The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-05-11
Vol. XVIII.

my ystcry Of is tone, took conso-
la,!nn from it.
Its cotents may be rendered
thus:
She had left of her own free
will and unaccompanicd, though
she admitted that she would be
met at her journeys eud by a
worthy guardian, in whose care
she would remain, and who, at the
expiration Of a week, would bring !
her home again; until then, she
begged they would wait for her
explanation, and above all forgive
any pain or annoyance her hasty
disappearance had caused.
This epistle, though gratefully
received, since it assured them Of
her safety, was not, of course,
entirely satisfactory to her pa
rents and lover.
Despite her promise to return,
they could not remain quiet till
the expiration of the time named, /
but sought her in every con-
ceivable place; out, as was evil
dent from the security Of her re-
treat, Grace did not mean to be
found till after theiuterval she bad
named.
One by by one, or in small par
ties, as they had come, the we'd
ding guests departed. They car.
ried to their own houses a charm
ingly inexbaustible theme for
gossip and wopderment. Every
one held a separate solution and
theory, and the subject promised
to be one of unusual variety and
entertainment.
| But only one of them possessed
any clew to the truth-and she,
shy, insidious plotter that she was,
had laid a train whose success
| promised even beyond her hopes.
She watched It's development in
silence. 1t was not her cue to
speak but to await the tu!tillment
of her design, and so she fingered,
| protesting the lntenseSt sympathy
for all, and at the same time con-
irving TO bestow the most OF 1t
on Frank Howard, her distant
cousin.
| This young lady, May Prescott
by name, had long been bopelessly
| in love with her Cousin Frank.
She knew that his heart was de7o-
ted to another, but had never had
an opportunity Of seeing her rival
till the generous and unsuspecting
Grace, wishing to give both her
and Frank pleasure, had asked
her by letter to be one of her
bridesmaids.
Mays darling object was then
4! gained. She had unlimited faith
in her OVID power of creating dis
cord, and bad secretly resolved
to separate the lovers and win
Frank for herself, even at the
eleventh hour.
| Her first interview with Grace
convinced her that ardent and i'm
puIsive generosity was the strong
point Of her character. On this
she acted.
How oddly the gifts of fate are
distributed = said she, with q sigh,
as they were talking together the
night before the wedding. One
would think it was enough to get
a beautiful wife, without grasp
ing at great fortune, too; but
then Frank always bad a keen
eve for the main chance
| Grace's face flushed deep, in
dignant crimson; her full, bright
eyes flashed with Sudden anger as
she looked at May Prescott stead
lily.
Pray explain yourself, Miss
Prescott she said. i do not uu-
derstand you in the least
What! have you never heard
of the will of Franks eccentric
old Uncle Paul? But l am sorry !;
perhaps l have done wrong in
mentioning it. No doubt be meant
to deceive you-no, no! l don't
mean that mean perhaps be
did not wish you to know
She affected to be overcome
with confusion at her own mad
vertence, and pretended to regret
having said so much. Grace
quietly but firmly demanded to
know all.
E You have said too much to
recede!' she exclaimed. Tell me