The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-11-13
who Carrena resemhled.

fathers first wife, whose portrait hung
in the gallery.
The girls grew strangely intimate,
and each told the other their love-story
and Carrena was more than piti1ul.
She told Bervl how she had married
a handsome brown-eyed man, who had
deserted her at the altar.
Why or wherefore that desertion, she
could not tell. only from the moment
he had placed the ring on her finger
she had never seen him again.
One week Carrena went away on
visit to friend, and during her alb
sence Beryl made Il strange discovery.
There was q secret drawer in her moth
er's desk, and in it there lay some pa
pers. One paper took her breath away
with the story it told.
1t told of a crime in her fathers life
the abduction of Dalton Withers's
child, and the substitution of a dead
child dressed iii Leslie's clothes, and
tossed into the river. 1t told of her
mothers search. and of almost the full
iillment of hey dearest wish-the find
ing of LeSlie-Lcslie, who was living
under the name of Carrena Leigh.
The beautiful girl she had learned to
love was her step-father's daughter
the lawful heiress of the wealth that
would be hers.
Edison Marvin's crime had been use
less, after all, for little after his death
another viii had been found, leaving
the wealth to Dalton, to use as he
pleased and to bcqueath as he pleased,
and he had availed himself of this by
leaving it to his adopted son, Guy Cour-
tenev.
1t was all the same He was to mar
ry Beryl they would enjoy it in union.
Beryl read over slowly letter left
by her mother in the secret drawer,
one sentence holding full possession of
her
Il charge You. Beryl, no matter at
what cost. if ever ii lies in your power,
TO restore Leslie Withers to her
RIGHTS"
one day she stands with Carrena I'M
der the trees, wondering how she can
fulfil her mothers prayer.
During Carrena's : absence, Guy Cour-
tcney had come home, but Carrena had
not met INN yet.
While the girls stand there, step
comes down the avenue, and both
glance up.
That is Guy" Beryl says, before he
comes near them.
'.No, no, no! That is my husband"
Carrena cries, and the next moment
Beryl holds her, white and senseless, in
her arms
Two hours later, Guy and Beryl stand
together
Il cannot be your wife whether or
no, now, Guy" Beryl said, and she
told him, proved to him, who Carrena
was.
She raised her eyes then to his.
Can you explain, Guy, the mistake
she made?"
Yes" he said, a flush reddening his
face; ''it was my cousin Ward. He
told me the story before he died. He
thought the minister who married him
suspected something wrong, for he
recognized him as one he had heard
preach III Il church he visited with his
wife, for you know his legal wife was
living when he wooed this girl
Beryl interrupted him with a gesture
of infinite pain.
girl back her rights. She is ;he legal
ieiress of all this wealth, and her fath
er's will does not allow YOU TO sign a
penny Of it away to another, and-and
it would be terrible to bring chat story
of my father crime to the worlds gaze
Guy, you will marry this ~irl."
But, Beryl, am wiling to give up
the wealth"
She smiled.
But that will not give it to her. If
YOU refuse it, then it goes to another
purpose. You must giveit back-back
to the daughter of him who was more
than a father to you-whO took you a
helpless baby to his home, and to whom
you owe all that you are. This is your
gratitude, this his reward, that you
would see his child pennilesS on the
world to please yourself? | love you,
the sacrifice
Il will be strong as WELL" he said,
but there was more strength than bit
terness in his voice.
He sought Carrena then. and she
recognized the difference between him
and the man whose wife she believed
herself.
He is dead" Guy said.
= cannot say am sorry.'' she said:
though when ] thought you were he,
the shock oyercame me. He deserted
me at the altar. and my love for him
died then. though God alone knows
what | suffered before it did
He did not tell her that she had never
been his cousins wife, for he wished to
let the dead rest.
He told her then that Beryl had Civ
Gu him back his freedom, but not till
three months had passed did he take
her hands in his.
terly. speaking Of Beryl. Little one,
do YOU think you could love me?"
Her soft, shy blush was his answer.
The sacrifice was made, Carrena
Leigh, or rather Leslie Withers was his
wife. Through her marriage, she
came into possession of her fathers
wealth.
-Four years had passed away, in
which no shadow seemed to darken
Ieslie's pathway, and then well, her
appointed time on this earth was short;
her fragile life drew near an end when
q little dead baby was born.
The two she loved were beside her,
and she held their hands as her father
had done.
Il know ALL she said, land I gi-
you back to each other
The next moment her spirit had
passed TO its God.
Two years after, Beryl and Guy
were married, and they never looked
1t the quiet grave where the gentle
girl who had come between them, and
to whom they had given her own in the
only way possible, rested-they never
regretted the sacrifice they had made.
If she had lived, God only knows
whether they would have felt the same.
for human nature is weak-very weak