The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-08-25
CHAPTER xIx.-CoNr1NuEp.

-., ciscss Foe" etc., etc.
CHAPTER XIX.-CoNT1NuED.
All was over. The returning carriages
had deposited the half-dozen mourning
friends at the city house, and driven
away.
Dana was one of the last to arrive,
and she toiled upstairs alone. The
door of little boudoir which had been
used in common by Mrs. Oliphant and
the two girls stood open, and almost
mechanically she entered it. 1t was all
in shadow, consonant with the gloom
which had come over her life. She
dropped into seat there, great, deep
chair, against the cushioned back of
which she laid her weary head, and
closed her aching eyes.
She had slept none for the last three
nights, and in the dimness and quiet,
sleep gradually stole over her. Wheth-
er she had been there for "a few minutes
only or for hours, she could not have
told, when she awoke with the sound of
voices falling upon her ear.
"You are mistress here, not she," in
Harmon Quests tones. And you owe
that fact to me. Yes, Miss Braxton,
you do. If had followed the instruc-
tions of the lately departed, there would
have been a will all signed and sealed
and duly delivered, cutting you off with
out a nickel, and giving her everything.
She is only an adopted daughter, and
can't lay claim to a penny of his prop
erty in her own right. You are the
heress and you owe it to me-"
"rd rather not be the heiress than
to have you bother me about it now,"
came in Lexis voice, sharply. II came
here to look for Dana; can't imagine
where she's gone. You haven't seen
her, have youp''
II don't want to see her-yet I've
some business to settle with you first.
l shall have to remind you of a promise
which you made me couple of months
ago-a promise to divide any fortune
with me which should come to you
through my agency. You haven't for
gotten itP"
1T would be as well to wait until the
fortune comes to me-" responded. Lex,
coldly. ''Look here, Harmon, Imay as
well tell you at once that / don { intend
to be made cat's-paw by you or any
one. I've got it into my head that YOU
have been playing some mean and
underhand game in Uncle Powers af-
fairs, and if find it to be so, if turned
out TO be dozen heiresses, l wouldn't
reward you with dollar. That prom
Use you speak of was no promise at all
l am not so foolish as to hold myself
bound by it."
Aren't you?" There was something
threatening in Mr.. Quests voice now
You think something of the good
name of your relatives. do you notP
And you wouldn't quite like to see Mrs
Oliphant dragged into court and tried
for her life, if not hanged in the end?
It'll be worth while to make terms with
me if you care at all for that result"
:" don't care" said Lex, defiantly;
"not so far as I am concerned. am
going now to find Dana, and if you dare
to say word of this kind to her-well,
you had better not!''
She moved away. After a moment
or so of undecided lingering Quest fol-
lowed, and Dana sat bolt upright, wide
awake now, chill and numb to the very
heart.
She rose after time and went to her
own room. Lex came there, knocking
at INC lcChCu ttOoi, anu dohco III u,iiuit-
lance, but Dana sent her away.
'.Let me alone until tomorrow" she
begged. "Only until tomorrow"
The morrow came, and in the early
gray dawn Dana let herself out of the
home which was hers no more. No one
was yet stirring in the house. The wide
street lay silent and deserted. She
passed down the steps; she gave one
long look, a last look back, then moved
away and was lost in the murky gray OF
the morning,