The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-03


breath quickly, and turns first crimson
Opening it at certain page, he points
out to her the signature of George Rod
ney, the old baronet.
"Give it to mel' cries she, impulsive-
", her voice trembling, ut is the miss
ing will. You found it last night. 1t
belongs to Nicholas. You must-nay,"
softly, beseechingly, you cM give 1t to
me-"
$40 you know all you ask? BY re-
linquishing this iniquitous deed | give
up all hope of ever gaining this place,
this old house that even to me seems
priceless You demand much. Yet on
one condition it shall be yours"
"And the condition." asks she, eager
". going closer to him. What is it she
would not do to restore happiness to
those she has learned to love so well?
"a simple one. -
Name it," excaims she, seeing he
still hesltates.
lie lays his hand lightly on her arm,
yet his touch seemsto burn through her
gown into her very flesh. He stoops to-
wards her.
"For one kiss this deed shall be yours,
W ~ nay 90" my ,o;o, MI ond drouo
back: shame and Indignation cover her.
Her breath comes in little gasps.
"Are you man, to make me such a
speerhYh she saws. passionatelv. fixing
her ewes upon him with whitening con-
tempt.
lyon have heard me-" retorts he.
coldly. angered to the last degree by the
extreme horror and disgust she has
evinced at his proposal. lie deliberate
" replaces the precious paper in his
pocket. and turns as if to 90.
"Oh, stay she says, family, detaln-
ing him both by word and gesture.
lie turns TO her again
She covers her eyes with her hands,
and tries vanly to decide on what is
best for her to do. In all the books she
has ever read the young woman placed
in her position would not have hesitated
at all As if reared to the situation,
she would have thrown up her head
and breathing defiance upon the tempt
er, would have murmured to the sympa-
thetic air, Honor above everything"
and so, full of dignity, would have
moved away from her discounted com
paniOn. her nose high in the air, She
would think it righteous thing that all
the world should suffer than one tar
nish. however slight. should sully the
brightness of her fame.
For the first time Mona learns she is
not like this well-regulated woman.
She falls lamentabIy short of such eX-
cellence. She cannot bring herself to
think tbe world of those she loves well
loet for any consideration whatever
Ana after al -this horrid condition-~
Would vow, he ovar in a moment And she
co,,ld rmn homo win tho coveted naner
and e hathe her face in sweet cold water
and then AGAIN She shudders Could
"he batha tha ,iame , If the insult
F,,V oI bar baarty
She nrnesas ber hands still closer
oroinet har eves 40 thonoh to shut ont
49,, ,,'I ber rC o,' r'i"d tLe 6atefnlness NJ
ench a thongbt And then with a
fresh effort She brings herself back
once once more met 10 the question that lies be-
fnre h ,ay'o w '''0 f'>''''''' '''''' N' "
w IN ~ e NV this one act Of self. sacrifice
sho nomI5 ~ ree .tI me Towars with oil
? Hs b Se", md and richness to Nicholas
ana ro N9md his rnotherNhow GOOD a thing
| If would he l1llt Will lIpONIpV ever
forgive herY Al SIRE when she ey
Mains Tho matter ia him and tells hin
how and whv She did if. and how he,
heart HE'D in the doing of if he will M
his arms round her and pardon the sin
Nay. more. he may see how tender i!
the longing that compels her TO the deed
She uncoyers her eyes and glanccs fol
bare instant at Rodney. Then onCt
more the heavily fringed nds close upon
the dark-blue eyes, as if to hide the an
guish in them, and in a smothered voice
she says, with clenched teeth and face
like marble, Yes, you may kiss me, il
you will.
There is q pause. In shrinking doubt
she awaits the moment that shall MAKE
| him take advantage Of her words. But
that moment never comes. In vain she
waits. At length she lifts her eyes
and he, flinging the parchment at heI
feet, cries, roughly
"There! take it. / can be generous
too"
But" begins Mona, feebly, hardly
sure of her blessed release.
Keep your kiss exclaims he, say.
agely, "since it costs you such an effort
to give it, and keep the parchment, too
1t is yours because of my love for YOU. ,
Ashamed of his yehemence, he stoops
and raising the will from the ground
presents it to her courteously. Take
it; it is yours, - he says. Mona closes
her fingers on it vigorously, and by ;