Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-12-13

"O'- - -
has. Pr -
oh, no. no; he has never spoken to
me of-of -
There, there, my dearl l only
wished to know-I meant it all for
your good, said Mr.. Duncan, tender.
ly.
Helen fed to her chamber to think,
and to recover. if possible, from the
sudden blow she had received.
There had been no spoken words
Of love between them for the three
years that Frank had been a constant
visitor to her uncle's and yet she had
thought, she had believed, yes, she
had hoped, that the first love of her
pure, young heart had found safe
resting place, and that it was recip-
rocated by him, although as yet not
proclaimed, for some good and sufi-
cient reason on his part.
But it was all over now. Her eyes
were open to the notifying truth
She cried for pure shame at first, then
for disappointment. Her face was all
aaame as she thought of the possibilI-
ty of the knowledge on the part of
others of her misplaced love. Then
her cheeks and GROW became deadly
cold as she realized that her young
hope were all withered and dead.
When M. John Duncan saw that
the light had gone out from Helen's
eyes his anger towards his nephew
knew no bounds. He knew that
Frank had gone from his presence
with fixed determination to win the
girl, Elise Courtois, If possible, in
spite of all opposition.
And he knew what he could not
speak of to Helen, that she had loved
his headstrong and misguided nephew
The old man was closeted with his
lawyer soon after this occurrence for
several hours one dav, and the result
of the conference was new will.
Three years pass
These three years following the de-
parture of Frank Duncan in disgrace
from his uncle's home had been to
Helen Morley joyless years of silent
suffering, unshared by sympathetic
heart, unspoken to plying ear, She
had suffered in silence and had tried to
walk her allotted path with outward
composure. And old Jonn Duncan,
though he had been more tender and
solicitous of her welfare than ever,
saw that he could do but little to
tighten her burden OF sorrow
But John Duncan had gone now
There was no longer even his loving
care to shield Helen from her own
misery.
1t had been but few weeks since
the old man had blessed Helen with
his dying breath and passed away.
She was sole possessor Of his wealth.
Frank Duncan had been summoned, !,
but was somewhere abroad, pursuing
his ignus fatnus in the shape of for
tune and Elise Courtois.
He had lost sight of the French girl
with whom he had become infatuated
about the time his uncle had dismissed
him angrily from his house. Follow
ing up clew he overlook her finally
in Paris.
1t was chance meeting on one Of
gay streets of the French city. The
young man wild with joy as he espled
Ter coming toward him. He rushed
upon hor with far more of enthusiasm
than discretion. Elise drew back in
surprise at his ELUSIVE greeting
Have you forgotten all the past,
then. EliseY, asked Frank bitterly, as
he saw by her cool demeanor that she
had changed
'Oh. no; l never forget. said Elise.
Did you not get my letter at the
time I left my uncle's?' said Frank, re-
proachfully.
'Oh, yes; received your letter, and
one from your uncle about the same
time, in which he informed me you
were no longer his heir, but IA, beg
gar, said the young woman, laughing
aloud.
Good heavens Elise! can it be that
you are mercenary, then2 l did not
think
No; Isssuppose you thought I could
marry beggar just as well as not and
continue to work at millinery for nv
living, and for yours, too, perhapsr
said the girl, lightly.
Elise, hear me! 1t is not too late!
MY uncle, I am sure, has not cut me
off in his will Will you not return
with me. and, for the sake of the past
let me call you my own Elise, my
wife?'
'Hushv said the girl, warningly, as
a man approached. 4 could do moth
ing of the kind. Let me present you to
my husband, M. Fennel'
And, to his intense disgust and NOR
tification, Frank found himself the
next instant in the embrace of a
vivacious and voluole Frenchman.
The new view of the lovely siren in
her coarseness and mammon worship,
together with this presentation of a
heavy, vulgar man, past middle age,
as her husband, was combination of