Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-10-07
GREED OF GOLD.

"Is this you. GipsyP"
The slight girl turned her roseate face,
with glad, involuntary cry.
Eyes, it is |, Cesare. Did you think
it was water-nymph?"
But the gay tongue tripped, and the
roseate bloom rose up to the ripples OF
brown hair which shaded Veta Rane's
pretty forehead.
Cesare D'Areil saw and understood,
and drew the dripping girl under his
umbrella with the proud imperiousness
of possession. The satisfied and happy
look was far more becoming to his
splendid beauty than the usual sneer and
frown his perfect features wore.
Of italian parentage, his American
birth had done little toward reconciling
him to poverty in this land of great
probabilities.
He was music-teacher in the little
town of Oakborough, and Veta Rane,
an orphan girl, had been his sweetheart
from child. The most careless OBJ
server could read, as he IAN, that Cesare
D'Arcil, this young man of singular
beauty, luxuriant and cynical, the step
son of the richest man in town, was all
the world to her.
Il thought should get home before
the shower came," laughed Veta, happy
on his arm under the sheltering um
brella. You see what a wretehed
guesser am y the raindrops spark ling
on the long eyelashes.
But already the cloud of discomfort
had gloom3 ed Cesare's dark eyes. Veta,
Gathering on, saw in a moment that his
mind was far away from her. Her mo-
bile face became shadoWed, her silvery
tongue silent, as they walked rapidly
down the green country road in the pelt-
ing summer rain.
"Has Doctor D'Alem bert's funeral
yet taken place. Cesare?" she asked, at
length.
Yes, aud The will read"
And youP" she asked, quickly.
Sc am left out in the cold, of course. d"
he answered, with short, unmusical
laugh.
She murmured a word of sympathy.
"Oh, am not in the least disappoint-
ed. Gipsy. There was never any love
lost between my stepfather and my
self"
"And Doctor D'Alembert's great
wealth is left to-"
His son Ignace, of course. Fortu-
nately for the ducats. He won't make
ducks and brakes of them, as l would
He is n very fine young man, isn't
hep" ventured Veta, timidly; but Ce-
sare did not hear.
There was a proviso that the inher-
itance Of tie Roses, etc., depended on
Ignace marrying Miss Wayne within q
year; otherwise the property reverted
to me. But thatis nothing. OF course,
1gnace will marry Mabyn."
Gipsys brown eyes dilated, but her
tongue hesitated to express her sur
prise.
"Do you know herP"
Z" Mabyn Wayne? Yes"
Is she goodP Is she pretty?"
"She is an angel, and very beauti-
fuI."
The brown eyes, raised with an in
stant's penetration, sought the ground
again.
Cesare was too cool and careless to be
in love with Miss Wayne himself,
whomsoever might be. That was not
what called up his bone of discomfort.
But in the hillside farmhouse, whose
comfort and quaintness pleased him, he
found temporary balm for his woes
The sweetest and most innocent girl in
the world loved him-was his slave.
The great youth and tender beauty, the
mime traits of Veta Rane suited him
perfectly. Unlike him, she was not
ambitious, had no quarrel with fate,
since she might love and be loved, and
something of her happy content banished
his unrest that evening.
You are necessary to me, Gipsy," he
said, snatehing her suddenly to his
breast. = am never so good or happy
as when with you."
And with woman's devotion, she
responded, in her utter happiness:
And | will never fail you, Cesare. l
never can be anything but what l am,
you know"
Yet at that moment the future seemed
not bright, but vaguely ominous, to
both.
Cesare Darrell walked back to town
by moonlight. Leaving behind him at
last the long road of glittering vines and
dripping tree-boughs, he reached the
large silent house and suit of rooms he
called home.
1t had been years since the Roses had
been his home. Hehad been part of the
unhappiness which his handsome Ital-
ian mother had caused there.
She hated her husbands son, and, in
return, Doctor D'Alembert hated hers
A prudent and just man, he held the
most decided disapproval Of his step
sons hauteur, extravaganza and selfish
ness, and gave him 10 part in his plans
for the future.
His own hoy was gentle, frank, gen
erous, with self-possessed, deferential
manners, which made him ever master
of the situation; and for years before
Theresa died he had determined thai
Ignaee only should inherit at the Roses
She OWNED this, and actually died in s
fit of passion Long before that the
doctor had planned another mistress fol
the Roses.
Mabyn Wayne was the daughter o