The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-06-12

bottom of her half-sisters trunk, sh'
J found among them several from Bay.
moDd De Lorme, a handsome yount
mao whom she remembered as her owe
first lover at the South, when che was
little more than 9 mere child. These
letters we're written in q most impas
stoned strain, and showed that betwee
; him and his fair correspondent-Es
teIle Landry, Hesters now stricken
half-sister-a marriage engagement
existed. - 49,. "
No sooner had Hester discovered
this fact than her old love for d.
Lorme Was rekindled, and she resolved
at once TO have him also, as we'll a!
Estelles fortune, let whatever obstacles
might be in the way. He was nov
absent in Europe, to remain a year Of
} tive, and her purpose must be carefully
concealed from DR.. Macon; but, come
what would, the young man should YET
be hers!
Mrs. Blake's housekeeper, Mrs. Null
Ter, a German woman with An Amer
can education, was q great gossip, and
cunning, selfish, evil minded woman
Hester, at her mothers suggestion, had
turned the key on the outside of Mrs
Muller's sleeping room, while their in
iernal plot had been planned; but thu
suspicious woman happened TO be
awake, and che had risen, and emerg-
ing through a window. crept around
where she could listen to all they said
She too, now, meant to have her profit
out OF the scheme, the secret Of which
she had obtained unknown to them.
On the GLOWING day Mr.. Landry felt
his end rapidly approaching he had
forbidden perem ptorily that Mrs. Blake
should be admitted to his presence; bu,
Mrs. Blake had determined to zee him
| before he died. He was very anxious
for confessor; and was finally told
that although there was no priest &C.
cessible, Sister OF Charity might De
obtained. This assurance afforded him
great relief, and he desired that no time
might be lost in sending for her.
| Mrs. Blake determined to improve
this opportunity to see him, without bis
recognizing her, and to visit him in the
disguise OF a Sister.
1t was arranged that after night, when
the room was dimly lighted by single
candle she should 60 in and Listen to
such confessions as he wished to make.
In them, if be spoke OF her tenderly.
she would forego the dire vengeance
she had planned TO iuhict on him when
be lay helpless before her, breathing his
soul away 10 doubt and dread Of what
the future life might bring to him. II
he Judged her hardly and cruelty at the
las. she would have no mercy on him.
When Eunice, a deaf and dumb ser
want girl at the farmhouse, was safely
asleep, Mrs. Blake made such alter
alton in her dress as was necessary. A
white handkerchief was drawn low
down on her forehead. and folded over
her lace in such manner as to conceal
the greater portion Of 1t, and Macon
black silk cravat was smoothed out and
tied over that, in the form OF the hoods
worn By Catholic nuns when walking
abroad. She then entered the feebly
lighted room, and sat down in the chair
which Hester resigned at her approach.
At the movement the dying man I'M
closed his eyes, and in faint voice,
said
How good you were to come to me
in this extremity. This young girl has
expl ,ined to me that you consented to
do so as soon as you heard that son Of
Mother Church needed your help, but
some subtle power must have conveyed
to him the knowledge that something
inimicsl hal approached him, for he
suddenly seemed to struggle with some
deadly oppression, and sinking back, he
murmured:
Too late | fear that | shall die
before can saw what | wished. !
must coniess-must have absolution,
for | have sinued. But have suffered
how bitter cup / have drained in
atonement Of the one act OF my life
which brought unhappness to one who
thought she had the right to avenge
herself upon me.
In a voice scarcely above whisper,
Mrs. Blake said:
MY son, forgive as you hope to be
forgiven, aud all will be well with YOU.
"Ah that is what | cannot do; for
there is one sin and one sinner that /
have not forgiven. But for that I could
die in peace"
WAS the wrong against you so I'M
merited, that you reel thus bitterly ??
"Unmeritcd! Yes; | assert that and
| believe it. She who committed it was
one did not love, though Twas tricked
into marriage with her.
In falteriog voice Mrs. Blake said
you did not lorc her! Are you quite
sure of that ??
Landry was too deeply absorbed in
his own thoughts to notice the menacing
tone that thrilled through the mutfi cd
voice Of the speaker.
NO, never loved her.
is II just 10 lay all the blame upon
the woman who risked 80 much to gam
a legal claim upon your To those who
have loved truly, much should be for
given; and she, You say, loved you
81 gave her all she had right to
claim at nv hands-and had she 80
willed it, | would have sent her from
me as free fr I'm rep-o4ch as in the hour
OF our first unfortunate meeting. But she
would not 20. was very young.
loved the child she gave me aud through
her the mother hoped, il l were free
again, to win me back, and-and- /
cannot tell YOU what she did in return
for the forbearance l had shown toward
her 1t is her secret, and ! will not re.
veal it even in this hour, but it is that
| which 7 now find II i'm nos. hle tn for