Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-09-12

She has been as a daughter in the house
ever since, and if yoang Rushford never
turned up-it he had really been lost at
sea, as was long supposed-why, you
know, rich old men wer6 eccentric, and
there would have been nothing very as
tonishing in making her his heiress
after oil. But now,-it would be terri
BILE. Utter ruin to the young mans
prospects in life. OF course his engage
ment with Florence Huntley wouja be
broken of. Florence Was not fit for a
poor mans wife-a lovely creature-aza
he so infatuated, my dear; it will break
his heart to lose her."
And SO on the stream cf gossip flowed
some portions OF it finding its way to
Marian's ears-until the searching party
returned, and announced that, as yet,
they had not found the second will.
There was q marked increase of re.
spect toward Miss Gray after this intel
ligence; and some would have congratu-
lated her, but she checked them.
ut is too early yet" she remarked,
with sad smile.
But the goseips agreed that hef
chances were favorable.
"And if she really is the heiress, my
dear, why of course it's dreadful for the
young 1nan-terrible- still"
Public opinion was disposed to be
kind to the heiress in any case.
"She is not over eager-she bears
her honors meekly-shouldn't wonder il
she turns the fortune over to the nephew
after all was the comment of many
after they left the house and went then
several ways.
They would have judged differently il
they could have seen her that night
locked securely in her own room, the
blinds and shutters closed, no eyes save
those of heaven upon her. She unfas.
tened her dress and drew q sealed and
folded parchment from her bosom-it
was the missing will; she gazsd upon il
long and earnestly.
miserable document" she whis-
pered. "1f I should give you to min
now, what ruin you would work for me.
Yes, you would rob me of all prize
and place it in the keeping OF ano' her.
And will he lose Miss Huntley for beine
poor? What is her love worth, then
And is she so dear to him that it viii
break his heart to lose her-as it woulc
mine to lose the one whom I love? Whom
love Whom love - she went on, ii
the same low whisper, clasping he,
hands in burst of anguish. "Whom
love, but he has no thought for me-
Only for 'her-and will my action par
them? Is it q sin? Will he ever, evel
forgive me? Is it a. sin to part tru,
lovers; but are these true?- We shall
see-for, it they are. poverty will no.
part them!' @": L >-...-~
When she lay down to sleep that nigh
the lost will lay under her pillow, and .
sealed letter beside it, addressed t,
Robert Rushford; Marian kissed tn
name be fore she went to sleep.
Gle will forgive my sin when b.
reads this letter." she thought. II d,
but obey the dead"
All next day the will lay warm in he
bosom, while Robert and Mr.. Wild
searched carefully and YEARLY through
all the house. It was hard to see his dis
appointed face, and feel that she coult
make all we'll so easily.
81 must obey the dead, she told her
SELF II must obey the dead = ..s...
At last they gave mp al hope Of tn,
lost will. Robert resigned himself Il
what seemed q hard fate, and Miss Ora!
was declared Gerald Rushford's Lawful
heiress. Mr.. Wilde made no secret Q
disgust. ...... a.
"There might be some arrangement
made by which You could fulfill th
wishes of the dead, Miss Gray, he said
l"l judge YOU are hardly one to pla!
the cuckoo by pushing the true bird on
Of the nest in order to occupy i Your