Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-10

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when Beatrice told hi1 Indirectly that when
q age che came into q large inccHe. No, let
hem Be married AZ once Her 4athers con-
ent could be won 50 much better after the
ceremony His MaHrice'a darling must b
guided BY him Beatrica heitated. Hervey
pressed, and at last, Ike other darlings Of
sighteen, she consented 10 be guided By The
nan she loved
he guided her to her first actlof deceit.
She Informed Mrs. Ersline that she was
going TO B~oufnemouth for q fortnight to see
AZ old school friend. She comEorted herself
~ thinking It was but an equivocation. She
vas going to Bou1emouth, and q friend Of
aers lived, Of did live there-no doubt she
would sec cher. Every one knows that equiyo-
alton IS the inclined plane down which
people slide to the Dit.
With respect 10 her fatker she CONFERRED
aarseh by thinking that, as he married to
please himself, she had a right TO do the
same-e kind Of reasoning by analogy not
uncommon 70 young people. Besides, he
would know Maurice very soon, and, OF course,
learn to love him.
20 20 boufnemouth she went, but before
going was quietly married to Maurice Hervey,
md the fortnight spent at Bournemouth was
shelr honeymoon. The rays Of the honey
moon go sometimes far towards dispensing
Inc glamour with which a bride surrounds
ner bridegroom. Some curious things hap
oened to Beatrice.
In the first place, her husband even now
objected to Sir Maingay's being told Of his
daughters happiness, and Beatrice, not wish
ing to cross him in these early days, CON
ented as before for a limited period to be
guided by his superior knowledge Of the
world.
In the second place the postman one morn
ing broughta large letter for Hervey. Beatrice
watched him rather curiously as he openedit,
and she saw it contained a document, the
Endorsement of which informed all who could
read that it was q copy Of the last will and
testament Of William Talbert, ESQ. Hervey
explained that he merely took an interest In
MS daring's affairs, and thinking he ought
to know something about them had written
for the copy. This explanation suficed, and
Beatrice laughingly suggested that she should
sit beside him and read the will with him.
This was agreed to.
Hervey, with a smile of satisfaction, read
how one-third Of the residuary estate Yves be-
queathed to Beatrice, or rather to Horace
and Herbert in trust for Beatrice. This was
followed later on by another clause which in
the event Of Beatrice's making, before she
was Of the age Of twenty-one, an unsuitable
match, or even what appeared to her trustees
a Il unsuitable match, Horace and Herbert
were given what amounted to en- unlimited
power Of dealing with her share, a power
which fell little short Of appropriation. Old
Talhert had determined that until his grand
daughter arrived at years Of discretion her
uncles should be able TO defy fortune hunters.
This clause, which was so clearly worded
that even she could understand il, madg
Beatrice glance at her husband. His face
was pale, his hands were shaking, and all Of
a sudden a string of fierce oaths dropped
from his lips. A sharp pain ran through the
heart. Without a word she rose and
left him.
He soon followed her, apologized and be-
lieved be had pacifed her, but his conduct
had planted in her heart the doubt-the most
painful doubt which q young wife can feel
that her husband had married her for her
money, not for herself,
The next day Hervey went to town, on i'm
portant business, be said. Beatrice naturally
resented the desertion, but not having been
long enough married TO know what q fraud
that plea of business often is, made no COM
plant. Nevertheless, something told her
chat her husbands business was in some way
connected with the will. So the doubt be-
came all but certainty.
Curiously enough, or naturally enough,
Beatrice had no longer the wish to apprlse
her father Of what had happened. Dilnly
began to see the meaning Of the step she
had taken.
1t was settled she should return to Mrs.
Erskine's. and as a slight Misunderstanding
is not sufficient to terminate the relationship
between a husband and wife Of a forfnight's
standing, it was also arranged that Hervey
should take lodgings in the neighborhood,
to which lodgings his wife could come as a
pupil to a drawing master. The fellow had
by now resumed his mask, and seemed to be
trying to Offace the recollection Of the will
scene.
But the mask had been dropped once, and
Beatrice, except in her conduct, was no fool.
She went back to her home with a pain in
her heart, and feeling years older than when
she had left a fortnight ago. Mrs. Erskine
manifested no interest in the visit to Bourne.
mouth She merely hoped that Beatrice had
spent a pleasant time.
The girl felt very miserable; a kind Of
dread, wl1ch she vainly stToVe to thrust
away, hung over her. She needed sympathy,
needed a conidant. Such q secret as hers
was too great for one breast. So she told her
maid Sarah what had happened. The woman's
worship and dog-llke fidelity assured
her silence.
Mrs. Miller, who, in spite Of her religious
peculiarities, knew the world, and knew also
what such a marriage as this meant, sup
pressed the grief she felt. But to endeavor
to ease her mind, she made such inquiries as
she could respecting Mr.. Maurice Hervey. She
even watched him, waited for him, tracked
him in his goings out and comings in. She
told Beatrice nothing of this self-instituted
To do the woman justice, had she
found Bervey up to the standard Of her re-
for Beatrice, she would have Of
up thanks to heaven more fervently
than she had ever done in her life.
One day when Beatrice was paying a visit
to her husband, he turned to her suddenly.
~ must have money" he said, there's no
good beating about the bush.H
''Have you no money! asked Beatrice.
"Ihave twenty pounds, the remnant Of a
sum / borrowed
Beatrice had expected an appeal of this
sorts Although Hervey had again and again
told her that by tie ~drudgery of teaching be
could make a good income, 50 that, in marry
ing, money was q secondary consideration,
No. h.d -. on.t ~ tba broad aun3nn