90 THE FLORAL TELEGRAPH. 
grounds, the practiser upon the virgin 
and innocent heart of his daughter. 
He never asked ; he desired not to 
know. Peradventure, he deemed that 
he might be some lowly-born hind. 
He trembled to make the discovery. 
He did not reproach Violetta by 
words, but his manner was cold, and 
his look stony. He confined her 
closely, and placed armed men around 
his domains, with strict orders to shoot 
all intruders who entered not by the 
principal avenues ; but to bring him 
no tidings of whom might fall a sacri¬ 
fice to his murderous orders. 
“ He then announced to the Earl, 
his brother, that the marriage would 
