The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-02-02
her PUNISHMENT.


inquired feverish voice. SIT must be
hours since sent for him."
"It is only just thirty minutes by the
clock, dear uncle, since John started to
fetch him."
The sick man groaned, and moved
uneasily upon his pillow. Perfect
silence reigned as the ermulu clock
licked away fifteen minutes more within
that darkened, richly furnished apart
ment where old Martin Dillon lay,
stricken down with his last sickness.
The furniture was of the costliest, the
carpet thick pile of velvet moss. The
windows were darkened by the heavy
crimson brocade curtains, drawn
closely together. The old mans niece
rat by one window, her white face
bedded in the rich curtains, which she
had pushed aside just enough to enable
her to see out, her brain busy with the
projected visit of her uncle's lawyer.
She wondered il it portended evil to her
if her uncle thought to revoke for
mer will which she knew was all in her
favor. Had his heart softened toward
her cousin Jessie, who had married two
years before and gone South with her
husband, heartlessly deserting him In
his old age, as the old man peevishly
declaredp And although sweet Jessie
Carleton had been brought up as his
daughter, and with expectations of
becoming his heiress, the old man had,
in his unjust anger, made will leaving
all to her cousin, Lola Desmond, who
had only been with him few months.
Lola felt slightly consoled for losing
the man she loved, who had preferred
Jessie, when she learned that her
uncle's vast wealth was to be hers.
What II this too were going to be lost
to her nowp Her face grew dark at
the thought. Her meditations were
interrupted by tap at the door, and
rising she admitted little, wizen-faced
man, sharp and shrewd, who had been
her uncle's lawyer for years.
The sick mans face frightened as
Blggs came to the bedside with soft,
cat-like tread, and bent over him. His
eyes roved toward his niece.
'Lola. you may go now and leave us
alone. have some important business
with Blggs. He will call you as he
goes down." said the old man, feebly.
Lola arose and left the room. She
went down stairs, but Immediately tip
toed back again, and stopped, in a lis
tening attitude, at the ,loor of the sick
chamber.
She could hear very little distinctly,
but that was enough to cause her to
clench her hands IN anger and despair,
and she crept away, fearing she would
be discovered, and feeling that she had
heard all she cared to hear, when her
uncle told the lawyer he wanted to
change his will.
Like Gagged tigress, Lola swept up
and down her room. Why, oh, why
were some to have everything, others
nothingp jesse had robbed her of her
lover, and now she would have her
uncle's wealth, while she must go forth
again to earn her own bread. Bitterly
at that moment she hated her absent
cousin; she almost felt there was mur.
der In her heart toward her. All, il
she might but have that courage
everything would yet be hers, perhaps
even the love of Clarence; and then thu
girl grew cold, and shuddered at hel
own dark thoughts.
20 Heaven" she murmured. 81!
my brain turning that can think o.
such terrible thingsP"
Then again grew strong upon her {
desire to hear of what those two wert
talking, and, stealing back, she listened
at the keyhole.
''Biggs,'' she heard the old man say
''put the will under my head between
the mattress and bed. 1t will be as saf
there as anywhere.
Lola heard this, and knew that Bigg
was about to depart, 80 tip-tOed bacl
again.
A moment later she heard HIM call
''Miss DesmondI Miss Desmondp" an
she hastened to her uncle's side.
"This business has tired me, Lola,
he said feebly. 81 feel as If coul
drop asleep very easily. Sit yondel
child, and remain with me. Dom
leave me as she did. You have been.
good girl to me the past two years.
And he had rewarded her by turnin
her penniless upon the world again
thought Lola, bitterly, as she gllded
chair by one of the windows an
gazed out upon the chill March weather
with gusts of wind and iitful dashes c
rain against the window pane. Ho'
cold and dreary and desolate everythin
was, thought Lola, quite in keepin
with her own sad thoughts.
fire had been burning upon IL
broad hearth. and it was getting low
Lola rose to replenish it, when she sa
that her uncle was asleep-with IL
paper that robbed her of his wealt
under his pillow.
"What am ] thinking aboutp" 81
muttered, turning to the fire; but 81
hesitated and turned back again; the
stepped forward, then, closing her Ii
together with set, determined, loo
moved stsalthily toward the bed, thru