Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-07-12

Dom reached, her guide once more bid. |
ling her welcome aud offering her any
stistanco she might require, ailer a few
minutes left her TO herself.
Nora looked doubthllly at the closing
loor. That proiIrred assistance might
AVE been very acceptable; for she did
lot know the use Of half the costly trifles
lbout her, and she would almost sooner
ave died than betrayed her Ignorance TO
his self-possessed, graceful young lady.
With heavier heart than she could have
believed possible on this first day of her
bright new life, she made a hasty yet
toilet, and then, half afraid TO
20 down, waited uncomfortably for the
Inner bell, beguiling the interval with
who Miss Lamarque might
be- and why she was there. And while
she waits II may be as well 10 explain
what she learned later.
Aida LamaIque was the niece of the
late Mr.. WateIston, whose sister, in mar
rying a foreigner, had so displeased him |
that he had never forgiven her, even |
when the match, justlfying his predic-
tiOns, had brought her to trouble and |
want. But when the child, by sudden |
stroke, was lett quite alone in the world, |
he had taken her to his house, where she |
had been reared TO every luxury aud ac-
and regarded as his |
adopted daughter and future heiress. At
his death, however, Aida, by n will exc
cuted only q few weeks previous, was
found TO have but "A slight provision, al
most the whole large property falling to
a distant relative, namely, Nora Silbec,
whom he had left under the guardianship
Of his old friend Judge Jaynes. There
was aleO an unfinished letter TO the
Judge, containing certain private mat
ters, but nothing to explain what truly
secmSd an inexplicable action. Mr..
Waterston, by no means unkind at heart,
was a man of imperious temper and sim
gularly obstinate prejudices, TO which he
doubtless owed much of the disappOlnt-
ment that had embittered bis life; but
he was not given to act on unreasonable
impulses, such as this, without the
slightest apparent clew. IT Ida La
marque might possibly have furnished
one, no one guessed thati possessing
something of her uncle's tenacity Of pur-
pose, with a still pride of her own, she
held her peace now, both as to the past
and the future. IL was long-standng
provision that, In case Of her being left
alone, she should go 10 Judge Jaynes',
and she had quietly acquiesced, without
seeming to rebel, as he had half feared
in her first recruitment she might do,
against any arrangement of her uncle'e.
In truth, that kindly shelter suited very
well with the schemes of Independence
already projected in her brain, the resolve
| to train her hitherto useless accomplish
men.s to her aid, aud then, throwing
aside the money her uncle had prOpOr-
toned ont to her, only because he could
not, for very shame, leave her utterly
penniless, 20 into the battle Of life 10
light for herself. For this end she was
silently working day and night,
Naturally she could not be indifferent
10 this sudden reverse Of fortune but, to
do her Justice, she felt the material los;
far less than the uukindness which bad
caused it, and was quite free from tn,
narrow Injustice of revenging the blow
dealt her on one who was merely its in
noeent in.trument. But Nora did mol
apl eAl to her nature-nOt widely sym
pathetic One-and the two girls haf
really 20 little In common that their dali!
intercourse did not, as their guardian
had hOped, draw them closer together
The fault was not Nora's, who had al
uubonnded though secret admiration fo
her new companion, and would hav
been glad to get nearer % her, but sh
did not at ali know how to do this, auf
her very first attempt was so unlucky IA
, only to widen the distance.
7 1t was the consequence, indirectly, q
= a call which she received one morning I
! the Judges study. He was bending
' perplexed face over some papers on hi
D writing table, from which he looked u
s to give her seat, and then entered at one
8 on his subject.
= "You remember, perhaps, my dea
p, Nora, my alluding TO certain privai
, condition. rather injunction --attache
4 10 your late relatives will IL was n'
U of a nature TO be entrusted to lettei
I and, indeed, up to tins time, there ha
been no Necessity for moving AT all
d the matter; but you are now about to me-
the-the person, together with yOursel
10 most nearly concerned, so further della
|. would be inadvsable. II Is rather n Dc
n icate subject TO discuss perhaps the be
e thing would be for you TO take this pap
y and read 1t over by yOurself-particular
4 as the question Is one which no one ca
= decide for YOU" He hesltated then 7
Z sumeG $50 far as my advice goes,
u may say that ii would give me very gre
d satisnactlOn not less for your own sal
4 than for his to see my old friends Ia
/. wish fulfilled; but beyond that ] shou
Il not do right TO interfere" lie then gay
1, her folded paper, adding ''lt Is unil
10 ished-Mr. Waterston's death was Ve
sudden-but, as you viii perceive, th
We portion relating To yourself Is fu'ly q
le pressed" u.,o an,
o. opened the letter directly on reachl
foil
ut "My dear Judge JaYnes; have be
ng feeling my in1rmity very strongly
nc late \: no man knows the hour OF his su
Sc mons and something urges me not
postpone, even to another day, wha'
m have to say to you. You will see
et- reading my will, that / have left
rs heiress and her Interests entirely in yo
We hands. but now ! would claim somethi
ed more of YOU, my old friend. You
III stand. as II were, In fathers place
en ward her; use fathers intueace, sol
ul- thing of a fathers authority II need
tly for her own good. lam no tyrant 10 81
in to force her inclinations but how sho
ie1 a capricious girl OF eighteen know her
'ed mind | am certain that a marriage "
my Adrian Glare will secure her best nal
ow ness, while accomplishing the one de
sy, remaining to my life--a desire so str
out that l believe l shall rest the better
red nv grave for Its fulhllment. l DO
to make il a condition of Inheritance, 4
lne fear that would only rouse her pridl
.ted defeat me, but implOre her not To
ap- the last wish of II life that, from be-
the ming TO close, has had little else thau
appointlnent, and 1 entreat YOU
rely friend. to do all that is in your powe
.rce further this end.
ook 81 do not need to tell you why
ei 40 ANXIOUS to benefit Adrian Clare
ohs aud | were young tsgether, ana
uch know the whole story YOU eau see,
ven do. the dead live over again IN hllil'
tne ofnO use thinking now whose was the
hn that has so long been past mendlh
ne this world-enOush that the boy C
that not be dearer 10 me If he were my
lore I might have made him my heir, peru
leeu hut i have too strong II feeling asl
l. SO any other disposition OF my pro-
most than the present. have made one
attempt already, and conscience VIII
Is 70 suffer it. But this marriage VIII reeo
my all difficulties he is man to maxi
Mr.. girl happy and she, in sp te Of
tno o Here the letter broke of. Death
80 surprised tue faltering hand belu
~ couid finish that little sentenoe-witl
lieh, stroke nAu s"ep' n,,ce ,us.n ont or which
no voice to plead or to reproaeh'
!" " Nora sat thinsing In u hutter o.
lhd, scarf that had a strange pang AZ lh
u, She could not have analyze'
y teI, feelings, yet somehow the thought !,
call ,'"ns,lective commanded lover man'
pora p'oo res,,v 70 cry than smile. Wh'
dear more snn. d',sn,.d rvsn and Ida Lamarque
ling, door opehee To her such an u
will IN, NORA iaiae. lnnk that Lid