New-York tribune., 1878-07-08
A NAMELESS SIN.
by BERTHA NJ. CLAY
avthor Of -Thrown on the World" "A Bitter Atone
meut" and Love Works Wonders"
=, ,ro. . terr;h,e temptation |


ne had been placed upon finger less than six
months before by owen Roden, poor gardener yet as
noble specimen Of manhood as ever breathed IL,
Now husband, hOnOr-everythng that true WIG
nSS ,dear@were all forgotten by the ambitious wife
when the tempter pictured to her hic OF ease ana
TS Itemp,er sat before her her humble home aud
told strange story Of missing heircss MI Rodway;
she temnter eldefy man, with spare hgure ana
shrewd face from which sparkled keen black eyes;
During his interview with her LAZY Cardn the Tlie SI
cottage and in naughty fmperOus manner haa @ cOm'
Toandei Laure IsOden to perform some menal service
Lady Cardins manner was SO unheetssay @ t Tun % Hst
me young wife almost stung into resentment yet
she held pride in check and While her race was
flushed with shame. she hastily brushed the dirt from
LADY Cardin's rding-habit. -, =, -,
and when Lady Cardn had ridden away from the
cottage he felt sure that he would succeed in his pur
You have told me that my mother the descend
sps Of a noble family, ana that am the helress 10
Trincey fortune" said the young wife. - Prove ""
You viii not find my story unnteresting" said MI.
c fbe marGuis-Jean Baptise dc Bourbon OF the
ancient peers France-was banisled from the kug-
dom his estates connscated. he himself ruined man;
he earned some KIND of living here in England by teach
ing languages: here also in England he married quite
young English girl who died when her only son was
born This son grew no, married in England-married
poor unlettered, county girl, who had two chirena
boy and grlfolOw me patenty-the girl disappeared
married some young man account; the sou was re-
stored TO the title and estates Of his ancestors But e
the present Marquis de Bourbon refused either 10 ye or
trust country so cke ae fair Francs ne sofa ms
estates, keeping only the old Chateau 9e b9urao ana ne
purchased Fernholme Abhey, where he llyes now. ~
proved he most fortunate purchase for hm; ran
way
OF the land aud In remote corner was IOuhu one u" @
valuable coal mines in England; SO that Inc lnai
e tried in every way 10 find his sister but could not
the only thing known OF her was that she married aud
and he was writing1naster lie died in London, and
hs widow with little girl, went away After three
ioand her grave and her living child; your mothers
name was Augusta de Bourbon you are her daughter
and the niece OF the Marquis de Bourbon
Did my mother know VINO she was Z" asked Laure.
81 think not; there was no hope no Thought, when
oh Of eve
and hOnOrs. She called Miss BurdOn-people dd
not even know her right name; certainly JOhn Knowles
the writng gmaster who married her, did not know"
She spoke TO Inc OF France or the Dc B0urdohs
Il cannot remember one word You must De right-she
knew nothing of it."
Mr. Roadway continued:
'Tbe present marquis married peers daughter, who
died few years atterward, leaving him son and
daughter BY strang fatality. they are both dead, and
H. h his l9rge fortune, his grand estates and ancient
titlus ba neither heir nor heiress He dd all that was
possblc order find out il his sister had left any
children and after having tired in vain for some years
three years ago BE placed the matter In my hands wl
6e quite frank with YOU ana tell you an that hapPen9%H %
PourdOns child and take her TO him. but to this there
are certain conditions The marquis told me distinctly
that found his niece and iound her married was TO
leave her she washe would ind some other heir or
sbe wonId be- / was TO make arrangements for taking
her to him at once. Your name he knowsis Knowles;
but you become his adopted heiress, you VIII
be Lady dc Bourbon"
"HOw old is my uncle" l" Laure asked, with brighten
ing eyes: .ovor, rAere ros ou,te tyeptv wears,
difference between your netaer apd your uncle he was
man almost when his was born She as brought
up in the greatest poverty anS % ran away w TIE VIII"
Then he never knew her I" said Laure.
Hardly. lie remembers her as a little child; but
when into possession Of his fortune, all trace OF
her was quite lost Yet | have traced your mo her
through ali her wauderngs. TO each town. until finally
she settled down little cottage here at Rosethorpe
Can you tell me how she lived here :"
"a II hardly to be called living" she cried with
sudden passion; sometimes we had bread to eat, and
sometimes My mother kept little school then,
sometimes she found plain sewing to do. We were often
hungry and often cold until God raised us up friend
whO-who helped us"
"A friend !" he repeated.
Her beautiful face flushed hotly, her lips trembled, as
Yes friend the truest and best we were lonely.
pennless and iuendless he was friend such as few
Again she hid most carefully the hand on which her
Wedding-ring shOne
"why should he whether am married not"
she asked after short pause.
married peasant GIRL your mother married poor man
OF common origin; he believes honestly that a Few
such marriages aud the whole will deerOrae. You
spoke OF friend who had been Kind 10 yOu AIN quite
sure that If the marquis knew OF any one who had shown
either to your mother any attention cOnsldera
uou, ne would DO anything to further his interests In
life. know that having lived long, rhaps in this
htteprety village you have naturally love it;
you have made friends here attached to the place
for you TO decide whether the future win pay you for
giving up the present; OF tst yOu and you alone,
judge. IL is future that falls TO the lot OF few, You
will be rich beautiful hODOred and feted; will have
money and jewels, servants carriages horses dresses
everything that womans heart can desire-everythng
that can make life bright You have TO think whether
this Will suit yOu OF whether you prefer your life as 1t
A smile OF something like col apt passed over her
face " You know that hate my life isl said.
"I do not kDOw-I purpOsey refrain from asking any
questions lest the marquis in mis- turn should ques
the lady who the just now you occupy an
inferior position-one should full OF humiliation TO
you Will change this for of honor and rank where
men and women will bow to you"
81 cannot decidei she cried, with sudden passion
"1Ou Will when you have TO reflect; when your judg-
ment is COOL yourself calm 1 shall take no answer un
There is one other thing" continued Mr. Rodway
"that had almost forgotten yet is most important
The marquis wishes you to keep all this profound
cret lac fluids you all that he hopes do he wl take
you abroad for some time, then bring you back TO
England and introduce you his and heress; he
urges you to keep all your story secret you must not
mention 70 any creature living what have told you
leaving this place you must leave everythng-yOu
asrst9nd me-eyerything; you must give up home,
SetsT S 40 % you must ye up your old life as COM
q" You need not decide nOw," he said, after pause
sy nave ave pieny OF tlme You know the little town Of
answer; @ You win have had Time to decide by then"
NO." he replied; " would much rather not have
great respect for the old house Of Bourbon and do
not like 10 near its heiress spoken by woman much
her inferior, as though she we're her servant"
:. But Lady Cardm seldom comes here" she inter
=" yogld rather you come to me at saltl, Miss
Then he smiled to himself crafty cunning SMILE as
once more the young girl hid her weddiDgring.
Once more she stood in the little kitchen alone-the
stranger had gone. She drew chair TO the table, and
biaing her face IN her hands, sat down to think.
Was II possible that all this could be truel Only q
few short hours ago. and she had woke to the usual
round OF day labor without thought that time could
Grange nef destiny, wthOuta thought that before the
sun SCI her whole life would be TevOutOnized. How
long she sat there she never knew she reused by
loving touch on her shoulder,
,d1 Lagre," said ! her husband, Owen Roden, have
never seen you SIT thinking before, my little WIFE
go 10 ROsetnOrpe this afternoon" ~
Dinner l aln 50 sorry, owen" she said. 81 quite
iS5s0t ~ Bnt wlu get something ready for you
snort time tnat you will know that you had 10
wait" she replied.
There IN the same little kitchen, where she had lust
heAo NAT she was the lawful heress OF great peer she