The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-04-29
THE PERIL OF GRE44
PRICE.
BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.
lCONTINUED.)

BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.
CONTINUED
Ii was a long document, full of just
such obscure, morbid reflections as old
Muller delighted in when alive but
the gist of it was this: the property
was divided into two unequal parts
certain bonds of small value cOnstitu-
ting the smaller the farmhouse,
mill and ''all that pertained thereto,
visible or invisible" the other. En-
closed in the will was certain sealed
letter, which was addressed to Ber-
tina. After reading it, she was to
choose of one of these parts, the other
to 90 to Laurence. In case of her de-
cIining to accept the conditions of the
letter, il was to be given to him, and
with it the liberty of choice. Which
ever child took the mill and farm
house was bound to remain in con-
slant occupancy of the same for the
number of years specified in the let
ter.
Squire Langley, having finished,
folded the parchment slowly.
There was silence in the little room.
With the reading of the words, "the
lille and invisible" a singular re-
straint had fallen upon them all, as
though some unwhOlesOme presence,
some ghost, had suddenly been sum-
moned among them by the dead
mans message. A ghost, too, not
wholly unexpected.
They glanced furtively down
through the darkening twilight to
the shadow of the mill, with its bare
rafters thrust out. There was surely
no blessing hidden with the myster-
ious treasure, if treasure il was, so
suddenly did distrust and care come
with its mere name into their cheer
full faces.
"Here is the letter." said the
tfHoId. Bertha ~ said Kirke, stern
Iy. putting out his hand. "YOu can
have no part i'm this affair. IfyOu ac-
cept the mill and its secret for in that
lies the pith of the matter, as We all
see), YOU pledge yourself to remain
here. / cannot remain. You belong
TO me-" smiling gently up into her
face. but holding her wrist steadily
"She declines the choice, Squire
Langley. Give the letter TO Laur-
ence."
Muller put out his hand sullenly
he was pOuting like child because
he had been thrust into the back
ground.
al must read the letter" Bertha
pushed away her lovers hand and
went toward the Squire, looking not
at Sydney's angry, astOnished face,
but down at the gloomy shadow OF
the mill. Whatever was the subtitle
influence of the evil secret which 1t
held, it had affected her more strong
ly than any of the Others. Old Null
Ter had had been noted as penuriOus
among his neighbOrs, and seeing the
strong likeness to him just then in
his daughters intent look, the Squire
though that il it were any other wO-
man than Bart he would have suspect
ed her of avarice.
But it tuds Bart ''There's the let
ter, child. God keep you fiom any
trouble in itu' he said, hastily.
She took il and stood a full min
ute without moving. The she went
suddenly up TO Laurence and put both
her hands ON his shoulders. "What-
ever is i'm il, it will bring no trouble
between us,u sh said. ''Let us say
that before i open it. Brother ."
laurence detached her hand cold
Iy. "Go, make your choice, Bertha, "
he said, dryly. at will not grieve
me. assure you, il you leave me and
my family i'm poverty by it. The
riches / seek are not of this world. If
You had sought them also, you would
Lot be tempted by this shadow of
hidden treasure"
At that, Bart caught the breast OF
his dressing gown, and threw MN
vehemently iutO the window, where
the Others could not hear. us this
fair ?" giving him shake, the tears
in her angry eyes "Haye you Ior-
gotten how long I've been a real
chum for you, just as aROther boy
would be ? Can't you trust me, l4aur-
ence? Have you forgotten the old
circus days-did / play you false then ?
To think how I've run with you all
my life Fished and trapped and
gone cunning with you, because i
could not bear to be with OutyOul
And now you turn on me! Oh shame!
shame %
'I didn't tum ON you, Bart" with
flushed face, taking her brown, large
hand in his delicate fingers. 1.-The
money shall not come between Us, go
as il will. There p'
at is something else that has come
between u.s." with gulp as though a
long enforced silence. ait seems to
me since you went into the church
you look over the pale and call the
whole world outside the children of
Satan-me with the others. You're
going far away from the good God in
there, Bud. wish the old times
could come back"
The strong personal magnetism OF
girl was beginning to tellOn him. ~
wish they could, !" he said. "Yet one
cannot be saved without conversion.
Go read your letter, Bart" He would
have laid his hand lightly on her
haad- ali his Y1aofionS uarQ fa0tidi0us