Roger Trewinion Part 60

"If my son had lived and married, and children had been born to him, then I should not be the last of my race, and the curse must go."

"But why may not you marry again?"

"I marry!" he exclaimed. "Man, much as I fear the horrible death that I daily think about, I would rather bear it than that another woman should take the place of my Alice. No, no, that can never be!"

"Then go out into the world and mix with your fellow creatures," I said, "I believe that even this visit of mine will do you good."

"Your visit yesterday did do me good," he answered, "and I hope to see you again soon. The old place shall ever be open to you. Come when you like. I think you could make me forget some of the dark things of life. But now about the publis.h.i.+ng of these confessions. Can it be done?"

For a time we talked the matter over, and after a while I drew him on to converse about other things until he became comparatively cheerful.

II

Will and I finished our tour around the Cornish coast, and then I came back to London, and made arrangements for the publication of the ma.n.u.script which had been given to me for that purpose.

I had re-written all that was necessary, and had corrected the last proof sheets from the printers, when I recollected that we were near the date on which I had promised to go to Trewinion Manor. I must confess that, sitting in my rooms in London, weary with the amount of work I had done, the thought of spending a few days among the scenes in which I had been led to take so much interest, was very fascinating to me, and I eagerly began to make preparations for going.

Two days before the time for starting, I received the following letter;--

"DEAR ----, I must ask you to delay your visit a little while--how long I hardly know--yet. I have received information, which has every evidence of being true, that my son is not dead. I have no time to go into details now, but I pray G.o.d, ay, I even hope, that there is yet happiness in store for me. Indeed, I feel like saying, with one of my ancestors of whom you have read, 'There is no curse, G.o.d is love!'

Yet, I am naturally terribly anxious, and I leave Trewinion to-day to verify the information, and please G.o.d to bring home my son! The very thought is Heaven! Ah, dear G.o.d, may it be so!

"I will let you know all later on, for I have come to feel that you are my friend, and if--if all is well, I will give you such a welcome as man never had before.

"I shall be doubly glad to see the 'confessions' printed, if my hopes are realised.

"Anxiously, yet hopefully.

"ROGER TREWINION."

I have finished my work. I have told how I came by the strange history here given, and, without sacrificing altogether the quaint and characteristic Cornish vernacular, I have endeavoured to tell the tale in homely English, and, as far as possible, in the spirit of the time in which the events herein narrated pa.s.sed.

Of the final outcome of the matter mentioned in the letter just quoted, it is not for me to say anything now. It may be that at some future time I shall have an opportunity of following still further the fortunes of the Trewinion family; but, in laying aside my pen for the present, I must express my feelings of thankfulness that hope had dawned in the sky of the lonely man whom I met in the old house on the cliff.

THE END OF EPILOGUE

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._

ALL MEN ARE LIARS FIELDS OF FAIR RENOWN ISHMAEL PENGELLY THE STORY OF ANDREW FAIRFAX JABEZ EASTERBROOK THE MONK OF MAR-SARA ZILLAH: A Romance WEAPONS OF MYSTERY MISTRESS NANCY MOLESWORTH THE BIRTHRIGHT: A ROMANCE AND SHALL TRELAWNEY DIE?

THE SCARLET WOMAN THE PURPLE ROBE THE MADNESS OF DAVID DARING LEST WE FORGET O'ER MOOR AND FEN GREATER LOVE ESAU FOLLOW THE GLEAM A FLAME OF FIRE THE COMING OF THE KING