San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-26
This story was commenced August .9Ol
IN CUPLD'S NET.
DISCIPLINE" "a BROKEN WEDDING
RING" ''THORNs AND ORANGE
BLOSSOMS" DORA TTORNE,"
&C. &C,


bic cross which bears but one wOrd-.Isola.'
| sent you, little child only three years of
age, TO the convent of San Angelo; and when
you had been there some time you became
very ILL., and it was feared you would not
live. Then / sent for my faithful old servant
Mrs. BlencOwe. told her the story of my
marriage, and babe her take you home; but,
before doing so, made her swear to me that
nothing should ever induce her to breathe
one word of what had unSealed TO her
The paper marked No. is a copy of my
letter TO Mrs. BlencOwe; that marked No.
Is the letter she sent me from HerOn's Nest,
announcing her safe return with the child
Gracia.
~ may as well tell you the truth, Gracia.
went farther and farther afield in my travels,
always hoping to forget Millicent, and for
got you. My lawyer wrote to me when Mrs.
BlencOwe died; but did not receive his let
ter until some months after it was due, and
then said nothing | knew that you must
be staying on here. Mine is sorry story. l
was a bad husband, am bad father; but l
will right the wrong have done you. For
give me, Gracia. | am old; my hair is white,
and my eyes are dim. Forgive me- my child.
As l write these words, you are looking at
me, and my heart melts within me.
when l came home and found you so
beautiful, so graceful, SO accomplished, re-
pented of what had done more bitterly than
ever; but it was too late. My pride will not
let me avOw that have overcome my hatred
to women and have been married; it will not
allow me to own that it is my own child l
have so cruelty neglected. l could not bear
the shame and humiliation. l could not en-
dure the wonder and comments while | live;
after my death they will not hurt me.
Enclosed in this parcel you will find let
ter addressed to MIR. Graham in which | tell
him also my story and place you under his
care. l do you justice at last my child. l
leave you the whole of my fortune, HerOn's
Nest, with all it contains L have
in the world; you are my sole helreSS. The
only other relatives l have are the Caryls,
whose fortunes do not concern or interest
me. So, Gracia, make you amends at last.
l wish l could do it in life; but my pride will
not let me. / should like to feel your arms
clasped round my neck, and to hear you call
me Father but could not bear the sneers
of those who knew that was wOman-hater.
1.-THE paper marked No. 6 is the letter to
be given to Mr. Graham. No. Z is my will.
Your eyes will not fall upon these lines until
am dead. When you read them, think
kindly of me, and take warning not to love
with the madness of Dacre. 1t is love for
Millicent that has ruined my life, and your
mothers and yOurs-nothing else.
Goodbye, my daughter. | shall hide this
packet in my escritOire; but at my death il
will no doubt be found. Goodbye, Gracia."
1t was clear that, after writing this letter,
he had repented. When he talked to me of
X,
day to consult with the HerOnsdale lawyer
as to the means of doing it, and he met with
his fatal accident on the way thitheT.
i sat for some minutes feeling utterly be-
wildered. Then looked at the parchment
sheet, and read the words-"rhe last will
of Heron's Nest" The will was short, but
conclusive, for it left everything he had in
the wOrld-hOuSes, lands, moneys, pictures,
plate, carriages, horses, books, jewels-tO his
beloved and only child Gracia IsOla Dacre,
daughter of lsola Dacre, his wife, whom he
had married at Granada. 1t was signed by
himself in clear bold hand, and witnessed
by the hOusekeeper, Margaret Paterson, and
by the butler, James Graystone.
The shock was almost more than | could
bear, and it was with difficulty that l could
keep from crying aloud. My whole frame
trembled; my heart seemed to stand still. So
l was no nameleSS dependant. was GraCia
Dacre, sole representative Of the proud line of
Dacres and heress of all their wealth. was
no longer the deSpiSed companion; | was
GraCia DaCre of HerOn'S Nest Far and wide
as | could see, everything belonged to me;
and it is little wonder that my heart Swelled
with eXultatiOn. No longer should be con-
fined to the servants hall and my solitary
bedroom; there should be no more naughty
requests that would keep out of the way
when visitors were in the house. The house
was mine! Never again would groom and
s3oIi,a can nc T,aCa any patl9ilI|9 ilS!
Sitho o9II me- an ;ntr,deri ",aI har 10y
equal now.
In the first flush of pride my thoughts flew
TO Mrs. Sale and Miss Sale, the two women
who had despised Inc so utterly, who had in
bv nreventino me from PSinSino in t%e cburoh
What would they say when they heard that
the girl that they had snubbed and scOned
was the heiress of Heron's Nest?
nresence What Would sbe tbinE "sSe Yh5
had been so coldIv contemntnnns VIII, had
nrJayed me To Leave the nIace bacarSa ono " 81
her visitors had seen me5 What wouId she
saw when she knew the bonsa haIon~ad 10
f6ss desnised denendantp I reIearSed tho
scene. | pictured her face when She heard
fhat / was tbe Sauire,S dangbtar and mv
baar ri heat almost madIv WIFI 6a,oa any,
eid y For d had hnn ud mi uedce agy
ypareIv i'- A''' '0i """0 W '''i0i ~ 10
All LADY Corv, Won will bs CORR, non for
vonr scoTE and y6nr cnntew9t VIZ ~ III. LII
wish that Won had treated me better that Won
@ Tbsn The taerS fa fo sto LII HI 1a r; ~
face and NV beart softenad With grotitnday
tSe 6erca axuitont nr;da Seor'ad ~ % i;n
fair and beaufifnI Gbristmas Sta W NC TaS al,
indeed r,,e Mace 70 Which yonr 'IigSt b 5aii
brought meP Then the hare walls of the
.Nts go II. ~, " ,n.,..a ,ss e
hmber-room faded, andy saw instead ne
green Postern-gate, covered WIFI IVY h9iainS
tne Whlte SNOW III llS green laws. oaM
the blue night-sky, and the, Christmas star
shining brightly, ana, framed 10y lne green
iyy-leayes the lace tnat Was as tiie sun vi NY
me, On, my love WIN lne bonnie odue eyes,
mad Tor one moment 1orgotten you: .ho
ouddenly emil came over me us uie
tnought nasned across ny nlliiu' NY Saaa
would pc MS IoSsE II heron veg callie
10 me, ne must lose II. III an tiie oquires
money ana lahas became inlne, ne i.uss 10
the poorer Ior ~ L Was actuany scpPitsS
lnto MS place, taxing from MN lnat Oh wniSn
o Knew MN 70 De unsPeakaDiy PI b,n W sor'