Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-09-12
self. can remember the terms of the

second will"
! To this broad hintshereplied, quietly,
"The will may yet be found, sir. Ex-
! case me if I hesitate to tax your memory
while chance remains. Believe me.
my most earnest wish and endeavor is
to obey the dead"
he did not understand.
"She puzzles me" he said to Robert.
" But somehow I fancy she'll give you
your money after oil; yes, I do believe
i; $50 do not J." replied Robert. "Wo-
men are SO mercenary. See how quickly
Florence Huntley has thrown me over.
It was worth the loss of the fortune to
find her out. Fancy marrying q girl in
the belief that she really loved you, and
+! afterwards discovering that she only
wanted your purse. That would have
been my fate if I'd got the fortune. I
was hard hit, too, while thought her q
woman with loving heart, but shall
survive nv disappointment. If T
thought there was any danger of Miss
Grays indulging in Quixotic acts of re-
nunciation / should take measures to
/ prevent it; but you won't find much of
that kind of thing among women, be-
ieve me-"
7 Mr.. Wilde began to think the same,
1 as time went on. For six months Mar
ian went quietly on her way, obeying-
while the lawyer accused her of ignoring
the wishes Of the dead. i.
Robert was an apt writer and had OBJ
tanned employment on the press, where
by he made living. Marian rolled by
him in his uncle's carrisge in the street.
It seemed as if the ungrateful cuckoo had
pushed the true bi-d out of her nest
after all.
"Mercenary-mercenary to the core!"
! was Roberts reflection, as he lifted his
hat to his uncle's heiress as she rode by,
and admired, in spite of himself, her
sweet, pale face. CLOCKS as if there
might be heart and sool behind those
soft, dark eyes-looks like woman to
love and be loved, but they're all alike
mercenary to the very core!" He was
sensible of feeling Of disappointment
over Marian. "She should be ola high
er, truer, better type than Florence was
if appearances go for anything at all.
She shon]d have been willing to give up
! to me the fortune. would not have
accepted the sacrifice, but could have
admired and respected her for being
ready to make 1t. But they ara all
like"
Reaching his lodgings he found Mr..
Wilde waiting for him IN q tremendous
state of excitement, and holding an open
letter in b is hand.
"Look here! just received this
Listen !"
"DEAR S1R-Be good enough to call upon
me at o'clock r. NJ, and bring Mr.. Rushford
with you. The viii. is found. 1 have sincere
pleasure in placing the true heir in possession
OF bis own At last. Very respectfully.
MARIAN GRAY.
"Where was it found? Where was
it fonnd ?' cried Mr. Wilde, as Marian
gave the document into his bands.
Where on earth was it found, my
dear 2"
cit was never lost" said Marian,
quietly. Then che told them all.
"Old Mr.. Rushford knew of his
nephew's love for Miss Huntley, and did
not approve of it. Yet he feared that to
oppose it would only confirm the fancy.
He had great confidence in me, gentle
men, and revealed to me his plans. 1
knew the contents of both the wills.
During his last illness be gave the true
one into my care, with instructions to
conceal it six months. BY that time my
nephew will be thought Of as q poor
man, said he, 'and the girl who fools
him with o pretence Of love will show
herself in her true colors.' This letter.
and it," she added timidly, if I have
sinned in parting you from your love,
oh, pardon me! Perhaps she may yet
be won, now you are rich again, and I
Il but obeyed the wishes OF the dead"
"And in SO doing earned my lasting
gratitude cried Robert, warmly.
''Florence is not worth winning. can
imagine no more miserable life than that
which must fall to the lot of her husband.
And it is worth more than the fortune to
know that in you l fiud true woman at
last, whose heart and mind do not belle
her face, but one is as lovely as the
other"
He stopped short, for Wilde's hand was
on his arm.
"Read your letter first" said chat
gentleman, coolly, "anel then we'll read
the will.''
Robert obeved him.
"The letter confirms Ma1ian's state
ment," said he, land confirms the ex-
preston of u wish. Do you know what
the Wish is?" he asked her.
"No," she answered, in surprise; 81
do Dot :.
"But you would advise mt to en-.
aeavor to comply with it, of course
you who fulfilled his wishes SO relig-
iorsly and this wish is also my own.
Yes NY most earnest DESIRE
Marion laughed sWeetly.
sit should be easy to comply with
them," size remarked.
cit win be to me, but it depends upon
another-upon you!"
"Upon MOP?
eyes, dearest Marian, upon you. MIR.
Wilde here is going to inform me, I
know, that this rev will gives the for
tune all to me. / can receive it only
upon one condition. Can you guess what
it is?"
Her eyes fell beneath his-tbe con-
scious crimson dyed her IL ir cheeks.
II will not guese,' she answered.
"You shall tell me"
He caught her little f1uttering hand
and raised it to his lips.
eff l take fortune from this precious
hand, give me the hand as well, "be said.
Darling Marian. 1 love you! have
loved You longer than knew. BE my
sweet wife,
She shank back, blushing, trem.
bling.
II am 90 poor"
"No, no; rich 1ather-rich in good
ness, wisdom, beauty, love, and I adore
You: Nay, you will consent-it is my
upcle's wish. You must obev the wish
es of the dead, you know. Must she
not, Mr.. Wilje?" he added, with a sud-
den recollection-but that discreet gen.
tleman had quietly stolen from the
room.
II will oi'ey the wishes OF my own
heart, first" said Marian. "Dear Rob-
e1t, can it be that you really love me ?"
With my whole heart And you,
Mariau?"
"Oh, I have loved you long," she