New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-04-15
UNDER 4 CLOUD.

morning, each with a copy of the
mornings paper in his hand, each with
a clouded brow and troubled eye. The
elder gentleman was the first to speak.
cts bad business, Morris!"
"a bad business, indeed, sir!"
Then there was another long ST.
lence, while each again read the ON
nous news of the failure of firm
whose business was so involved with
their own that the failure of one house
was nearly utter ruin to the other.
The hot chops cooled on the dish, the
coffee was untouched, and the break
fast literally forgotten, when the gen
tlemen left the house to ascertain the
extent of their misfortunes. Bad as
they feared these would prove. the re-
alities were even worse than the an
ticipation, and before night the old
firm of Tucker & Co. was in the list
of failures.
There was dreary amount of hard,
distasteful work to be done after the
failure was an established fact; but
Morris Tucker never finched from any
task or interview till night shadows fell,
and he faced his uncle at the table once
more. Then, with set features and
pale face, he said:
IF you can spare me for an hour, sir,
I think I had better call on Miss Cres-
we'll"
II can spare you, but are you wise to
hurry an interview that, I fear, Will be
very painful?"
"Better to understand my position at
once, sir. If-"he moistened his
dry lips here, as if the words choked
him-"if Meta is true to me I will re-
main here and try to work my way up
again to the position held only yester-
day. If she frees me from my engage
ment, accept your proposal to go to
California.
II think it good time to look up
these old claims," said Mr.. Tucker,
sliding easily over the first part of his
nephew's speech; "there may be money
in them"
ave will see! If I do not go we may
be able to find some trusty messenger"
II am afraid you will co." his uncle
said.
ut may be, Mrs. Cresswell is world
ly woman"
Meta is worldly woman. Nay, let
me speak, Morris. Ihave said nothing
before, though my heart was sore over
your choice of a wife. Meta is wonder
fully fascinating, beautiful and accom-
plished as but few women are, but she
is thoroughly heartless. I hoped your
choice would fall on Clarice."
"Clarice! She is mere child"
"Only two years younger than Meta.
I love her very dearly, Morris"
But you are fond Of Metal"
"No! For her fathers sake, the
brother of my dead wife, have tried to
love Meta, but she repels mel"
"Yet you never spoke when I told you
Ishould seek to win her love-"
Because love is too sacred in my
eyes for anyone to interfere with it's ex-
preston. If Meta loves you I will give
her warm welcome and cordial affection
when she becomes you wife, Morris.
But nerve yourself for the worst, my
boy"
Nerved for the worst Morris Tucker
sought his betrothed bride From the
time he had come from his Western
home, an orphaned lad of nineteen, to
accept his uncle 'effers of home he had
met Meta Cresswel constantly. He
had received a condial welcome from her
mother, and had not suspected the
schemes and subtitle influence that had
led HIM on, step by step, from the po-
sition of friend to thatsof accepted suit
or of the beautiful girl. While his feet
We're bringing him slowly to the mo-
mentous interview after the failure of
the firm of which his uncle had made
him full partner, Mrs. sCresswell was
schooling her daughter to meet the
emergency.
~Dia you write to Morris, Meta ?" she
asked. languiday stirring her coffee.
Not yet, was the sreply. He will
probably call, being an honorable gen
tleman, mamma"
I hope you WIFI be firm, Meta. Re-
member that you have ,beenthe injured
party throughout, Fro1n the time your
poor papa died [ have had every reason
to believe Mr.. Tucker would make you
and your sister the heiress Of his prop
erty. He worshipped your aunt, and
he never spoke of azay relatives of his
own till this nephew appeared. I be-
lieve there was some quarrel between
the brothers that ended in the Younger
one going West, while j ohm, the elder,
remained here. At all events it is very
clear now that Morris would have been
heir to the business and property if this
failure had not happened. You are to
be congratulated that it came before the
wedding, instead of after"
Meta shrugged her shoulders.