The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Sfra?ioc Rei'ciioe. 663
" It would," Richard replied, a little relieved.
'•
I am glad to hear it— it was my aim and ambition that
>-ou should feci just that wa)- ; it was, in fact, the ver)-
point upon which the success of m}' little and vcr\' unique
scheme turned."
hands ;
" \'our scheme I" exclaimed Richard, with clenched
" orcat hea\-cns, what do you mean b)" scheme ?
Have \-ou made me the \-ictim of a plot—of a crime," he
added, in a hoarse whisper.
" Calm yourself, }'oung man," said the Professor with a
deprecator}- wave of the hand :
" }'ou will have ample time
for any demonstration \-ou ma\- wish to make, after you
hear m\- .-.tor\'—my \er\- interesting story, I should sa)',"
he supplenicntcd with irritating deliberation.
" Listen :
it is a little bit of m}- personal histor)- which
it is necessary to relate in order that you, Richard Stuart,
ma}- thoroughh- realise the true position in which yf)U
stand under this roof. I am an old acquaintance of )-our
father— iiay, don't interrupt me, for that is not all : I loved
_\-our motiicr."
" \ov loved w)' mother ?"
*' A\'e, better than \'OU, her son, can possibh' lo\-e m\-
daughter. I might have gained her hand, and I certainly
would have been more happ}-, perhaps more honest, though
scarceK" less prosperous in a worldly wa\-, had I succeeded.
Your farlier came between us. He gained her heart : she
spurned me ; he insulted me ; and I xowed a vow, and
wrote tl'at vow in a pen dipped in my own hot blood
own blood, I say, shed by the man }'ou call father—
swore to be a\-enged
—
avenged
T
—
1
my
" And have }-ou waited till now," asked Richard, in a
quiet teeth-set w a\-, which shewed that he had already
anticipated the worst, and might become a dangerous ])cr-
son in the reckom'ng.
" A whole life-time 1 ha\-e nursed and cherished the
hope of some da\- paying back the injury, with interest
according to the antiquit}- of the debt. At last fortune