Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-12-24
NETHERLANDS SUNDAY REGIsTER--EIGHT PAGEs:-

iouest of five hundred francs
naint and canvas" Annette LOOKED
distressed, and the young man husneu
81 don't wonder my grandfather was
anxious to revoke will 30 UNJUST NC
commented. .ho
o"It remains to be proved whether ne
did revoke it, was the cousins remsn a.
al have sort of presentment tnat TINS
second document will not be fortncom-
ing" ,,,u,,t
shrug, as he rose and led the way 70 the
banauet-room. Nothing had been aus
turbed since the old merchants DEAN.
His chair still stood in its place WITH the
screen behind IL; the ashes remained on
the cold hearth. Annette's knitting isy
where she had thrown 1t down lnek-
pressibly forlorn 1t all looked In the
waning light OF the winter afternoon,
and in their various ways every mem-
Der of the party felt the depressing IN
fiuence of the scene.
s!If the paper Is within the four walls
we shall soon find it," the notary oo-
served, unconsciously lowering his voice.
And indeed, with the exception OF an
old press, where Bernhardt had been III
the habit of keeping his painting ma.
terials, there seemed no place where II
could be slowed away.
The will was not in the press, how
ever, nor was 1t to be found elsewhere.
They searched systematically, exam.
lining every nook and corner OF the OLD
room, sounding the paneling and the
flooring, looking behind and under the
furniture, and not desisting in their
quest till everyone except Annette was
convinced that it was in vain.
aBut 1t must be here" the girl ex-
claimed, excitedly; at cannot have
been spirited away. M. Vanderhaven
told me that he had put it in safe
place =,
"The fire, probably" was Cornelius
Dewint's suggestion. "My belief is
with all difference to mademoiselle-
that my uncle changed bis mind at the
last moment, and destroyed It,"
81 am positive he did not" she as.
serted. "He was scarcely alone with 1t
almoment, for directly the servants LETT
him returned, and 1t was then that
he told me the contents. He was stand
ing there by the chimney-piece." Bern
hardt, who stood near the window,
looking out into the dusk, turned and
beckoned to her. "Did you not tell me
that he had been burning a paper% he
asked in an undertone. ayes, but 1t
! thought it was the rough draft Of the
will.n "Might he not, by inadventure,
have destroyed the will itself?" She
did not answer, but her heart sank.
1t seemed only too likely that such was
the case. There was q pause. lt was
nearly dark now, and the faces of the
little group were lit by the lamp on
the chimney-piece. The young man
stood with his back to the rest, looking
down at the market-plaee, where the
snow was falling heavily. AT length
the silence was broken by M. Dewint,
who left the nOtary's side and ap-
preached his cousin.
"Well, Bernhard, you see / was
right" he began, in a loud, cheerful
voice, rafting the loose cash in his
pockets. This mysterious document is
non est inventus. Of course l feel for
YOUR disappointment; still, you can
hardly expect me to give up the property
ofi-hand to please you. Such generosity
is rare-off the stage. You are not 60
ing to dispute the will, presume" =.
"No. think 1t an unjust one, and
believe my grandfather intended to
revoke it, but no other being producibls,
it is perfectly valid. You are In your
own house, cousin" and he bowed to
the new master with formal politeness.
The latter glanced about him dis,
paragingly. "H'm-it Is no great
acquisition. If l had my way should
pull down the old baraque, and build
good house in its place. Well, he con-
tinued, "suppose We go down stairs;
this room is as cold as q vault" He
passed out, followed by Maitre Jansen,
but the other two fingered.
annette, my sweet, do not look 30
sorrowful," Bernhardt said, encircling
her with his arm; "why the loss of this
fortune seems to trouble you more than
| it does me-"
"For your sake" she faltered; "for
myself, am not afraid of poverty. 1t
is so strange, so inexplicable, that the
will should have disappeared in this
way,n she continued. 81 am convinced
that it is in the room at this moment,
if we only knew where to look for it. F."
She moved from his side and cast her
eyes thoughtful around. He shook his
head.
at is not here, or we should have
found it, he said. "Try to think no
more Of it, dear; we can not" The
words died on his lips as he looked at
his companion. She was standing in
/ the middle of the room, her hands
hanging at her sides, her eyes fixed and
dilated, gazing into space Every trace
of color had faded from her face. He
sprapg to her side.
"Great heavens, Annette-what is it ?
Are you ill?" ,
She drew long breadth, and looked
at him like one awaking from dream.
mo, am not Ill" she whispered, "but
l have the strangest feeling. AS if-as
if there were some one else i'm the room
with us" She shivered and glanced
nervously round the lone, shadowy
apartment, which was only halflighted
by the lamp on the chimney piece.
1}ernhardt involuntarily did the same,
but they were the only occupants.
"You see that we are alone" he said.
"You are tired and over-excited, dar-
ling; you need rest. 1t is showing SO
heavily that you cannot leave the house
at present. Go and lie down, and
will send Ursula to you"
She acquiesced mechanically, and
allowed him to lead her to the door.
Her hand was deadly cold, and her eyes
looked dreamy and absent. He kissed
her cheek. and detained her moment,
looking into her face with anxious ten
derness; but she turned from him with
out another word, and mounted the
stairs to the little room she had called
her own.
| When the moons silver disc rose be-
hind the belfry tower, one broad ray of
cold ethereal light streamed on to the
bed where Annette lay, still dressed,
and sleeping profoundly. For several
hours herrestwas tranquil and oblivious,
but towards midnight she was visited
by strange dream.
She seemed to be still lying on the
bed, in the half. conscious state between
sleeping and waking. He eyes were
open, but she was only vaguely aware
OF surrounding objects, Of the moonlight
streaming on the bed, and the glimpse
of white house roofs seen through the
window opposite.
Suddenly she was reused, she thought,