The Portland daily press., 1884-12-24

''You would ask me 'Whyp | suppose, ii
your tongue did not cleave to the roof OF
your mouth. I will consider the question
put to me, and answer it. This Is aohy''
And she placed printed slip of paper in
his hand.
CeVe Stuart received the printed slip of
paper from the hands Of Lamia Leegh, and
gazed at it in silence. 1t was an advertise
ment, cut from the columns of daily paper,
and read as follows:
NEXT OF xEN.-HF THEs sEEOULR
~ meet the eyes of James Jordan Hay third son
Of the late Jordan Haywood Hay OF Haymore, York
shire England, he is requested to communicate i'm
medately with the undersigned, when he will hear
something to his advantage.
WALLING & WALLING, Attorneys-at-Law
Judiciary Buildings, Ill Star Street.
"Where did you get thls?" inquired Cleve
Stuart, looking up from the slip.
81 cut 1t from this mornings Trumpeter,
Cleve. Are YOU still dazed? Do you not
understand! This advertisement refers to
the father of that poor Palma whose story
you told me on the steamer" said Lama,
significantly
''Yes, see; but the man has been dead
a dozen years OF moIe," replied Cleve, still
troubled and confused in his mind as by the
perception Of an impending, irresistible
temptation.
Yes; James Jordan Hay is dead, sure
enough; but his only child is living; she
may not live many days-she cannot, and she
is the heiress, in right of her deceased IA
ther, to Haymore Hold, aud to personal
property worth three times as much as the
real estate," whispered Lamia, glancing
around aud dropping her'voice, lest the very
walls should hsar and report her words.
"And she is dying of disease aud priVa-
ton in the attic of a tenement honsep'
breathed young Stuart, with shudder.
Eyes"
SHOW do you know all this that you have
told me?" he next il quired.
Fortune favored me. First Of all, as it
happens, myself am distant relation of
the Hays. So when you told me the story
of the young officer who gave 'all for love-
and thought the world well lost became
so much interested in it that remembered
every Item and circumstance. Next was the
chance call of the district visitor, and her
description of her most interesting proiegee,
in whom | recognized your little friend Pai-
ma. Then came the advertisement which you
have just read saw it ia the Irunpeter
this morning; recognized in the man want
Ell the deceased father of poor little Palma,
and called on M5ssrs. Walting 95 Walling at
their office to find out what my late cousin,
James Jordan Hay was wanted for. learned
that he was wanted to take possession of
fine estate, bis two elder brothers having
both died without children. About a month
since the old squire died suddenly Of apo
pie Y, and left no will. Haymore has a rent
roll of eight thousand year. Then Mr.
Walling asked me if could give him any
Information concerning the whereabouts OF
MIR. James Jordan Hay. Itold him that
was sure the missing mau was not in New
York, but had not the remotest idea where
he might be.n
"Lamial-my dearp' exclaimed young
Stuart, troubled by this subterfuge and pre-
Varication, ''Why did you mislead him?"
For yoar sake, CteUe. Oh, my dear, don't
you understand? was SO quick to see your
and to guard them. These law
yers must not know OF the existence of this
heiress until you have made her and her for
tune your own. Nor must she know of her
accession to wealth until she is your wife.
She
But the young man had started from
The side of his companion, and was striding
up and down the room, muttering:
"Horriblel Horribep'
Lauia, fearing she would lose her infu-
ence over him, put up her hands, and, in
beseeching tones, cried:
"Cleve, you do not love mer'
"Not love you? o, Heavenr'
"Then, if you do, pray, pray sit down, try
to beicaim and cool and reasonable, and listen
to me. VIII you%' she cooed and coaxed,
cal essing him with her soft hands.
Il have no choice but to hear and obey"
be answered. in tone made tragic by the
conflict in bis sonl.
Nov listen. There is not hope of
Palma's recovery. You have not the power
10 heal her malady, but you mag make her
happier than she has ever been in her life,
ana you may prolong her existence. VIII
YOU have done her any harm? Surely not.
Nor ic thppA NV ova olS avpbc
wrong by this plan. There is no other heir |
after her Sac is the last of the Hays of |
Haymore. II she die unmarried, the whole |
estate, real aud personal, viii go to the |
Crown. Ii you should marry ber, ON her |
ieath, all her vast property would become |
your own. Come, Cleve, do not be fanati- |
cai. Marry this poor dying girl, and make |
her as happy as an angel for the few remain |
ing days or weeks OF her life, and then re-
,eive your reward by enjoying her wealth |
all the rest of Your days and mine-nine, |
Clevep And sue placed her soft hand in |
his and gazed up into his eyes.
A fierce struggle was going on In his |
heart. This was the first great temptation |
be had ever experienced, and she was his |
iempter, and she possessed great power over |
him. Yet she did not conquer his scruples |
sasily. She had to use all her arts, blandsh- |
meuts and sophistries persistently for hours |
before she could win from his shocked NOR |
al sense even reluctant promise to think |
OUer her plan, and then he rushed from the |
house.
The next day Ceve hunted up the tene-
ment house in which Palma was living. He |
found Mrs, Poe, the old nurse, in the hall. |
She informed him that Palma was dying,
and was resigned to her f&te, and then led
the way into an attic chamber. And there,
propped up by pillows in rocking-chair, re-
clined the lovely, dying girl. She wore a
faded blue gown: her silky black hair flowed
freely over head and shoulders; her little
dark face was wasted by illness; but her
large, dark eyes were so brilliant, and her
cheeks and lips so bright, that she was beau
tiful even under the shadow Of death.
A cry of pity half escaped the lips Of
Cleve Stuart as he approached her chair.
She held out both hands to welcome him,
aud her face was fadiating celestial light and
joy.
He took her in his arms and kissed her,
and lai6 her little head against his breast for
q moment. The caress was impulsive, spon
t2neous, compassionate, and withal as pure
aud holy as if it had been bestowed ON lit
tie suffering sister.
"Are you 50 glad to see me, Palma%' he
gently inquired, as be laid her back in her
chair.
"Oh, so glddr' she breathed, with sigh
of profound contempt. And she held out
her hands to him, as if mutely imploring
him t0 take them.
He drew chair to her side aud seated
himself, and took the little emaciated hands
and held them together in his own.
"You are SO good to come! You make me
50 happyi l am going to die soon; but l
should not m.nd if could only have you
here sitting by me, holding my hand to the
last-to the vsy last?' she painted, tighten
ing her clasp upon the hands that we're hold
ing hers and then Cleve Stuart, really for
getting all mercenarY interests, found it in
his heart and conscience to marry Palma
Eay, if she really wanted to be his wife.
Why should he not make this poor child
happy for the few remaining days or hours
Of her life?
"Palma, will you give me the legal right
to care for you? Will you have me for your
husbaDd?" he asked, gently taking her hand
and bending over her.
"0h. sit, do you mean il? Can you mean
it?' she breathed, gazing up in his face
with childish frankness, surprise and delight
the failing light kln3iing in her dark eyes,
the fading color flushing in her wan cheeks.
81 do mean it, dear child. VIII you give
yourself to me9" be asked, smoothing her
dark hair with his jewelled hand.
"Yes-oh, yes!-it YOU want me; but am
such moor creaturar; she answered hold