The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-07-17

AT that moment his hammer missed
tack, slipped from his fingers and fell witt
a clash, dropping through an uncovsrel
' Crevice olthe none too firmly CONSTRUCTED
floor.
AS he extriCsted 1t from Between tn
warped and shrunken boards, no pullsI
> forth with til projecting angle Of q lRrgl
and thinly folded paper yellowed by time
I and with his own name, In his benefactorI
, familiar penhanship, inscribed across ON
creased and widowed end,
: His face flushed crimson, and then palet
I to flush again, as he unlolded the papeI
which had been 30 strangely discovered
and glanced hastily over the contents.
He had found a lost will, which thu
somewhat careless and un%systematio Mr.
Armand had very likely never missed, anC
had believed safe and secure, with othel
documents, locked away In a private desk
In what unaccountable way and by Whai
singular chance II had been lodged in thai
CreViCe might never be asCertAined; but
there It was authentic and uncomfortable,
And David knew himself to BIZ the sole
and unconditional heir to the possessions
OF the Well.to.do old man, who had eyeI
been to him kind and dear as a parent,
Mechanically no deposited that paper In
an inner pocket, and then as half unCon-
s%ciously resumed his tRCks and hammer.
"Aren't you tired, David? | feel awiully
guilty In permitting you to do such alob,"
pretty Blanche called just then from the
hall.
David glanced at the dimpled, merry
and really amiable ConntenanCe, and at
the instant no iancied he ought himself
feel rather gpilty-guilty that in declaring
his own rights he must take 80 much
from one who had always been unaffeCt.
eddy gracious and considerable towards
him
\ "But I am not so thankful tho carpet Is
down" she continued as she surveyed the
satisfactory result Of his gallant effort to
crafty her. "The moquette Is hardly the
thing for such q dlngy old library, but Ben
will have the room altered to suit his
luxurious taates, / suppose, when every
thing Is quite Gettled. But the pattern Of
the carpet 10 quite lovely-all ferns and
wild roses! Ichose It because dear Daphne
Affects that particular flower. / an going
to tho station now to meet her. Ben is so
abomlnably indolent and disobliging, he
never does anything l wish him to. He
really might go to meet Daphne FGyne,
though; they sre-certainly engaged-Ben
hus limited as muCh-although B1phnO
has been rather retiCent herself about the
matter" she added In an impulse Of the
confidential, as gho tripped away.
David started and his face whitened.
So Daphne had forgotten him, and 80
eoonl She deemed him Impoverished,
and so she would marry whom she be-.
lieyed thericher man. All her ghy blushes,
her soft smiles, even that last clinging
kiss, had meant nothing. His Daphne,
his dainty queen, for whom he would
have given lie itself, had never loved him
truly.
He still stood in tho centre Of the room.
Blanche had left the house, and nov some.
body had just been admitted, and wa1
coming down the hall toward him.
He heard the rustic OF silken skirts he
saw dimly q supple shape, and then, with
slowly.lifted eyes, he looked straight into
the sweet, surprised face OF Daphne Fayne,
who had CHANGED to arrive before her
promised time.
"Davld, are you hero still2" she Ooftly
exclaimed, az she advanced toward him
and put forth both her beautiful rlnged
hands.
He never touched the outstretched
hands, and he turned his face from her
sight.
come arrangements which could not be
completed without my supervision" no
replied, in q panied aud forced voice.
The girl noted the freshly carpsted
floor the hammer and taCks at his feet,
his sleevea rolled back from his shapely
wrists and soiled hands, and how thickly
the sweat drops were beaded on his flush.
ed forehead, and quick tears filled her
eyes.
"Do you mean you have remained as an
employe where you, David, ought to BIO
master?" sho asked in o low voice and
with an agitation he would not under
stand.
"Ihave certainly Just put down a car.
pet" said he, laughing a little, despite his
new misery.
But his laugh ended abruptly as Daphne
suddenly covered her face with her beau
tiful ringed hands and began to sob as Il
her heart we're breaking.
"Why will you be so proud, David, 80
cruelty proudP" she sobbed,
"Many a man as good as I-or q better
has put down carpets for a living, | dare
say" said he, still unrelenting because he
dared not understand her tears.
"But did you think no one would care
what you might do, what what you might
suHsr2' said she, still weeping.
" an not uonScioua Of .meriting any
special sympathy" he answered, still
Coldly.
"You saved my liteI l wonder why,
now, when you can make me so hsppy,n
she said simply.
"Ben's promised wife ought not to be
unhappy" he returned quickly, his eyes
gloomy, his voice hoarsc with jealous
pain.
Then the sobs~ suddenly ceased and she
lifted her troubled face with a look Of as.
constituent aud enlightenment not un.
mixed with gentle reproaCh.
"David, could you believe me 80 shal.
low, 80 worldly, so insincere "a that2" she
asked soberly and with a beautiful blush.
Then he understood and the next in.
slant his arms were about her and lie was
whispering comfort TO the grleved and
loving heart. He knew she was his own,
true to the uttormost, and go she would
remain alike through sorrow and through
10y 10 the end.
HPutdown that carpet was the moot
salisiactory job ! ever did in my life,"
he said labghingly, nttOrward. at gave
me BACK my fights and proved my
darllng's unsellsh affection"
"And1 am very glad for you, David
You dessrye to have Uncle Armand's
property always felt Ben and l were
usurpers," pretty Blanche declared
And II her less amiablo brother did
not sanction the sentiment, he submitted.
10 the inevitable blandly, as he did every.
thing else.
0I5nt you paid a round price though
for getting Davy 10 put down that carpet"
ha lRlu once rather dlBpontpntediV In hiH