Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-08


teacher, Ross Brudenel, and eloped
with him, and grandfather wrote and
babe her never to come back. but
when Philip and were fatherless, my
mother came, in her great extremity,
and begged her fathers assistance.
Grandfather gave her this cottage we
have now, and allowed her small in
come with which to bring us up, but
never fSrgave her. At last lie died,
willing all his property to distant
cousin in India, who has never come
for it. The house stands empty, with
all its beautiful furniture, and the rich
fields lie fallow, while Philip barely
supports us with his small practice.
LowsEorc is q distressingly healthy
place." with faint smile.
The interior OF the house was finished
in rich foreignlwoods, the floors pol
ished like glass and laid With costly
rugs and tapestries. The furniture
was of mahogany and velvet, long
mirrors and dark paintings adorned
the walls. 1t was indeed handsome
house. speaking of almost limitless
wealth.
"There are thousands of dollars
worth of silver in the bank at Shore
borough" said Fanny, land rents &C.
cumulatinc there which will be q small
fortune in itself. But we have moth.
ing"
"How hard how cruel |" cried
Rae. 81 should not think your grand
father could rest in his grave to have
you and Philip, with all your refine
ment and culture, spending your lives
in hand to. hand scramble for bread. !"
"They say he does come back and
wander uneasily about here" said
Fannie, carefully closing shutters and
door and coming out into the sunshine.
But OF course such stories are told
OF all such places. Philip says he does
not believe q word Of it" with marked
emphasis which made Rae turn and
look at her.
But you do, Fan"
| "Twice people have tried to sleep
there and declared that grandfather
appeared to them. should not dare
to try it, for I am timorous thing at
best, and"
The intensity OF Rae's thoughts
made her quite deaf to what further
her companion was saying. This for.
tune was Philips right. No wonder
he was sad and moody and hopeless of
their marriage as he was situated and
seemed fated to continue to be.
"The will was made Immediately af-
ter mammals marriage" said Fannie,
standing under the laburnums and
looking up at the great house. Poor
mother says he told her on his death
bed that he made another will-per.
haps in her favor. But what she says
goes for little. Her state is very
strange since fever she had Just after
Philip came Of age-her talk 80 wild
and foolish-and yet she seems to I'M
derstand some things in our affairs that
We do not see till afterward.. It is al.
most uncanny to think over the strange
knowledge she has had during these
past years" and Fannie fell into q fit
of musing.
They walked back to the tiny cottage.
Rae's veins thrilled with excitement,
but Fannie went soberly about getting
tea. They kept no maid, this MOOR
disinherited family, and Rae learned
that Philips own hands titled the little
kitchen-garden while every labor of
the household was performed by Fan.
ME.
She could not sleep that night after
che had gone to her tiny bedroom.
The moonlight seemed to disturb her
and make her brain wildly active.
What influence strung her nerves for
when all was still and the night far I'D.
vanced she rose, and, dressing. donned
her warm sealskin sack and cap and
came out into the hall. She took a
bunch Of keys from theis, nail there,
and selecting one which she had seen
Fannie take, held it tightly in her slim,
white fingers a. she went out into the
night.
In the moons white light she went
steadily through the long line of
laburnums. across the tiny Kitchen
GARDEN. inse 3he hollow. Sae stood q
moment before the great still house,
listening to the roar Of the sea.
Strangely enough she did not feel
afraid. If she thought of the presence
Of an unseen spirit, It was to appeal to
1t prayerfully for help.
Another will. It must be. At least
| ~ " vuAO OV uO uAtm 70 search, ana t0AI
Is what she had come for.
| She left the hall. door wide open and
let the moonlight food the tiled hall.
Il streamed through the chinks of the
shutters, which she opened one by
one, - che fitted keys to drawers of all
kinds. The task was no light one, for
every niche was cabinet or escritoire.
But there were no papers anywhere.
Many things which must have been
the personal property of old Squire
Brudenel she found, but nowhere his
will.
"Oh. il I only could-if I only
could r. she said sadly, sand it would
restore Philip to his rights /"
Rat, tat, tat-the sound of cane on
the tiled door. Rae turned for the
first time, her eyes wide with fright.
The enthusiasm with which she had
entertained her generous purpose had
made her utterly forgetful OF herself.
Now some one was coming.
The door swung slowly on its tar
nished silver hinges. A quaint, bent
little figure, leaning on q cane, ad-
vanced into the room and paused be-
side handsome carved armchair