Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-03
Gales aud 5Sketfhfs.
IN HARYISf fINK.

IN HARVEST 1lA3s
Without. fierce sun burned and blister
ed; within. was delightful coolness and
silence which follows shock, and the shat
tering of staunchly builded hopes.
| In the great library two men faced each
other. one bent gray headed. small OF
stature, the other tall. and strong As
young gladiator. with handsome, olive
skinned face. just now very set and grave.
My dear boy, it has been no easy task
/ for me to come and tell you this" MIR.
Roche said. speaking slowly You have
all your life been considered. and have
been taught to consider yourself. master
/ of Silver Cliff. 1t is hard now. when for
I two years you have reigned as such, to be
abruptly deposed. No one ever dreamed
that Nicholas Edgerton had left daughter
Indeed, the fact has been discovered by
the merest accident The proofs are,
| however. fawless. They have been thor
oughly investigated and authenticated
I You are cousins, you know, three tunes
removed. OF course you would never
have succeeded to the estate had there
been the least suspicion of her existence
He paused to take out bis handkerchief
and wipe his forehead. He had been the
Edgerton's lawyer for many years, and,
as he said, it came hard on him to be the
bearer of i'll news to the boy he had loved
| from boyhOod.
when is she coming-home p" Mau-
rice Edgerton asked. quietly. but choking
a little over the last word.
Naturally this sudden information was
blow 10 him. To be dashed from wealth
| to absolute pennilessness, without pro-
| fession or the priceless experience OF those
who have learned what the bare struggle
for existence implies, was. in truth. ap-
palling.
II am not positive" Mr.. Roche re-
Piled '.It will certainly be some day
mex: week. In regard to worldly matter
she must be quite child, having never
in her life been without the walls OF that
old Belgian convent"
Next week ~ starting slightly. THAT
seenls-sO sOon!'
And then he excused himself and went
away.
August blushed to Joyous being; and
with his pomp of birds and flowers. and
tender dawns and rare white nights the
new heiress came to Silver Cliff.
Mr.. Roche met her at the depot. and
quite forgot to dislike her. as he had re-
solved to do.
She stepped out on the platform and
looked around her bewilderedly.a slender
girl, gray-clad from head to foot.
And how pretty she was, to be sure
Stately as a tall lily, with pearl-skinned
face, lit by brown eyes, clear and gracious.
On the homeward drive she turned to
Mr.. Roche.
"Where is Maurice ?" she asked.
He has gone away. l do not know
where"
He spoke, shortly, his lips tightening,
remembering why the lad had gone Away.
"Gone away p'' she cried. Not for
good ?''
He's gone. anyhow" he answered,
sturdily. More likely for bad"
She did not heed the grim joke.
at is not fair, or right, or just ~ she
went on excitedly, her pale cheek flushing
hotly. "He cannot surely think that |
mean to accept all to rob him of what
for years he has looked on as his. l have
never expected good fortune, so for me
little will suffice. The rest l shall hold
in trust for him."
"My dear young lady," the old man ex-
claimed, testify, but touched in spite of
himself. "what a Quixotic scheme! Maui
rice would never agree to that which you
propose. The property is legally yours
Yes, legally" she admitted, quickly
"but not morally. hold my slender
claim secondary to his"
The days went swiftly blythe sweet
scented summer days.
The people OF note in the neighborhood
of Silver Cliff called on its Young mistress
and voted her charming. She was so fair
and graceful, and withal so charmingly
original. they said. They gave balls and
dinners in her honor, till she became quite
belle.
September came, passed-OctOber, No
vember. and at last the drear December.
But this year there was no blithe Christ
mas festivities up at the grand house on
the hill.
II hardly care to have much merry
making while the master of the house is
away" Rose Edgerton would say to her
friends.
"You expect your cousin back soon,
then ?" they would question.
1--WE do not know what day he may
come home," was her invariable reioinder.
But the winter was gathered to the num-
berless winters which had gone before
spring swept on with chill, and rain. and
breaking buds. and still to one woman's
gentle heart, so generous in its patience.
came no word or tidings of the exile.
Over the mantle in the library a great
portrait of him hung. Occasionally she
went in and stood before it. looking up at
the grave, kind face with the soulful ewes
and firmly sweet mouth. Then she would
turn and go half-guiltily away
Summer clasped hands with autumn.
The rolling fields around Silver Cliff were
clad in cloth of gold. Harvest time had
come. Bright blades flashed rs swung bv
strong arms the scythes moved down the
sunny seas of grain.
One day Miss Edgerton. driving down
the country road. refined in her milk-white
ponies. and leaned forward 10 watch the
reapers.
The day was excessively warm, but she
was attired in the coolest and airiest of
India lawns. and held above her head a
parasol of snowy satin.
Quite suddenly she sprung from the
phaton. and leaped the low stile with a