Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-30
A LOVE REVEALED.


LOVE REVEALED.
Never mind, Clare; we can get
along without the money. | have the
little fortune my dear old godmother
left me, and I'll take care of baby and
of baby's mother, too. Put the cruel
old woman's wicked will right out of
your mlnd;" and Margie Desmond laid
her soft cheek lovingly against her wild
owed's sisters.
There was striking resemblance be-
tween the two. though the widows cap
which hid Clare's shining hair was
hardly whittier than her face, and Mar
gie's rich color rivalled the 'red, red
rose;" and tears had washed the happy
light out of the young mothers great
sorrowful eyes, while her sisters seemed
to have caught and imprisoned the sun
shine itself.
Clara turned and looked at Margie
reproachfully.
''Please, dear, do not speak of Lionel's
mother so bitterly. He loved her, and L
will forgive, and try to think kindly of
her for my dead husbands sake"
Margie stified an impatient answer.
Angry as she was. the sight of that pa
tient young face disarmed her. Before
she had time to reply servant came
into the room with a card. AS Mrs.
Wyndham took it from her, she said;
II told him 'twasn't no use to take it
up. You wouldn't see him il he were
Queen Victory herself. But all the
same, he made me bring it"
80, LII Al
ment at the girls confusion of genders,
and she said, with mock impressive
ness:
"Make haste, sister mine, and see if
this imperious stranger is to be re-
ceived. Is ne to be ushered into the
august presence or notp"
Mrs. Nyndham had taken the card
and glanced at it. at first listlessly; but
as she read the words pencilled under
meath the name, she reused into sudden
interest.
Bring him here at once, Nora. You
will please remain, Margie."
As Nora withdrew, Glare turned to
her sister, who stood silently wonder
ing at the dignity which had so sudden
ly taken the place of her usual sweet
graciousness of manner.
There was, however, no time for ex-
PLANTATION, for the gentleman was shown
into the room almost Immediately.
Clare rose as he entered, and bowed
coldly and gravely; but he came for
ward and held out his hand.
81 am your husbands nearest living
relative. May l not claim to be re-
ceived by you when can truly say that
my sorrow at his loss is only second to
your ownp"
The words had in them ring of true
sympathy, as they were uttered in a
deep earnest tone that went straight to
the young widows heart.
Tears filled her eyes as she laid her
trembling little hand for moment in
his. Then she turned to Margie.
This is my sister, Mr.. Kincaid.
As Margle bowed, her eyes involun-
tarily flashed their wonder up into the
dark face turned for moment with its
strangely winning expression towards
her This, then, was the heir to the
Wyndham property which, by right,
should have been left TO Claro's little
girl; but which instead, by old Mrs
Wyndham's will, had fallen to this
the nearest male relative.
Llonel'S mother had been an eccen-
trio woman. if, indeed. her peculiarities
could be called by any title but that of
insanity where certain subjects we're
concerned. Among her peculiarities
was an unbounded contempt for the
weaker sex. Ne female should inherit
shilling OF the property which she
held in her right, she had declared en-
phatically again and again, and her
will had carried out her views.
She had ignored her sons marriage
until she learned that his young wife
was to become a mother Then she
sent for her, and told her the expected
heir was to inherit her property if it
should prove a son. if not, the first boy
born to them should have it, as on no
account should girl handle penny of
her money.
For her husbands sake Glare forbore
any remark upon the injustice of this
decision, and, in truth, as her Lionel
was young and strong, and fully able
to battle with the world in behalf of
himself and family, the thought of the
| Wyndham boards troubled her but
little.
| But in one short year all had
changed. Her husbands bright young
life had gone down with the staunch
ship which had sailed from port so
proudly but a few weeks before. His
child-her precious baby-was not the
boy SO ardently hoped for by the stern
old grandmother, but was, instead,
born to confront the mysteries of wom-
anhood in that far future which stretch
ed out sad and dark before the young
mothers sorrowful eyes.
That is why Margies eyes flashed at
the coming of this stranger-this usurp-
ing bitterness surged UP into her heart
as she heard his name.
If the young man read aught of this
unkindly feeling in her face, he made
no sign as he turned again to Mrs.
Wyndham; and Margie suffered pang
of self-reproach as his next words
reached her ears. Soft and low-spoken
| they were, but intensely earnest.
Pardon me, my young kinswoman, /"
he said, ''for abiding to business in the
same interview in which l come to
tender my sympathy for your irrepar-
| able loss; but my heart has burned
within me since have learned of the
unjust will that makes me sole heir of
the Wyndham estate. Half of the
property is justly mine, as Lionel's
mother and my father were sister and
brother, and should have shared equal
ly at grandfather death; and his viii
| leaving all to my aunt was on a par
with the one which dealt so unjustly by
you. But all shall be rIghted As soon
as the necessary legal steps can be
taken. one-half of the money shall be
placed in your hands as the sole execu-
trix for your child
Clare's eyes filled with sudden tears.
The thought that Lionel child could be
Yssred nd edcrstgd as be would haze