Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-24

NO. 226.

| II never ne3fu any ore Spelh u Soou
word for my uncle before | replied in
surprise. "But am bound to takc your
testimony, Miss Leigh, and am heartily
glad to hear that one human being is able
to say he was generous and kind"
Perhaps people have judged him too
hastily" she said gently. "ae had had a
heavy trial in his early life. and it soured
and embittered his after years. 1t must be
terrible thing to trust any one so utterly
rs he trusted-to love any one so faithfully
as he loved, and then find that trust and
love betrayed"
WAS there such a romance in his hfe 9'
| asked. with momentary surprise at the
girls troubled, earnest tones. II knew
nothing of it."
ale told me ALL" she said. with u
heavy sigh. as she bent her fair, sweet
tace over the violets IL her hand. ''It
was sad story, MIR. Graham; is it any
wonder that all conld do did do for his
sake and for his happiness. when knew
that that happiness had been wantonly
wrecked by the ialthlessness of my own
mother?''
"You-you mean"
1 Il mean that she won his neart. and
then cast it aside rs child would throw
away broken toy. mean that she did
him the greatest wrong a woman can do
man. | mean that in spite of the wrong
and the suffering il cost him. he yet for
gave her and bctrended her child when,
but tor his charity. she would have been
east on the worlds mercy, utterly desti-
tutc and frendless."
The passionate. earnest words were
half choked by sob, | felt for her agi
tation and kept silence. Presently she
recovered herself by strong effort.
1--WE are close to the house now," she
said, turning to me; 81 know need not
ask you to respect my confidence. | wculd
not have told you this had your uncle not
expressly wished me 10 do so. He said
You would know his reasons when You
heard his will"
"All you have said will be sacred TO
me-" was my earnest rejoinder.
Then good bye" she said, with the
rare sweet smile had only once seen on
her lips. and held out her hand 10 me.
II shall see you again surely" cried
eagerly. as my fingers closed ON those
white and slender ones extended to me.
mo, not till tomorrow" she answered
quickly. IL do not come down stairs.
Lady Helen does not wish it,
smothercd down some hasty and de-
v
specting Lady Helen. but Sylvia shook
her pretty golden head rebukingly, and
passed up the gloomy hall and winding
staircase. vanishing from my sight like a
sunbeam. That day saw her no more.
1t was by no means pleasant day that
| passed. The shadow of death brooded
heavily over the household. Tho two old
maids arrived and dissolved into tears,
and then rs suddenly revived in the pre-
sence OF Mrs. Clayton, with whom they
were on terms of deadly enmity. Then
the whole trio united in being specially
disagreeable to me. and gave vent to ma
licious insinuations regarding fortune
hunters and toadies. Lady Helen kept TO
her own room, and did not favor us with
her presence at all
went out in the park again in the al
ternoon, and wished Sylvia was there to
keep me company. | visited the spot
where | saw her in the morning, and was
conscious that the glade was divcsted of
some special charm that it possessed then.
| had never thought much about women
hitherto, certainly never cared whether
, met the same one twice or not, but ! felt
that my thoughts were always returning
to my companion of the morning.
How sweet and fair she looked" |
thought, land something better even than
her beauty is that honest, truthful light in
her clear soft eyes. A gill one could
trust and love passing well is Sylvia.
Heigho. | suppose when | 90 away
from here shall never see her again. I
hope my uncle has left her well or II is
n said lot to be so fricndlcss rs she seems.
wonder if Lady Helen is unkind to her?
| almost fancy she is
Then strolled homeward in the pale
spring twilight, concious, for the first
time in my life, that the prospect OF my
not seeing woman again was able to
produce serious uneasiness within my
hitherto untroubled heart.
CHPTER III.
The funeral was over.
1t had been gorgeous enough pageant
and largely attended We were all back
at Silverdesne now, and assembled in the
great drawing-room to hear the will read.
The fussy. pompous, family lawyer was
full Of the importance of his position. He
sat ut the table, parchment in hand,
awaiting the arrival of the widow. When
she entered every eye tnrned on her.
Calm, stately, rcgal-looking AS any queen,
she sailed through the room, looking even
more beautiful in her widows dress than
| had thought her before. She leant Oh
the arm of tall, thin, sharp featured,
elderly looking man, ii man at whom Mr..
Dollerten, the lawyer, darted a suspicious
glance. Just before Lady Helen seated
herself she looked calmly around on the
assembled circle, then with courteous
wave Of her hand, introduced the stranger
thus:
"Mr. Hanway-my solicitor"
Mr.. Dollerten bristled up. The indi-
vidual in question bowed gravely and
profoundly. Then we seated ourselves
again. and once more feasted my ewes
on Sylvia's fiower-like beauty, and paid
but little attention to the formal monoto-
nous phrases falling from the LAWYERS
lips. Yet something at last collected my
scattered thoughts and brought me back
to the business of the moment
Was it the sound OF Sylvia's name. or
the burning blush on Sylvia's chcekp
was not quite sure which at first. looked
away from the girls embarrassed face
and gave my attention to the lawyer
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