Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19
All MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, PAGES

satisfied till now. His mother had died
when he was child, and brothers OF
sisters he had none. His father was
poor, and the son had passed an arid and
comfortless youth. He studied law. and,
for several years, worked hard for small
returns. Comparatively late in life he
had fallen passionately In love with a
woman beautiful In form and feature and
OF an atfectionate but feeble willed ma.
ture. His rival was his own cousin, a
wealthy merchant by the name of Philip
Graham. The parents of the girl strongly
supported Graham's suit, and she allow wed
herself TO be influenced by them. Her
marriage gave sinister turn to Odin's
career; and she herself was scarcely less
unhappy than he. After the lapse OF q
year of welded life, circumstances
obliged her husband to go to England on
business errand, and he left his wife be-
hind him. What happened then was
never certainly known to any one save
Odin and herself; enough to say that it
was the deepest and most passionate ex-
perlence OF both their lives. At length
letter was received from Graham an
nouncing his speedy return. Four days
after its arrival Mrs. Graham died. Had
she lived, no doubt her secret and Odln's
would have been declared. Odin was left
to await the husbands return. But the
husband never came. On the day Of his
wife's death his vessel had collided with
another on the ocean, and only a dozen
survivors, among whom he was not num-
bered, reached New York.
He left large property, OF which Odin,
his enemy, but also his nearest living re-
lative, was heir. His papers were
searched tor will, but only the draft of
one was found, unsigned and manifested,
which bequeathed his fortune to his wife
and sister-in-law, who was then a mere
child, and of whom Odin knew nothing.
The family attempted to set up claim
under this document, but it was not
allowed, and Odin became a rich man,
for the sin that he had sinned, the
secret of which was known to no living
mortal but himself. This was the punish
ment!
The power and the luxury that he had
always craved had become his at the mo-
meIt when the only being with whom he
would have cared to share them was
taken from the world. Odin was COM
pletely demoraliZed, and grasped at what
ever pleasure of whatever kind was
within his reach. He had a grievance
against Providence as well as against the
world. He fell into evil ways, and was
haunted by evil thoughts and influences.
And yet there was In him the making of a
noble and useful man.
The unexpected meeting with the Mat
locks was like sudden opening of
heaven through the clouds. Odin's tenn
permanent was naturally reverent and re-
lIgious, and he believed this was a last
effort of his Creator to redeem him. They
were the only people on earth who be-
lieved him to be all that his best ambition
had aimed to make him. Their other ac-
quaintances in New York were very few,
of
Odin Moore, so that there was no danger
of their learning anything of his past his
tory. For his part, he cut loose, entirely
and at once, from all his recent assOoia-
tons and companions. He lived wholly
for the Matlocks. In a hundred ways,
with and without their knowledge, he
helped and befriended them. Maurlce's
book was published, and was an Immedl-
ate success, and by that and by Odin's
efforts a way was opened to him to get
permanent and profitable employment.
Prosperity came to them more and more,
happiness was theirs always, and it was
to Odin, under God, that their truest
and warmest love and thanks were
given.
And during, all this time the gloomy
phantom who had haunted Odin's solitude
had not once approached him.
December came round again, and one
evening, as was his custom, Odin went
up to pass an hour with mis- friends. He
found them looking over a box OF papers.
"What have you got therer' he de-
manded cheerfully, drawing up char.
Are you looking for the title deeds to an
estatein Eluoradow
1--WE have found something very like
it," replied Maurice, with laugh. "If
this paper had been signed Juliet would
have been great heiress."
''But then, perhaps, you wouldn't have
married me-" said Juliet, laying her
cheek on his shoulder.
Odin took up the document and glanced
over it. He recognized it almost immedi-
ately. 1t was the unsigned will of Philip
Graham.
"What has this to do with you?' he
asked laying 1t down again.
"Mrs. Graham was my sister," replied
Juliet. "She was nearly ten years older
than l. and married a rich man. They
both died suddenly, about the same time.
This will shows that he meant to leave
his money to her and me; but it couldn't
be legally proved, so some relatives OF his
stepped in and got everything. 1 think
be might have given me a little, just to
help Maurice along"
''We have got Odin," said Maurice,
''and he is better than a dozen fortunes"
"Why, where are you goingp eX-
claimed Juliet, as Odin turned away and
took up his hat. "Supper will be ready
in a minute. You must stayl"
"Another timewwas all that Odln could
aaV. and he went ont