Daily Republican., 1884-11-21

one else more than me- she thought,
with intensest scorn 40 she proceeded
patiently with her uueading work.
She was still working industriously
when Clarice tripped back up the gard
On path and again entered the house.
|. "YOu have not been wasting your
time with the jam and cake, have you,
Becky ?" she called, in her frivolous,
exacting way. "You always do man
age to make things ready when too late.
And Granny Jipps will require NO more
Of the delicacies you begrudged her
and she 10 begging for you, too, even II
you were 90 uncharitable toward har."
You will 20 back TO her with me; of
course" the younger sister ventured,
timidly. - she hastily donned her hat
and mantle.
"Of course I shall not" Clarice
snapped. "She has quite upset me
she has crazy notion that she has o
fortune, that you are to have the bonds
and gold. and all that. Ard / declare
I am absolutely Ill listening To her pre-.
p0sterous nonsense. And besides, Oscar
Is coming presently, the lawyer who Ii
with Granny Jipps detained him g
witness for something"
Becky stopped suddenly and clasped
both her gentle arms about the neck OF
her handsome sister.
You might have been more frank
with me. dear-you and Oscar" she
whispered, sweetly. But know the
and am neither angry nor unhappy
Olarice."
Clarice flushed guiltily. and ungra.
ciously pushed away the sweet, clinging
arms.
"We never presumed you would be
angry nor unhappy" she said, with
naughty indifference. "You have no
cause Mr.. Randelle Was never posi-
lively promised to you, a. he 10 to
me, " she added, loftily.
Pretty Becky sighed in grieved
I silence. That unsisterly repulse had
cruelty wounded her tender little
heart.
II only meant her to feel that she
need not reproach herself for anything ;
but she did not understand, she
thought, ~ she trudged on towards the
lonely house, where lonely woman lay
within the shadow of the black wings
of the angel Of death.
The girls bright, brave face whitened
= little a. she entered the darkeneti
room and discovered the ghostly shape
Outlined upon the high, quaint bed.
i Several persons were already there.
and among them she perceived Oscar
Randelle, who regarded her with sin
gularly intent expression upon bis
bland and somewhat characterless Wis.
age. a
He would have approached her, but
1.-The ing woman checked him by an
Authoritative gesture Of the frail,
ghostly hand, which directly grasped
\ the girls Quivering fingers.
:. ar knew you would come" Granny
!, Jipps said, in her painting, failing
; voice. 81 knew you would come
! though reckon you did not calculate
as a simple, plain body like me car
. make you . richer lass than any in al
: the country round. In all the uncheery
= times, when you have trudged through
the thick rains and the dark nights II
z nurse and comfort old Granny Jipps
) you never calculated that had gold
= plentiful, rich, yellow gold-waitiuI
r for the bonny heiress. You neve
reckoned that was reading your swee
. face, and studying your gentle ways, ant
n bordering your proper sayings, In tn
8 times when your willing hands wer
y busy with the cups of broth and scrap
of toast. You never vexed my old eye
with whisking furbelows and brass
gew-gaws; you never dinned my oil
It ears with ralaver that was all deceit
z you never made . pretext OF charity
d only to go frisking about with some
10 body az belonged TO another; and 20
never complained against them as mil
d used you. And what / have meant fc
lyou, Becky Ives, / have made your
|, fast and forever-all Is for you and I'll
!. true, honest lad you will love aud we
" some time when l shall be gone"
It With her fual utterance, Cram
IS Jipps leaned back upon her pillows, an
|. her old eyes, brilliant still with firs
I; that only death itself could quencl
q we're fixed with more than earthl
}. gratitude upon the gi'l's puzzled an
b mournful countenance.
ell Presently all was over. Granny JipI
70 was dead ard her will, that scarcel
q needed that last, solemn sanction. ha
z made pretty Becky indeed NJ heiress.
As she went slowly homeward, VOL
v deriDg If the incidents of that eventfI
o day were not all fragments OF son
Z; impressively vivid dream, familii
q, foOtstep sounded beside her, and
ID familiar hand caressingly touched b.
10 arm.
;" I'VE are to be congratulated, N
a. AZ Arrest" he said, In the bland nj
ID ia miliar tones which never again wou
W have power to stir her heart. "I new
" fancied, little Becky, that / shou
have such an heiress for my bride. B
g what q dreadful miser that ugly o
% body must have been
,hl With o shudder she drew away fro
him.
n, .Oscar Randelle," she began, wi
alauiet scorn, II owe you no allegiant
ar and my childish liking for you "
regretted long ago. Besides, ! chan
lis to know that your positive promtf
n belong to my sister-wbom can on
commiserate
,st So decisive rebuff he had not app,
tIhended; but he could not mistake b
m. pov-Rentle and composed rs she wi
m. he understood that she could be SUI
". GENTLY determined when she chose.
III With . discomfited aspect and q ss
tel age stride, he passed on and she v
once more alone.
,hel At the little wooden gate of the sha
IN garden, she met stalwart and smili
NO young fellow, who glanced inquirini
90. at her agitated countenance.
M. Surely, Becky you are not grew
ar. about him, are you?" Fred REM
lie said, In his tender, CHEEKY voice, :"
,ed never cared for him like that, did 20
his and there are others, Becky,-th
ely IL one other, you know,-who wo'
be truer If you could be willing to tr
rye him." -,
vast Something in her silence thrill
ro- him, something in her attitude,
he proud, little head dropping low,
,us clear eyes glow ing behind the bash
iashes, the rose-red wavering In
dy pretty cheeks-ali was " revelation