Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-15

as death. Il have sent her away"
Where? She was here Yesterday.
your charming little bridesmaid"
But the smile accompanying these
words was not pleasant to see.
She was here yesterday. But the
excitement of the day wearied you, and
you fell asleep upon the sofa. Are YOU
aware, Mr.. Melrose, that you talk in
your sleep?"
The bold eyes of Mr.. Melrose dropped
for a moment under his wife's steady
gaze, but the next moment they were
raised defiantly.
1T was scarcely gallant of me to
sleep IN your presence, my love, and |
apologize. But where have you sent
Celia?"
Il do not know. We might as well
understand each other fully now. Celia
Is away from my control entirely; her
property is i'll the hands of a new guar
dian, and | do not know, and shall not
know, where she is, unless" and the
mothers lips %quivered, "she is i'll. If
you were to kill me, | could not tell you
any more"
Kill you, What sensational stuff
are you talking? am not an assassin,
though you appear to honor me in your
thoughts by supposing So"
The rest of the breakfast was Il farce
for both; but Us Mrs. Melrose left the
dining room, a pair of half-closed, evil
eyes followed her, while a low voice
Kissed:
"Bafled this time, my lady. 1t had
best not occur again !"
Society spoke of the second marriage
of Mrs. Melrose as one of those COM
pletely congenial and happy matches
seldom see in perfection. The appear
ance of the handsome, middle-aged
couple was always a delight to their
friends, they were always SO admirably
at home in all society demands, so
pleasantly cordial to every one, so ex-
quisitely courteous to each other. 1t
was whispered that Roger Melrose's for
tune was melting very rapidly in the
hands of his successor, his wife being
too deeply in love to deny Albert any
qualification her money could purchase
for him, but no hint of this ever passed
the lips of Kate Melrose.
Nine years had almost gone, and in
two years more Celia Melrose would be
of legal age, and her guardian would
give her property into her own hands.
In all these nine years Kate Melrose had
not once looked into the face of her
idolized child, and her face had grown
wan and Pile in the weary heart sick
ness Of her hollow life.
But, one morning, standing in her
own room alone, she read a letter that
had fallen accidentally into her hands.
MIR. Melrose had dropped it upon the
floor, where a lawyers sign and a few
books represented all the business trans
acted. His boy had brought the letter
to the house, and the servant there had
handed it to Mrs. Melrose.
With a start she recognized the hand
writing. White rs a corpse, with star
ing eyes and trembling fingers she
opened and read it. Read it, to know
that all the sacrifice, the Notwithstanding
of nine years, was vain, if within a
few hours she had not met the second
great emergency of her own life and
Celia's.
She was not a woman to stand shiv-
ering and helpless when action was
called for, and in less than an hour
her carriage was once more at James
Carriers door, and she with the old
lawyer.
In Il grove Of trees not far from the
Seminary of Mount Hay, just before
dusk, upon an October evening, a fair,
beautiful girl stood talking with an
elderly man, of great personal at
traction, and with Il sweet, winning
voice. Two figures creeping softly
toward them, half hidden by the trees
and the gathering twilight. heard these
words
your mothers GOODNESS and in
difference must be proved to you, my
dear child, by nine years of exile from
your home, and by her present plan to
force you to enter convent
"Oh, mono! l have no vocation for
a nuns lifel should die, shut up for
ever in Il gloomy convent"
"Your death would please her well
She is not willing to introduce a beauti-
full child to society, but fully aware that
she must do so, if she allows her to
come home. Your mother, Celia, IS a
heartless woman of fashion, who lives
upon admiration, and she will never en-
dure a rival upon her own hearthstone.
| love you, dear child, as your uncle
and your s~tep-father. Trust yourself to
me, and / will take you to a home where
your mothers inhuman plan can never
be carried out"
At this moment an old gentleman,
with silvery hair, stepped into the
small, clear space where the two were
standing.
Celia" he said g~ravely, cit is scarce
~ seemly for you to be away from the
seminary at this hour, and with a