we realized the sacredness of our vows. Scarcely was the brief ceremony over for ceremony we made it when the chaise containing Arabella and Giles drew up. And the sight I saw. I can never forget. Arabella's face was quite pale, but her eyes were blazing. There were some drops of blood upon her cheek they came from her wrists, which Giles held firmly. The door of the chaise being opened, she stepped out willingly, disdaining the assistance Giles offered her. His face, too, was very pale, and he looked and moved like a man in a nightmare. The blacksmith black-smith grinned broadly; he thought his gains were to be increased for 1 had not forgotten to pay him hand somely. Giles seized her hand. "Arabella," he cried, desperately, "surely you dc not now mean to throw me over?" For answer, she gave him a glance of ineffable hatred. "This man," she said, turning to me, "you friend, your intimate I blush for you has dragged me here. Rather would I die than marrv him. Look!'' At 14 yearn of age Admiral Sir Peter Hawkshaw's nephew. Richard Glyn, fell deeply In love at first sight with Lady Arabella Slormont, who spurned his attentions. at-tentions. The lad. an orphan, was given pi berth as midshipman on the Ajax by bis uncle. Giles Vernon, nephew of Sir Thomas Vernon, became the boy's pal. They attended a theater where Hawk-ihaw's Hawk-ihaw's nephew saw Lady Arabella. Vernon Ver-non met Philip Overton, next in line for Sir Thomas Vernon's estate. They started start-ed a duel which was Interrupted. Vernon, Dverton and Hawkshaw's nephew found themselves attracted by pretty Lady Arabella. Ara-bella. The Ajax In battle defeated French warships In the Mediterranean. Richard Slyn got 2, IKK) prize money. He was tailed home by Lady Hawkshaw as he tvas about to "blew in" his earnings with Vernon. At a Hawkshaw party Glyn dls-Bovered dls-Bovered that Lady Arabella was a poor but persistent gambler. He talked much with her cousin Daphne. Lady Arabella again, showed love for gaming. Later she held Glyn and Overton prisoners, thus delaying the duel. In the Overton-Vernon duel, neither was hurt. Lady Arabella Ara-bella humiliated Richard by her pranks. Richard and Giles shipped on a frigate. Riles was captured ,by the French. Sir Peter arranged for his exchange. Daphne Daph-ne showed a liking for Glyn, who was ihen i!l years of age. Giles was released, filles and Richard planned elopements. Rlr Peter objected to the plan to wed Daphne. CHAPTER VIII. Continued. This made me hope1 that Sir Peter would not be present, for I thought Dur chances of getting off would materially ma-terially improve if he were not on the Bpot. The play was to be over at half-past ten, and it may be imagined that we iad plenty to do until then. We engaged en-gaged four of the best pairs of nags In the town. We arranged to pay the postboys according to the time they took us over the border, and we felt (n ourselves the strength of Titans, to pvercome whatever resistance might be offered. Of course we counted on the surprise, and we determined that the best disposition to make of Lady Hawkshaw was for Giles Vernon to J.ppear suddenly, when the people were coming out, place Lady Hawkshaw Hawk-shaw In her coach, and then make that bold dash for lotfe and beauty which we had determined upon. Our postboys, wh.o were not new to the perils of elopements, grinned at the prospect, and Were instructed to remain re-main near Lady Hawkshaw's coach and impede it as much as possible, so that It might be the last to reach the door of the theater. She held up her wrists, and they showed marks of violence. " 'Twas to keep her from jumping out of the chaise," said Giles, widly, "She would have had me leave her at midnight, on the highway alone and unprotected. Dearest Arabella," he cried, turning to her, and trying to clasp her, "will you not listen to my prayer? How can you scorn such love as mine?" And he was near going go-ing down on his knees to her, in the mud but I held him up. I confess that the most painful thing of all this painful business was Giles Vernon's complete surrender of his manhood, under the influence of his wild passion. pas-sion. He, an officer in his majesty's sea service, a man who had smelt powder and knew what it was to look Death in the eye and advance upon him, who would have answered with his life for his courage, was ready to grovel in the earth like a madman for the favor of a woman. Nothing was it to him that low-born creatures like the postboys and the blacksmith beheld him with contempt and disgust; dis-gust; nothing to him that a woman like Daphne, and that I, a brother officer, of-ficer, witnessed his degradation. He seemed to have parted with the last semblance of self-respect. (TO BE CONTINUED.) "Rather Would I Die Than Marry Him." ly, and turned pale and then rosy, and glanced wildly about her. She knew I was not far off. How Arabella received Giles' -sudden appearance I never knew, as I could not see her. But in another moment mo-ment he had placed Lady Hawkshaw, with the utmost obsequiousness, in the coach; then folding up the steps like magic, he slammed the door, and shouting to the coachman, "Drive on!" the coach rattled off, and the next moment mo-ment his arm was around Arabella and mine was around Daphne, and they were swept off their feet; and in less time than it takes to tell it, each of us was with the idol of his heart, whirling off toward Gretna Green, as fast as four horses to a light chaise could take us. Now, what think you, were Daphne's first words to me? "Unhand me, Mr. Glyn, or I'll scream for assistance!" "My dearest one!" I exclaimed, "you are now mine. By to-morrow morning we shall be over the border, and you will be my wife." "An elopement! Gracious heaven! I never thought of such a thing!" she replied. I might have answered that she had not only thought of such a thing, but talked of it. I refrained, however, knowing a woman's tongue to be capricious ca-pricious in its utterances, and, instead, in-stead, assured her that my passion was such I could no longer bear the thought of existing without her. "And do you mean to marry me. sir. without my guardian's consent?" she asked, with much violence. "I do, indeed, my angel. and I thought it was agreed between us." This was an unfortunate speech, and she again threatened to scream for assistance, as-sistance, but presently remarked that as there was none to come to her assistance, as-sistance, she would refrain. And then, having done what propriety required, she began to relent a little, and at last lay in my arms, asking me, with tears, if I would promise her never to love another, and I told her, with great sincerity, that I never would, provided 1 got out of that alive. Deep in our own happiness for at last the dear girl admitted that she was happy to be mine we yet thought of Giles and Arabella, and I would have got out of the chaise at each of the three stages, where we made a rapid change of horses, except that Daphne would not let me afraid, she said, lest I should be recognized and Our arrangements were complete by eight o'clock, and from that hour until ten we employed ourselves in disposing dispos-ing of a good supper at the tavern. We were in a gale of rapture then. It seemed to us both as if we were in that happy and exultant mood, when the enemy is within gun-shot and the ship is cleared for action; and we only awaited the signal for victory. We had some punch, but both Giles and myself knew enough to be exceedingly ex-ceedingly careful in attacking it. "Dicky, my lad," cried Giles, banging bang-ing me in the back, "this day is the anniversary of the day we whipped the Indomptable and the Xantippe!" and so it was. "So we shall capture the Indomptable, in the Lady Arabella, and we will disable the Xantippe ha! ha! in my Lady Hawkshaw." This I thought a very fine joke indeed, in-deed, and we drank to it. "Dicky," began Giles again, wiping his mouth after the punch, "I never thought I could be constant to any woman, as I have been to Arabella. By heaven, the whole sex is so seductive se-ductive that it was the last one I saw I loved the best. But since I knew that witch of a girl, St. Anthony himself him-self could not be more impervious to female charms than your humble servant," serv-ant," which was true enough. "And as for Overton that psalm-singing devil I defy him. Give me but a week, and he shall see Arabella hanging upon me so fondly! Let him have her 30,000; 'tis so much dirt and dross to me. And she may be Lady Vernon yet. Do you know that old rapscallion Sir Thomas Vernon's estate is in this part of the country? Though nearer York than Scarborough. On our return re-turn from our honeymoon I have a great mind to take my Arabella to Vernon Court and show her what may one day be hers." So he raved and roared out snatches Bacchus' joys I'll freely roll. Deny no pleasure to my soul. Let Bacchus' health 'round freely qiove; For Bacchus is the friend of love And he that will this toast deny. Down among the dead men let him lie." And I took up the chorus and bawled it out;, for I, too, looked for no more crosses in this life, having Daphne Daph-ne for my wife. So the time passed until ten o'clock; and at ten o'clock we sallied forth. It was a starlit night in early December. De-cember. The cold high blue heavens above us seemed to radiate happiness; the myriad stars twinkled with joy |