The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-01
ONE FARTH1NG DAMAGES.


lack Of material light, four persons
were gathered round a bed, on which
lay man, bearing on his face the I'M
mistakable signs of the summons which
none can refuse to answer. A weeping
girl kuelt by the bedside, her head
bent over the nerveless hand which lay
on the coverlet, and which she held as
il by that convulsive grasp she could
hold her father still to life. At a table
covered with papers and writing ma
terials, sat the dying mans solicitor
who was engaged in the preparation of
his will.
"What names shall l insert as trus-
tees!' he said, ''you should have at
least two"
The dying man paused ere he replied
with an effort:
"Geoffrey Howard, Major 111th,
friend"
I'm that case may l venture to offer
my humble services, subject to the
usual proviso. should be delighted
to be useful to Miss Hope !; and if your
friend is abroad there may be difficult
ies.''
'True, Slythorpe, thank you.
Make yourself trustee, then. with
Major Howard. Legacy-f200 for
your trouble
NAY, my dear sir, quite unnecessary.
really
But again the ready pen travelled
over the paper and quarter OF an
hour later Mr.. Slythorpe announced
that the document was ready for exc
cution, and in low, mechanical mon.
otone read over its provisions.
Eyes that will do. Give me the
pen," he said: and with a shaking
hand affixed his signature. "Thank
God. that's safe - he gasped. "Mary.
my child, you and Geoffrey-you and
Geoffrey! What was saying God
bless you, my darling! God bless
These were the last words that Ber-
nard Hope ever spoke.
A year had passed away since Ber-
nard Hopes death, and Mary still re-
NAMED an inmate of the house OF Mrs.
Murgatroyd, the good woman whom
we had seen in attendance at her faith
er's last illness, and who, to her 0cca-
siOnal occupation as nurse, added the
more permanent one OF letting lodg.
gings. Mary's sweet face and gentle
manner had quite won the heart of her
good.natured landlady, who was un.
. ceasing in her endeavOrs to so0the her
grief and minister to her comforts. But
she had another trouble-none the less
hard to bear that it was one in which
she could have few c0n6dantes. Maj.
Howard, of whom mention has already
been made, was not only her father 3
most valued friend, but had insenslbly
grown very dear to herself, and when
six months before Bernard Hopes
death, he was summoned with his reg.
iment to India, he left Mary his prom.
Used bride. Twice he had written
within the 6rst few weeks of his de.
parture, since which time there had
been terrible silence, and in the same
week which had left Mary fatherless,
. second blow fell upon her. The ll1th
had been engaged in a smart skirmish,
tho number Of dead and wounded being
considerable. Maj. Godfrey Howard
was reported among the fallen, and
Mary had to mourn at once her lover
and her father.
The death of Maj. Howard left Mr..
SlythorPe sole trustee of Mr.. Hopes
will. This to Mary was a matter OF
tho most perfect Indifference. Sus'
pecting evil of no one, she was as will.
ing that her little fortune, amounting
: to some Ave or six thousand pounds,
should rest in MIR. Slythorpe's hands a.
In those Of any other person. But OF
late tho attorney had begun to perse
cute her with attentions which. under
q existing circumstances, would have
been distasteful from anyone, but were
doubly 20 from q person whom she
could not help regarding with an in
stincttvo dislike. And in truth Mr.
Slythorpe was not precisely the person
to win fair lady's fancy. Undersiz
ed, high-shouldered, with blinking
al lashlese eyes, and general angularity
not to ray knobbiness, Of feature, h,
might have been expected to rise 81
peIi0r to any weakness to personal ap
pearance, but such was by no mean,
tho case. Mr.. Slythorpe one morning
knocked at Mrs. Murgatroyd's door
That good lady WA at the moment en-
gagged In busting Miss Hope room, ant
: catching sight OF his approach, ex
8 claimed:
"There's that nasty, worriting law
yer again, l do declare. Slythorpe, in
q deed! I'D Slythorpe him u
HI It would be hopeless to endeavor K
express on paper the intensity Of