The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-10-28

90 yoa kpou ihAt ! might change ny
miBd at the last moment and destroy Il
ycit oo, nov, pleaso. and iell some ons
70 seBd my grNadson 70 nc
Pauline would have hkea 30 siay and
viiaess ihis interview also. bui sbc did no'
dare Tanra must be wondering greatly
nov. where she WAS
She iaund that Laura had come opt 81
The sick room 20 agi.ated that Mrs Beckett,
F the housekeepcr. had made her be dovu
and was now sitting with her.
The night was by this time so far al
yanced, and Laura seemed 50 III, that It
was decided that the two girls should re-.
main til morning
f'saline took the bousekeeper's place be-
side her friend. aud in short lime Laura
fell asleep As Pauline sat there watching
the white, childish face Of the girl she pre-
tended to love. her brain was FOIL Of wicked,
enyious thoughts
/ Laura was already rich. she was poor.
and yet 10 her who bad already so much,
the great Nanwirt property had iust been
given. She enviod her the handsome lev.
er with whom she herself was more than
half in love, and whom hitherto, she had
not been without hope Of winning away
from Laura.
But Of course he will have 10 marry her
now, she though. bitterly.
Suddenly, as she sat there, the silence
was broken by some commotion in the
house she heard steps and excited voices.
| What can il be she exclaimed Mr.
Vanwirt must be worse.
She sat listening some moments, then
she rose softly. Laura was still sleeping.
Pasline succeeded in opening the door
without disturbing her, and stole out into
the hall.
From the landing she could see the ser
wants hurrying about with awe-struck
looks.
An impulse Of ungoyernable curiosity
siezed her She watched her chance. and
gliding down the stairs, slipped through
the opened door without being seen, and
passed swiftly along the yerandah till she
came to the window where she had already
spent so much time. One glance at the
bed told her what had happened. Ethan
vanwirt was dead a sudden horror had
seized her She was about to flee the spot
when her eyes fell upon the desk in which
she had seen the will placed. | wonder il
il is here yet she thought.
No one was in the room at the moment
though the door in the next one stood
open, and she could hear VOICES | an
: sure can reach it from here. | should
know it at a glance, she mused. She put
her hand in and raised the lid. There il
was.
A wicked thought crossed her What il
she took it? No one would ever know
The lawyer would think Mr.. Vanwirt had
destroyed it, as he said he might, anC
Laura could not get the Vanwirt fortune
without it. Besides, that will in her pos
session might somehow help her to win
Lewis Yanwirt after all
At this thought she snatched the will
and hiding it in the folds of her dress, she
humidly retraced her steps.
She was too huried to be as cautious a.
she was. when she came out, but as it hap
pened, she rogained her room without any
one seeing her Laura still slept.
|
Ethan Vanwirt had been dead about 9
month. His grandson had entered into
possession of the estate without any hin
drance There were rumors about will
but when it could not be found Mr.. Scribe
concluded that the old man had destroyed
it, and refused, when questioned, to tel
who was named in the will.
Pauline Ruble was still visiting Laurs
Work, although to tell the truth, her vel
come had grown somewhat cold, both OF
Lauras part and Mrs Works
Laura was very unhappy, Lewis Van
writ scarcely ever spoke to her except in
the most formal manner, though he came
to the house as usual. Apparently it wa,
| to SEQ Pauline nos and though the
gentle girl stroye TO feel the same toward
her false friend, she could not quite do so.
Mrs. Work. beholding the detection OF
young yauwirt from her daughter. wished
m lst heartily they had none Of them ever
seen Miss Rnble.
There was certain rejected suitor ol
/ I.auras named Robert Lester, who about
this time took advantage Of the situation
TO renew his devotion to her. Laura had
never liked him, and liked him less than
ever now, but in spite of her GOODNESS he
was alaays beside her now, and more than
once she fancied tlIa Pauline had deliber.
ately contrived TO fasten him upon her for
the evening.
must bring matters TO crisis soon,
thought Pauline one night. as she wreath.
ed her brilliant face with smiles, and pre-
tended not to preceiye Mrs. Works mus.
ually cold manner to her.
Presently, when Lewis Vanwirt called
she was watching him and drew him al
once into the garden. ] want to tell you
something. she said in soft voice and,
besides. Laura and hor lover are so happy
in there by themselves, it would be pity
70 disturb them.
Lewis yauNirts handsome face turned
quite white
Has she consented 10 marry him at last
I hc asked, bitterly.
( Oh, Of course ] told you she would
I He i such a very moral young man, aud