The Morning herald., 1877-10-06

two, and no young lover, sufficiently Wea1-
thy to satisfy her cravings, had presented
himself, she had accepted, without hesita-
ton, an old one, who had solicited her
hand.
| She was married and widow in little
| more than d year.
Martin Came!ford. the old man who be-
came Augasta's HUSBAND, was a widower,
with an only son, who quilted his father
with disgust, as soon as thls preposterous
union had taken place.
| Martin Calneltord had possessed more
than one large estate, and all were settled on
| Augusta before the day Of her union 1t was
the condition OH which she gave her hand
TO her aged suitor.
Once his wife, she soon worried and tor
mented the old man to his grave.
But fortnight before he died, old Mar
tin Camelford muttered forth to his young
wife: 81 am about to die, and you will have
pcen the cause Of my death! r.
A cynical and derisive smile was Angus
ta's only reply.
awe have been, botk Of us, too cunning,
far too cunning, even for ourselves !!
"What is it you mean" his wife asked,
quickly.
But Martin Camelfurd jabbered on, not
hearing, or not needing the question.
eyes, we have been too cunning, not only
for each other, but for ourselves likewise
nv punishment first arrives" the old man
continued. Il an about 70 die, as the pen;
alty Of my duplicity. Your chastisement
will reach you soon as am in my tomb.
and twill be real torture to you; yes,
terrible torture for all your life to come !"
"What is it you mean, I say? Tell me
I will knowv' Augusta sternly said, as she
advanced N enacingl y towards her husbands
couch.
But Martin Camelford would not answer
her. He lay and chuckled quietly, and
slavered, and peeped at her, from out the
corners of his eyes, with very peculiar ex-
preston, which, though not then, she soon
after most fully understood.
"Whon l am gone will commence your
punishment p old Martin Canelford again
FILTERED forth, and scarce an hour ere he
died.
"Will your miserable ghost haunt me ?"
nneered Augusta. "Well, let it come. /
could endure that better than your living
presence p
"By something far more terrible will
you, through all your life, be haunted +"
These were the old mans last words, and
the sound Of them continued to ring in Au-
custa's cars long after the power OF speech
had for ever forsaken him who had spoken
them.
Martin Camelford's son had heard nothing
Of his fathers illness, and knew not OF his
death until fully q month after the old
mans body had been placed within the
family vault.
His father Dead and his fathers widow
in possession Of the family estates, WAS what
young Cslmclford found on his return to the
home he had before, and Of his own free
will, abandoned.
But he bore it all amazingly well; he
could not be expected to regret his father
very deeply; while concerning the estates
Well The lost no time in seeking out his
fathers young widow, and she, on learning
whom he was, deigned to say, but in q
gomewhat cold and naughty manner, and
With most transparent insincerity, that If
she could be of any service to him in the
future, she would be very happy, to which
young Gerald Camelford replied:
81 shall never trouble you in the future,
madam, but you can do me a slight favour
in the present"
"And what is that, pray you?" Augusta
carelessly demanded.
"Simply to terminate your usurpatlon OF
estates which rightfully belong to me"
said Gerald.
81 am sorry that cannot oblige you"
sneered the widow "since they have been
legally bequeathed to me by your father
"Most illegally, madam and you have
been his dupe!
Augusta started, and turned pale She
had begun to comprehend the meaning Of
that threat which, when spoken, she had so
scorned-had sighted as the raving Of q
wandering mind She was about to learn
how lucid had been her husbands speech.
"My father had no power to ALLEVIATE the
estates from me, his only son. and only pos
| sible hJir," Gerald resumed. CAS- soon, l
may not say to your satisfaction, l will
prove to you. And the young man appear
ed to draw delight from her discontinue.
Lawyers came--documents were produced,
and the cheated Augusta was soon compel-
| ed to acknowledge that she could claim nei-
ther an acre Of ground nor single tree Of
| the several thousands OF both; she could not
even demand to dwell within the mansion
nothing had she the power longer to hold,
save the few hundred pounds Of which, dur
ing her brief marriage, she had obtained
possession.
Gerald made no pretence Of pity for her,
as she stood, painting and foaming, with
useless rage, her whole aspect that OF baf-
fled fury.
When left alone with no eve to paze nm.
on her 6ortures, she tore her hair, and raved
in perfect madness to know herself SO
duped, so degraded-to have sold herself to
t:lat old man for that which now had come
to her; to know that all her willy scheming,