The Penn's Grove record., 1885-05-23
JOHN ~REDFERN'S WILL.

MI. JO1Ots oulCIS SVh w
not mean what you say?'
81 always mean what | say, Mr.. Aims
lie; and, when | said just now that i
cannot permit your engagement to my
/ daughter Constance to continue, | am
not aware of having made any depart
ure from the rule"
MI. Joyce. when he had anything I'M
pleasant to say, always used formal and
stately phraseology.
at is only a week to day." resumed
the younger man, fX.ng his dark eyes
on the merchant, ''since you, in this
very room. told me that nothing could
make youhappler than TO give Constance
into my keeping. If you meant what
you said then. what have | done to de-
serve this treatment today"
MI. Joyce looked slightly uncOmforta.
bic for a moment, lifted a letter, and
laid 1t down again; but soon his ordl-
nary look of selj-complacent superiority
came back.
II must confess that ! am rather sur
prised at your remark, Mr.. Ailslle," he
said. 81 have, if you will remember,
said nothing against you personally, and,
if you will take the trouble to think,
| yOu Will AOlg 4 BlCSbAiAC, 1T ilbSli IN
Guilty in discovering the reason why that
which was desirable a week ago is not
equally so to-day"
"If you allude to my uncle's will"
Mr.. Joyce bowed.
81 was sure l had not deceived my
self in the estimate of Mr.. Ainslie's
powers.' he went on; II do allude to
your uncle's newly-discovered will"
From which | am to infer" re-
turned the young man bitterly, ''that
you accepted the wealth of John Red
-ern for your daughter, and not Wilfred
Ainslie."
"You are really too subtle in your de-
ductions, - smiled the other, ''and must
pardon me if | do not exactly follow
you. | can say only this, that when, a
week ago, you asked me for my daugh.
ter's hand, believing you to be the in
heritOr of your uncle's fortune of four
hundred thousand pounds, as we'll IS of
the large but POOR estate of Redfern
Manor, which scarcely pays its W ex-
penses, | believe / had no objection to
give my sanction to your proposals, as
the prospect for my daughter vas all
that a father could desire; but since
tudI INK a w llbo bCCh hiOkONClCu ny
which your late uncle-most extraordi-
naIily, will allow-has left everything,
except the estate, which, being entailed,
is yours by right, to your cousin Lau-
renee Markham, the only son of his
younger sister. This alters the case ELI
tirely. | really feel for you very much,
Mr.. Ainslie, but | cannot permit my
daughter to marry poverty.
81 should be the last to wish her to
do So replied Wilfred earnestly; but
/ am far from an icIpating, even for
myself, the fate that is implied by that
word poverty l have inherited no.
thing from my uncle, it is true, a v al
estate which, as you remark, scarcely
pays its own expenses; but l will try
to get it let-the fishing and shooting
are good-so that it Will bring in some
thing, and, for the rest. | a work. |
have youth, health, and streLgth-three
great advantages; and, if can add to
these such an incentive as the hope of
calling Constance mine, there is nothing
too hard for me to do. will work day
and Dight, and"
"Ah, yes, | seei" interrupted the mer-
chant prince, surveying him with "A cold
oIiiiC. anu tbl Nudb ItuSbh VI blult,
Mr.. Ainslie, do you purpose continuing
this unremitting toll?"
"If you mean" said Wilfred, locking
rather puzzled, show long our engage
ment might last, | would say that in
two years | should hope to be able to
provide a home for Constance, which,
if not so large and magnificent as this,
yet should be one"
(Which she would not despise. Quite
so-very satisfactory indeed. And now
may l ask you a question, Mr.. Ainslie?
What a you dor"
The eager light which had kindled IN
Wiltred's eyes at the auspiclous OPEN
ing of the merchants speech died out,
and a flush oyerspread his handsome
face.
"True, Mr.. Joyce" he replied slowly,
"What can | do? Whenever l spoke to
my uncle of studying for any profess
sion, he used to say, 'Redfern will be
yours some day; learn to be a good land
lord-that will be profession enough for
you;' and now this is the end. But
hopefully-''surely l can do some
thing! An NJ. A. of Oxford--"
you might take orders certainly, =
piOhC Ia liC ObbOl oat NpSAASoANs lhNQ-
fern is a fair living, is in your gift, and
the present Rector cannot live more
than ten years. Perhaps 1t might be
worth waiting for"
'Perhaps. But, when | take orders,
/ hope it will be from some higher mo
tive than that of waiting for an old
mans death.n
'Just 50; you are much to be COM
mended. But unfortunately, Mr., Aims
lie, | see nothing else; and you must ex-
cuse my saying that / object 10 this
rather hopeless prospect for my daugh-
"But if she should herself wish, be-
gan Wiifred, with a despairing clutch
at the last straw; but his auditor did
not let him 60 on.
"You are only wasting time-yours
and mine-by urging these consldera-
lions. The engagement must be en-
tirely broken off. A. | said, | am very
sorry, for | will not conceal from you,
Mr. Ainslie, that | have a very high re-
gard for YOU. but my ehild's welfare
must be my first thought.
What Wilfred's : first thought" of
this maternal sJlicltude was he did not