Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-18

| affect your betrothed himself, but his
family. They are very proud, very am
bilious: they may be even m%ercenary.
Edwina, | have replaced the paper in the
clock, and spoken to no one of finding it.
Suppose we leave it so until after your
| wedding. You need not decide at once;
think about it awhile. This, however, is
my advice"
Edwina vent carefully over her aunt's
communication. Suppose it were true?
Suppose her Grandfather Clay, in some
strange. sudden remorse, had done this
thing? She remembered the last week
of his life. He had been speechless
nearly all that week, and taken little
notice of anything OF any one. X was
quite possible that he had turned about
and written the few words necessary to
revoke all former willis and leave every
thing to Kitty Carmichael. Yet why
should he have turned from one injustice
to another? She asked herself bitterly
why he could not have divided his for
tune fairly, providing for both grand
daughters alike.
Edwina was far from avaricious. Had
she been quite her own mistress-had
there not becn Aunt Josephine to disap-
prove, as we'll as other complications
she would long since, of her own free
will. have made over half her inheri-
lance to her cousin. But now, to have
everything swept away! 1t was a crush
ing, humiliating prospect. With Fred
erick Montgomery, her affianced hus-
band, it would probably make no differ
, ence; but with his family? Her aunt's
suggestion was forcible, appalling! With
all her faith in her lover, Edwina had
not lived twenty years and over and es-
capped knowledge that a mans family
may clutch and control him with ten
times the ease with which they could
control a daughter or a sister. Edwina
was strongly conscious that her father
would never have been guilty of a run
away match, as had been her Aunt
Charlotte, the mother Of Kitty. In all
such love matters women are infinitely
stronger. tenderer and more faithful
than are men, and Edwina, knowing
this, could not measure herlover by her
own heart.
Edwina lay there for an hour ormore.
Consider the matter as she might, there
seemed no relief, no solution. She sat
up at length with her head throbbing
and her face on fire. The afternoon
was slipping away. She heardthe clock
strike five. She arose and Went out on
the piazza. Kitty was reading in a ham,
mock on the lawn. She descended and
came toward the house.
"Have you been asleep, Ned?" she
asked. ''Your face is flushed. I'll run
and get you a fam
No" said Edwina, a little sharply;
fhnr ssN~ I~~f@ l>-- ,-al1- IN
feel warm. What book were you read
ing?"
1.-The most exciting affair I could find,
OF course. Neddie, L wish you'd begin
to rush your wedding preparations a
little, | shall perish of dullness here"
Edwina moved uneasily. Suppose
there should be no wedding because of
her altered fortunes?
But Kitty ran on blithely enough:
Give a notion to marry--it doesn't
make very much difference whom. you
know. have begun to think I ought to
marry somebody-anybody that's nice
and good-natured and will take me
about the world. You'll be gone in a
month or so, and l viii be left to Aunt
J%osephine's mercy" Kitty made a
little grimace; she was sitting on the
steps, while Edwina occupied a rustic
chair above. II don't see,'' She ended
up, chow l shall exist, Ned. when you
are married Of"
Edwina answered with vague bitter
ness:
perhaps something will happen to
alter things"
Kitty puckercd up her brows.
"Ater things? I'd like to have a
hand at that. But there's no danger
I've a precious mind to marry Phil.
Fortesque. He's not as fine a lover as
your Frederick, but"
Edwina could endure no more.
81 think / will go in; it is time to
dress for dinner, She said YEARLY.
She did not go at once to her own
room. She passed her aunt's door and
went towards the chamber in which her
grandfather had died, and where the
clock stood in which the paper had been
found that morning. She wondered
chamber. 1t was usually kept locked;
all things remained as at her grand
fathers death. She turned the knob
softly, impelled by uncanny fascination.
The door was locked, as usual.
EuWlnd now fetfaCeu ncI steps ana
sought her own room. where she threw
herself upon the bed and covered her
face.
Miss Josephine Clay and Miss Kittic
Carmichael dined tete-a-tete that even
ing, and Edwina was absent. She was
not well was the word she sent down;
they might send her a cup of tea,
please.
. 1t was Il considerable battle that the
girl was fighting outalone. Everything
seemed against her. She plainly read
her aunt's wish that nothing be said I'M
til after her marriage. She admitted her
aunts apprehension AS TO Frederick
Montgomery's family TO be we'll
grounded. She conceded that Kitty
would be practically as well off in re-
ceiving her great fortune a month or
two later as in receiving it now. But,
on the other hand, truth, honor! Did
not these demand the instant wrestling
OF that paper from its hiding place in
the silent. chamber yonder? Did not
right demand that not an hour passed
without Kitty Carmichael knowing her
true position?
JHl, 49, !. l 1..l