Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-12-02

found Cicely alone in tho dark.
%Annoyed beyond control, she OK
5 ymrJ
- HWherois NSel ?"
"In the garden with Vivian" was the
low response
"Cicely," exclaimed the lady, angrily,
"it may seem very inhospitable in me,
but l wish you had never brought your
cousin here"
Piqued at her own failure, Cicely
Howard was not one to let the world see
how keenly she suffered in her defeat,
therefore she said
81 am sorry you do not like Vivian,
Mrs. Thornton. am sure she is very
beautiful, and amiable, and good"
''Sho is all that" was the terse re-
Spouse
"And quite as wealthy as [ am" nd
ded Cicely maliclously.
Mrs, Thornton sprang to her feet.
"Do you mean to tell me-" she cried,
"that Vivian Gray is a wealthy girl ?"
"Her father left her sole heir to half
million !"
Mrs. Thornton hurried out upon the
terrace upon some paltry excuse to con-
ceal the CLEAN of triumph that was too
eloquent upon her face for Cicely to see
She hurried down the steps and through
the garden in the hope of calming her
joyful excitement.
"Noel shall marry Vivian if he prefers
her," she said to herself; dear boy,
what excellent taste he has The Thorn
tons always married handsome women"
Scarcely were the words out of her
mouth when she was arrested by the
sound of voices in the arbor close at
hand.
1t was Noel thai was speaking, while
through the nterstices of the trellis she
could see the graceful figure of Vivian
Gray.
Il can keep my secret no longer"
the young man said, in passinaie tone
"Vivian, | love you. but, oh, God for
give lot me love you darling | ask
only your hate am unworthy Of you,
and you must despise me y
He cast her hands from him and fled
out of the orbor, and Vivian sank with
with moan upon tho seat and covered
her fair face with her hands.
Half an hour later Mrs. Thornton
knocked at the door of her sons room,
and receiving no reply she pushed it
open and entered.
Noel was just as she had expected to
find him, lying face downwards upon his
couch, his hands knotted in bis brown
hair.
The lady crept to his side and laid her
hand gently upon his shoulder.
"Noel, she said "dear boy, ] have
discovered your secret You love Vivian
Gray"
There was no reply and Mrs. Thorn
ton proceeded;
"You believe her poor" she said,
''and fear should object to her on that
account. But, Noel, Vivian is very
wealthy and shall be only too happy to
call hsr my daughter"
AS though stung by the words, Noel
Thornton sprang up and faced his mother
"You will never call Vivian Gray your
daughter" he exclaimed hoarsely
"Noclw What do you mean? Why
not p
"Becauso it would be sin p
Whatever excited rcrly Mrs. Thorn
ton might have made to his piece Of in
formation was cut short by the sudden
entrance Of servant.
"Leonard. the gardener. has sent for
you, Mr.. Noel - the man said "Rhoda
is dying"
"My God - broke from the young
mans pallid lips, "Rhoda dying Let
me 90 to her My place is there now r
It was past midnight when Mrs
Thornton heard her son enter the house,
and as he came up stairs she met him in
the hall
"WcllY :" she queried.
"Rhoda is dead, he said II shall
be away for the next two days"
She would gladly have questioned
him upon his sudden departure, but she
dared not something in bis manner
seemed 10 warn her that she could 60 too
far even with her own SON
And from that moment an inexplica-
bic gloom seemed to rest upon the house
and its inmates, nor was il dispelled un-
til upon the second evening Noel Thorn
ton suddenly appeared in their midst fol-
lowed by o woman in whose arms rested
tiny infant.
Mrs. Thornton sprang TO her feet,
while Cicely Howard shrank back with
a low, apprchonsiye cry.
"Nocl Thornton" exclaimed the moth
CIR, "what does this mean : Whose child
is that|
"My child p he said promptly Gts
mother, my lawful wife, lies dead in
Leonard's cottage God knows that
have sinncd enough against poor Rhoda
in denying her her rightful position in
the world, aud my neglect has been her
death-bow But if Heaven will accept
my devotion 10 her child as my atone
ment for the wrong done she will rest
happy 10 the land to which she has gone.
Mother, will you not recognize your
grandchild 2"
"Neyerw
lie glanced at Cicely, but sho covered
her face, shuddcring with horror.
"Since no one will care for this poor
child and take her dead mothers place,
l."
"Noel, you have not asked me-
II was the low, sweet voice Of Vivian
Gray and she had taken the motherle 81
little being into her arms and was caross
I ing it until il smiled joyously up at he
| InyaI,, f.oa