The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-31

Leonard, the house keeper, who was sit
ting by the window, hastened from the
room to call DR. Rodney.
''Geofrey :" feebly murmured Mr. Vim
cent, as the doctor, still dazed and con
fused, entered the room, "do not give me
any drugs, but listen to me. | have held
these estates for many a year-my name
my name, oh this pain this pain T.
He stopped, unable to proceed, his body
seeming to be undergoing some great inter
nal agony. DIR. Rodney held some water
| to his lips
you must not let Vincent Hall be
sold, said the old man, laboringly. do
anything but part with it. Bella Bella
it is growing dark quick have but one
dying request, marry Sydney Vivldn, and
sdre the property Yott-you-"
Bella Rodney's face grew pale with
terror.
What does he mean, she cried. ''Oh,
grand father take back your injunction
You are mad to cause me to be unfaithful
to poor, dear Cecil's memory. Unsay the
words Unsay them :"
Plead to the winds, TO the remOrseless
waves, to any Impotent power on earth for
thy reply, Bella Rodney But, never on
earth, more, shall the voice Of thine aged
relative again be welcomed to thy ears.
For old Reuben Vincent is dead.
DIR. Rodney seizes the pulseless hand,
scarcely able to believe that what he feared
hal found reality, while a conscience
stricken look Of haunting remorse swept,
for moment, over Mr.. Nivian's face
He stepped, silently and respectfully, to
where Miss Rodney sat, frozen, Mortified,
unable to believe that she had heard and
seen Alright.
1T is better for you to leave the room,
Miss Rodney, he said, softly.
She fastened upon him dreary, dream
ike glance.
is it all over, then n
Yes. Mr. Vincent is dead
She shuddered slightly as he touched her
arm, but mechanically allowed him TO lead
her from the room.
IF you knew how deeply | sympathize
with you" he said a. he handed her up
the staircase.
''Stop. she cried sharply, her face as
suming an expression Of strange anxiety
and grief.
He looked up at her What is it III he
asked, simply.
did my grandfather say those words,
or have | deamed E.
What words I"
That should marry you"
"We will not talk Of that now, Miss
Rodney That is duty to the dead you
may fulfill, hereafter At present, We owe
a grief and sorrow, which can admit Of no
intrusion.
He left her, as he spoke, and he entered
the sick room. He walked to the bedside,
al d, then, unobserved by the doctor, took
up the bottle of medicine Tom had brought
but an hour before DR. Rodney was
busy, specializing on the sudden demise of
Mr.. Vincent
Mr. Vivian called the house keeper to
one side
You see this bottle of medicine Z" he
asked, unobserved by DR.. Rodney.
Yes"
% 1t il the same from which you gave
Mr. Vincent his medicine III
Mrs. Leonard looked at the phial for a
moment.
= It is the same, she replied.
Did DR. Rodney order it =
"Yes."
Mt NlNldn looked JnOuknIIul, anu,
placed the phial in his pocket
What do you mean, sir ii asked the
house keeper, susplclOusly " Is anything
wrong
You have too much good sense, replied
Mr.. Vivian, my good woman, to gossip,
but you have, perhaps, noticed, that DIR.
Rodney Is very much out of the way"
Yes, | think he has been drinking, ="
a AZ 1 ~. 81.
doctor who stood by the bed, apparently
lost i'll a stupor of meditation.
And think he has made fatal mis-
Uake in giving the medicines, said Mr.
Vivian, significantly tapping his breast
pocket.
Mrs Leonard started, aghast.
Surely, sir, she began, III tones Of
alarm
But Mr.. Vivian re-assured her with a
wave Of his hand.
DO not fear for yourself, " he said, low
and whispering, only remember this,
but, above all, say not a word about It.
Men have been tempted before.
What II came in horror stricken tones
from Mrs Leonard's lips, "you do not
think that it was anything but mistake r.
perhaps, replied Mr. Vivian, impress
sively and significantly, As with caution
airy gesture, he went up TO DIR. Rodney.
For few moments he conversed with
the doctor, in low tones, evidently intent
upon drawing him out. DIR. Rodney, how
ever, seemed bent upon some mental course
of thought, not suspecting that the death
Of his relative had been other than natural
His brain was still clouded, and he con
versed with his interlocutor as one in a
dream.
Down through the long hall, and out in
to the garden passed Mr.. Vivian, as, hav-
ing seen that nothing more could be done
in behalf Of the dead man, he left the
apartment to DIR. Rodney and the house
keeper If the man felt regret, no sor-
row evinced itself upon his fixed, lmpassi-
BILE features if Joy filed his mind, not a
triumphant quiver Of the eye-lash an
val, preserved. undaunted When Mr.
Vincent had hidden his granddaughter
marry him, he had accepted the words as
though bearing no interest or Importance
to himself Or his affairs.
A deep man, then, must this new conner
be, and 50 much the reverse of what her
! Ideal had been of him, formed from Cecil
Dares letters, that Bella Rodney had,
more than once, referred to that bold, i'm
pertinent admiration he had displayed at
ther first meeting, as totally foreign to Mr.
Vivian's nature as depicted by her former
atfianced husband.
dangerous man, too, was this Sidney
ney Vivian, for the Geld, hard contempt
which lurked around those cruel lips, pro.
claimed a nature, cunning and quick tc
conceive and execute. Surely and verify
was he the exact reverse Of that Sidney
Mivian, who had won the ardent friend
ship of the lost Cecil Dare.
Mr.. Vivian coolly surveyed the scenery
around him, and then, walking down tn,
graveled path, which led to the gate, en-