The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-07-02

at his death he will leave me one oi
the richest men in the kingdom. You
know that my claims upon him are
second only to those of Geotfrey Tre-
veiyan, my cousin. Lad Geotfrey
lived. | should have little to look for
ward to-"
lord Trevelyan is fonder of you
than he was of your cousin, is henot ?"
asked the Lady Beatrice, staring into
the fire.
"Ie processes to be- was the reply.
81 hope ne is, for he hated poor Geof-
frey as if he had been a deadly enemy.
Geoffrey had no tact to manage him.
Poor fellow Geoffrey was not fitted
to cope with the world If he had
lived, he would have covered his name
with disgrace"
"Not so ~ interrupted the Lady
Beatrice, a hot flush glowing in her
cheeks, and an angry light shining in
her eyes. ''Geoffrey was a wild, pas
sionate boy, with great faults, but also
with great virtues"
"Do you number his assault upon
and robbery of his uncle among the
former or the latter?' questioned
Lord Adlowe, with ironical emphasis.
"If Geoffrey were alive" he added
impressively, "my uncle would leave
no effort untried to bring him to pun
ishment.- Lord Trevelyan is very
vindictive in his disposition"
"He might forgive and forget, since
he believes Geoffrey dead" said the
Lady Beatrice in low tone, and with
averted face.
sit is seventeen years since we
heard that Geotfrey was dead, is it
not ?" askeo Lord AdloWe, as if mus
ingIy, but with the keenest and most
furtive of glances directed toward his
hostess. ave received a Brazilian pa
perl think it was Brazilian; at any
rate it was South American-with a
notice of his death in its columns
We also received a letter from some
Spaniard or Portuguese, stating that
Geotfrey had died at his house, and
had begged him with his last breath
to write tidings of his fate. There
was included in the letter a certificate
of buriei. Upon these data we be-
lieved Godfrey to be dead"
1.-THE evidence was conclusive G.
nough, | should think" said the Lady
Beatrice, in cold voice.
"Ofcourse it was conclusive" replied
Lord Adlowe. ''But / have doubts
sometimes of its truth. What if the
whole story of the death were an inn
posture? Geoffrey knew that our
uncle hated him enough to pursue him
over the whole earth. He would not
have dared return to England, for fear
of imprisonment and disgrace. 1t is
not probable that Geotfrey should have
forged proofs of his death, changed his
name, and settled down somewhere in
a distant country to await news Of my
uncle's death. Lord Trevelyan dead,
Godfrey can walk the earth again
without fear, rich and titled man,
ga rather fanciful explanation, /
think" said the Lady Beatrice, in a
voice firmer than usual. ''If it were
true, and Godfrey were to return, you
would not be plased, | suppose"
Lord AdloWe's face darkened at the
bare possibility of such an event.
"Geoffrey's return would impover-
ish me,u he said. "1e is Lord IRE
velyan's brothers. son, and of course
the nearest heir. 1t Geoffrey were to
come back at my uncle's death, he
would inherit the Trevelyan title and
fortune. uteighteen years of silence,
and the proofs too-surely he is dead ~
He uttered the last words in tone
of relief. His apprehensions had been
quieted by the mannerof the Lady Bea-
trice, For years he had been tormen-
ted by occasional doubts of his cousins
death, and he had finally persuaded
himsel thet, if living, Geoffrey Trevel-
yam would Yeeommunicatedth the fact
to his former betrothed. He had watch
ed her keenly and closely, and had be-
Godfrey dead.
The next words of the Lady Bea.
trice confirmed this opinion,
"The Spaniard wrote that Geoffrey
died ofa fever" she said, quietly. "He
was worn out by his long sea-voyage
and his anXieties. He ventured out
imprudently the day after landing, eX-
posing himself to the monday sun,
We know that Geoffrey went to South
America, for he wrote me long letter
within an hour of his going ashore,
He wrote to his uncle by the same
post, but Lord Trevelyan declared tC
me that he never received the letter,
Some one must have intercepted It,
Lore AdloWe flushed guiltily.
81 have always thought that Geoffrey
had some enemy who incited his uncle
against him. pursued the Lady Bea,
trice. "When Geoffrey was lad, his
uncle loved him. He grew to hate
him as he grew older, butit must have
been because some envious person
spoke falsely against poor Godfrey
makink his faults into crimes, and in.
ducing Lord TreveIyan to believe that
the boy desired his DEATH"
Lord AdloWe moved uneasily in his
chair.
"We have chosen an unpleasant sub
ject to converse upon, Lady Beatrice, ,
he said. "Let us dismiss it from oul
thoughts. Geoffrey is dead. | have
come back to England to be your
suitor. | cannot live without you, Bea
trice, and his voice became full and
passionate. 81 have loved you fol
years. Give me chance to prove my
love. | will wait weeks, months"
MY answer then would be the same
as now, Lord Adlowe, and it Is now
what it was five years since. ! cannot
marry you"
81 refuse to accept that answer ~ de
clared Lord AdloWe, with fierce EN-
phasis. "You shall yet look kindly
upon me-yet promise to become my
wife ~
The Lady Beatrice looked at hin
haughtily, her eyes flashed with anger
at his persistence in offering his un
welcome love. She met a gaze, strong
fierce, and passionate. She saw tina
he was in eaInest-that he would no
take negative answer. She compre'
hended that to reject him now, as she
was tempted to do, would be to make
him her implacahle enemy. She fel
vaguely that he had 1t in his power tC
work her woe.
"You will take time for your de
cision ?n he asked, in soft, persuasive
accents. and suddenly changing hi:
manner,
The instinct of self-preservation wa:
strong in the breast OF the Lady Bea