The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-12-20

mA191H9 SILVER knob, = N49 uuN8 4Rt4 80
her father ard tAe lawyer entsEsd.
A ainRls Rlanee into The hvid courten-
ancs 81 The formsF aud . sudden appFe-
hension nsised upon her.
g Father, Father, what wild tale .
this 7" che cried sharply.
" Has be told you al 2 Oh, my child,
/ would have given my life 70 spare you
this" cried he. incoherently, and covered
his tace with his shaking hands.
A deeper grosn escaped him - his wife
came hprrying into the room.
(" EustaCe, my husband, what strange
story - this the servants are whispefi1gf
Who has GOMEZ What has been discpv-
cred %
The wretched man made an attempt to
reply, bat his frozen lips would not artic-
ulate the words.
Another answered for him; shrill and
exultant rose his voice:
"This has come, Madam, ruin and
shame TO the proud hearts Of your ueurp-
ing family. Marmaduke WharnleS's
daughter has come to claim her own.
Here stands your man of law. ask him it
there is flaw anywhere in my proofs, If
every link does not incontestably prove
her right to take possession here, to claim
indemnity for all these years of your lax
urious living ct her expensef"
"Speak, Eustacei In heavens name
tell me the man raves idly!" cried out
her ladyship, again.
Father, Father, tell me this monstrous
accusation is not true" implored the
daughter.
"Let him do it if he can" was the 9TH
er's defiant command.
Sir Eustace groaned and turned q mute
appeal toward the lawyer.
am afraid the occasion ia grave
one" said the latter, clearing his throat
by half a dozen ahems before he could
speak distinctly.
"You think this girl is Sir Marmaduke's
daughters a Wharnley," asked her
ladyship angrily.
Poor Madge flushed a moment beneath
all these wrathful looks, this cruel recep-
ton. Then she clasped those poor thin
hands again against the wildly-throbbing
heart beneath, and dropping the lids over
those sad gray eyes, stood silently pas
sive in this agitating scene.
"I-am-afraid there is no chance of
our refuting the claim. Ihave been look
ing over the proofs and"
"Why have we never heard Of the ex-
istence of such q person? l demand to
know why we have been kept in igno-
rance all this timer" fiercely asked her
ladyship, flashing her irate glsnces at the
shabby individual who stood so boldly
before them with this crushing revela-
ton.
cay, recommend you, madam, To in
sist upon an explanation. Ask Sir Eus-
tace now if he ever heard of Sir Marina
dukes widow and child-if he never con-
fronted these proofs before ?" answered
he.
Every eye in the apartment turned
upon the hitherto honored and stately
head of this grand old house. An hour
ago every soul but one of those assembled
there would have Indignantly hurled back
the faintest imputation of dishonor from
his proud name. But now, not one of
those who saw that whitening face, those
cringing limbs, that quailing eye, doubted
a single item of the accusation which
came in low, stern words of deadly hate.
"Fifteen years ago to-day l came here
on the same errand with my proofs.
chose Christmas Eve because / thought
all hearts must be tender and generous
then. How was / received /? / was
thrust forth like dog and prosecuted,
and finally caught by trick into passing
a counterfeit note, and sent to prison
safely out Of the way of this proud and
honorable scion of the house of Wharn-
ley. The poor widow died in poverty
and sorrow, never knowing of her rights
to ease and competence. This orphan
girl has toiIed with her needle for the
miserable pittance that has kept her feeble
life from starvation. Look, see these fin
gers that should be as ily-white and ten
der as those cleaning with the Wharnley
diamonds yonder. Look at the hand of
the owner Of this fair mansion, these
broad domains p
He caught the hand of Madge and held
it up 30 that the needle-pricked finger
could be distinctly visible to all.
Her ladyship burst into tears and Gov
cred her face with her lace handkerchief
The proud daughter tore her Mortified
eyes from that craven face, which had
been so honored and beloved, and, turn
ing deadly pale, dropped hea. lily into the
chair behind her.
Like q pitiless, memorable fate, the
avenger continued:
Marmadnke Wharnley, the wild sec
ond son, had always cruel treatment here.
The heir was pampered and INDUCED and
the willy youngest son secured the stern
old fathers ear, and fostered the quarrels
which arose between two stubborn spir-
its. When that sudden, untimely death
took away the heir, Marmaduke was
wandering in foreign lands. No effort
was made to find him; or, if the fathers
conscience prompted search, some one
took care to defeat it. Gladly they be-
ieved him dead. Sir Eustace, answer me,
what became of that letter the dying
Marmaduke sent you, with the cry of
help for his wife and child. Your father
never saw it. The lawyers here none of
them heard of it; yet | swear TO You l
have proof, which every court Of law
must admit, that it was put into your
hands. Sir Eustace, answer me; it was
your hand which destroyed the letter,
and covered over its revelations from
sight. Deny it if you can"
A hollow groan from the convicted
criminal. Then for moment dead
silence
Whittier still grew the fair face Of the
beautiful Annabel.
Ny father, my fatherl Oh, have
been SO proud of your inyincible integrity.
! have been 50 glad Of my unspotted
namelp she moaned wistfully.
And then she caught the movement
behind her. The -plighted lover,
Sir Reginald, with countenance plainly