The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-07-11
flung open the door, next to nv

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l flung open the door, next to my
writing desk, and came back to him.
These l will give you freely" said,
opening the roll of notes. "You said
to her that it should be the last time,
and hope"
He had taken the notes into his hand.
looking at them in kind of unbeliey-
ing way.
You may hope that you have saved
me" he said, i'll low voice.
We were silent for moment.
you know now that l was very
sorry for you,' l said, with. tears in my
eyes.
Yes" he said, gravely; and love
you Tor it,"
He put Mrs. Maltby's money back
and rearranged the chest. l began to
listen, nervously, for voices about the
house; but all was very still. He
locked the chest and gave me the kew.
You know where it is kept?"
| Yes; in drawer in her dressing
room" wondered how he had OBJ
tanned it. Hasten, and get away!"
There is no danger; made my way
hither carefully. Pure, brave little
girl, how fearless you are for your
self"
He looked at me earnestly, as if he
wished to carry away o clear memory of
my features; then he wrapped his cloak
about him, flung up the sash and leaped
soundlessly out in the darkness. l ex-
tinguished the taper, and crept back to
bed. i did not hear sound about the
house until daybreak.
When l arose 1 saw the dirk knife
glittering in the sunshine near my
writing desk where had lain it. Then
l shuddered.
A year later I was the mistress of
Redburn; the beautiful house, the spa
cious grounds were all mine. Mrs.
Maltby had died and bequeathed them
to me.
On her dying bed she said, "Violet,
you ere my heiress. There is only one
living being who has my blood in his
veins; him l disown." She paused,
and then went on: you have seen my
brother. 1 loved him; was ambitious
for him, but his natural bent was evil.
We had cousin, Flora, child, who
engaged to be married. But 1 forbade
it. l revealed to her his dissipation. l
told her of his debts and deeds of dar-
ing. 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 defaulter. He had
stolen money to pay his gambling
debts. He is probably lying in jail
now; but will have none of him. l
was just to him, and will never forgive
him."
So she died, hard as flint to the last
And was mistress of Redburn.
was young. was fond of gayety. |
l had now the means at my disposal. |
Every summer my house was filed with |
guests. In the winter l was in London
or abroad. And yet lived only on the |
interest of the money bestowed upon
me.
Three years passed. I had never
heard word of Guy Sedley, when, one
day, the Bromleys of London, who were
coming to visit me, asked leave to bring
a friend; l extended the solicited invi-
tation, and Guy Sedley came. 1t was
shock, but he gave no token of the past.
Reclaimed from his errors, he was so re-
fined and manly that he was the most
of my guests.
1 loved him-but 1 thought, "He
must hate me, the usurper of his rights.
He is poor because L have bis patri.
mony. L have no right to Redburn.
ard l will not keep it. I will give it
back to him."
An opportunity came. He was sit
ing on the terrace one bright evening.
went and took a seat near him.
How lovely this view isl" he ex-
claimed, pointing toward the distant
nils.
"Yes, and you shall wish for your
light no longer, Mr.. Sedley. Redburn
8 yours. 1 have no claim to it," He
lid not speak, and went on: "Your
lister was just. And she would have
made you the heir if she had lived to
ee you what you are to-day"
But it was your mercy, not her JUS
ice, Miss Sedley, that saved me. Vic
ct, l love you, and will take Redburn
nth your hand, not else."
l put my hand in his, trusting him,
owing him utterly, and proud, very
roud, to make him the master of Red
urn. Nor have ever regretted it.