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Show ) 260 ROEBUCK. CIIAPTER XXIV. AI.llERT l'AL1\1EH.'S I .. OVE. \V 1 IEN ~Ir. Palmer, on the night of the fire at Rocbuck, had opened his door, he \VUS infonned by his son that l\Iiss Fairf:tx \Y:l.S there, de .iring ref"ugc and repose, in (~nsequence of the destruction or her father's house. ''No, no," he criell, "I run LronghL here again. t 1ny \vill, :1.ncl I implore yon t.o lcL me go h01ne." llut Albmt Paltn \r thrust her in, and tlrew her to the parlor, \vhcre he placec~ her on a :-wi:t. lie then roque tcu his father to g \t n. light ::md to sumlHOn his n1othcr to the care of their guo 'l. \Vhcu :Thir. Pahncr rcturnca, \Vith hi ' wife ana a light, Julia sat on the soi;t, with her hands chvpcd on her lap anu her hcacl drooping. She \VOl'e JlO LonneL, nnu her brown hair, dishevelled, ilowcd down over l1cr shoulders and bosou1. She wa~ p:-tlc a~ dcaLh. IIcr lips were slightly pnrtc<.l. She breathed qui<;kly. licr breast heaved \vith agitation. Iler dress, hastily put on \Vhilc she was attending to her alannc<.l Jnolher, \Ya in disor lor. lier feet \Yore bnrc. Even AlLert Pa!Jncr 'vas startled \Vhcn he beheld thnt 1i (rure or <::> beauLifnl desolation. I lis pnrcn is stood in 1nuLc won-der. Jn1ia, liftiug her eyeH, discovere<l that one of ]I(:L' own S<'X J1ad entered the roont, :ual 1-'prino·ing fro1n the sot:1, threw hersclL' at the feeL of J\lr~. Palmer, c1aspiug her knees anu turning up h r i~tec, with tearB raining fr01n her eye~, \vhilc she appealed in Lroken accents to a 'voman's cornpassion for a woJLHUl. TIOEBUCK. 261 "0, R:l\'C 1110," she cri c1; "let 1nc go to 1ny f:tt1wr an<l n1other. I have been crnr11y torn tr01n th ·m. Their house i~ <lcRtroy cl. nfy fal.her is \VOnnclcd. J\fy tnother i:1 in <liRtn'S:). Th0y may be dying. I knoW not \V11at is t.o lH1eOtnC Ol' them thiH clrc:u11'1tl night. I.~ct 1nc go to th01n. Yon h:wc a wom·"tn·:) heart. 0, hav pity on a hrok 111-h :trLetl girl. 1~ \h·a~c me, 0, release 1nc." "H.isc, J\fiss F:ti rf:tx," R:1 i<l Albert Palmer takin n· t:J her by the hatHl; "yon know not wl1:1.L yon s:ty. Yon nrc c1istract.e<1 \vit.h grief. J\Iother, there has b en a 1 rriblc srcnc to-night. l\fiH. Fairfax ncetls r pose. \V e Jnnst., for her own goo(l, do Ron1c gcnt.h.: viole11ce to her \ViHhcs. Ple:1.so conclnct her to a cl1amLer :ttHl persuade her to t.akc s01nc rest." "IIypocritc and tyrant!" exclaiml'll Ju1i:1, r1~ing to her fc t, "yon arc 1ny cnrmy-my father's foe-a traitor to 1ny country. Yon arc lcaguccl with invad rs nnd opprc. sors. To yon we owe the c:1l:1tuitic~ of thi ... 11ight. You hold n1e a prisoner. Yon have torn ntc fro1n 1ny parents. 0, my i~tther! 0, my poor mother!" Again he 1:3unk npon the floor, dissolved in 1c:trs, ancl sobbing as if her heart " ronld break. In a few n1otncnts she rose again ancl ran towards the door, Ray in (Y'' "I will go to them." Bnt AlbPri Paln1cr intcreeptcd hm:, seized her, and, carrying her to a chantb('r, to1c1 his mother to follow him. \Vhcn they haJ cntcrccl the rootn he lofL the two l:v1i ·s there, locked the door, and put the key in his pocket.. Jie rctnrncu to his f~tLhcr, and afLer rehLing to him the events of tho night, explained to hitn hi~ pl_an with reference to l\[iss Fairf;tx. She w:ts, he saul, without a ho1nc. Ilcr f:tther was a prison r, ntHl 'r grave accusations. lie 1night be long dcLainctl or |
