Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-05-12
We were silent for a moment.

We were silent tor moment.
"You know now that / was very
sorry for you," said, with tears IN
my eyes.
eyes," he said, gravely; "and I
love you for it"
He put Mrs. Maltby's money back
and re-arranged the chest. / began
to listen, nervously, for voices about
the house; but all was very still. He
locked the chest and gave me the
key.
"You know where it is kept"
eyes; in drawer in her dressing
room.' l wondered how he had
obtained it. "Hasten and get away"
''There is no danger; I made my
way hither carefully. Pure, brave
little girl, how fearless you are for
yourself"
He looked at me earnestly, as if he
wished to carry away a clear memory
OF my features; then he wrapped his
cloak about him, flung up the sash,
and leapt soundlessly out into the
darkness. l extinguished the taper,
and crept back to bed. 1 did not
hear a sound about the house until
daybreak..
When | arose | saw the dirk-knife
glittering IN the sunshine near my
writing-desk where I had laid it
Then shuddered
A year later was the mistress of
Redburn; the beautiful house, the
spacious grounds were all mine
Mrs. Maltby had died and bequeathed
them to me.
On her dying bed she sad, "Violet,
you are my heiress. There is only
one living being who has my blood
in his veins; him I dlsown." She
paused and then went on: "You
have seen my brother. l loved him;
I was ambitious for him, but his nat
ural bent was evil. We had cousin
Flora, child, who was brought up
with him. They were engaged to be
married. But l forbade it. 1 re-
vealed to her his dissipation. l told
her of his debts and deeds of daring.
She loved him, she trusted him,-but
she was delicate, and died. He says
1 killed her."
She grew pale, even past her dying
pallor. She went on, "When | saw
HIM last, the officers of justice were
after him; he was a defaultcr He
had stolen money to pay his gambling
debts. He is probably lying in jail
now; but | will have none of him.
1 was just to him, and l will never
forgive him."
So she died, hard as q flint to the
last. And l was mistress of Red
burn.
Twas young. Twas fond of ga1ety.
l had now the means at my disposal
Every summer my house was filled
with guests. In the winter | was in
London OF abroad. And vet | lived
only on the interest of the money
bestoyed upon me.
Three years passed. l had never
heard a word of Guy Sedley, when,
one day, the Bromleys, of London,
who were coming to visit me, asked
leave to bring friend. | extended
the solicited invitation, and Guy Sed-
ley came. 1t was shock; but he
gave no token of thepast. Reclaimed
from his errors, he was SO refined and
manly that he was the most distin-
guished of my guests.
/ loved him, but / thought, He
must hate me, the usurper of his
rights. He is poor because | have
his patrimony. I have no right to
Redburn, and | will not keep it. l
will give it back to him."
An opportunity came. He was sit
ting on the terrace one bright even
ing. | went and took q seat near
him.
"HIow lovely this view is," he ex-
claimed, pointing toward the distant
hills.
"Yes; and you shall wish for your
right no longer, Mr.. Sedley. Red
burn Is yours. l have no claim to
it," He did not speak, and | went
on: " Your sister was just. And
she would have made you the heir if
she had lived to see you what you are
to-day"
But it was your mercy, not her
Justice, Miss Sedley, that saved me.
Violet, | love you, and will take Red
burn with your hand, not else"
| put my hand in his, trusting him,
loving him utterly, and proud, very
proud to make him the master of
Redburn. Nor have l ever regret
ted it.