The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-05-18

one who could not be comforted-"my
own daughter-dead Giulia's childl
have longed so often 10 take you in my
arms and tell You so. 1 did not love
you when evil spirits whispered to me
that you had cost your mother her life;
but have learned to love You since you
have been here, my daughter. Kiss me,
Veronica Say Fatherp to me just
once"
She laid her fair face on his, half
frightened at its deathly chill.
"AIy father-my dear fatherI" she
said.
'You love me, Veronica-you forgive
me?"
Il love you, and have nothing 10 for
give See, father, kiss you again"
Then Sir Jasper took two packets from
under his pillow.
There is another thing yet to be told"
he said; 'and this, my poor Marie, I
know YOU will feel. / feel il myself; but
l cannot-I dare not die until l have
done justice to Giulia's child. 1t is the
law of our race-one that have neither
the power nor the right to change-that,
failing a male heir, the eldest daughter
shall succeed. You, Veronica Brandon,
are my eldest daughter, SO you are my
heiress the heiresS OF Queens Chace
and the domain of Hurstwood."
That cannot be" cried Lady Brandon
-"tliat Is too cruel; 1t Will kill Rather
ine"
81 hope not" he said family. at is
cruel-Heaven knows l feel, it to be SO +;
but it must be DONE"
Lady Brandon had drawn her hand
from his feeble clasp; her face flushed
hotly; her eyes were full OF angry fire.
'My child shall not be robbed she
cried. Il will appeal to all England. 1t
shall not be-" m
"All England could not prevent it,
Marie" he said sadly. ''My eldest daugh-
ter must be my heiress; after my death
she becomes Baroness Brandon. l am
quite powerless in the matter"
at is wickcdly unjust" she cried. 81
wonder at you, Sir Jasper-you who all
your life have passed for an honorable
man. You must not, you shall not do
my child this wrong"
"Hush, Marie ~ he said, sadly. "Do
not reproach me, my dear; have suf-
fered enough. Listen, Veronica This
is my will in it you will find repeated
the story OF my first nlarriage-in it you
will find that have made YOU what you
are-my heircss. / have made handsome
provision for Observation-Disclosures pro-
vision, Marie, for you"
"You have robbed US! :" cried Lady
Brandon. "What am 1 to say to my
friends, when they hear OF this ,"
The baronet continued:
"This second parcel, Veronica, contains
all the papers you will need to prove
your identity-the certificate OF your
mothers birth, marriage, and death.
There is the certificate of your birth also
and every other paper which your Aunt
Assunta thought necessary to prove your
claim. Take them, Veronica Kiss me,
my daughter; my strength fails me.
Promise me one thing in your mothers
name-will you promise, Veronica ?'
With her white lips on his which were
no less white, she whispered:
Il promise"
"Be kind TO my wife and Katherine
he said. promise me-"
81 WILL" she replied. Then she raised
her head, for long quivering sigh from
him frightened her.
"Go and fetch Katherine" he said
"Kate-my own Kate"
"Are you worse, Jasper ?" cried Lady
Brandon, forgetting her anger in her
fear.
\ smile that Veronica never forget
came over his face as he turned TO her.
"No, not worse-better," he said. II
see it all now" And the next moment
he was dead.
The two Mortified spectators stood
looking at each other, unable to move.
Lady Brandon cried out:
"He is dead-he is dead; Veronica r'
Then, going up TO the bewiidered girl
she seized both her hands. Veronica"
she cried, hide these papers. Promise
me, swear to me, that you will not men,
ton one word OF all this until have
spoken TO you again Swear it"
81 promise" said Veronica.
And then Lady Brandon seized the
bell-rope and rang hasty peal.
CHAPTER VII.
BY the noon of the following day peace
and quietness reigned in the house of
death; the passionate weeping and wall
ing, the first wild outbreak of sorrow,
were over. The doctors who had been
summoned in such hot haste had given
their decision-Sir Jasper had died OF
disease OF the heart. There was no need
whatever for the iormality of an inquiry
no need for examination.
They had laid the ilIustrious statesman
the man whose heart had been faithful.
to one passionate love-in state in his
own chamber, with hangings of black
velvet and wax tapers and the fairest
June flowers about him whose hands
should never more gather leaf or blossom;
and then with lingering looks at the
marble face, so grand in its sculptured
beauty, they had left him TO the silence
that should never more be broken.
Veronica sat in her own room, a pretty
room that opened on to the western ter
race-a room whcrc che had all her
books. her easel, her piano-where she
spent happy hours IN study and reading
1t was half parlor, half boudoir, as pretty
as it could be made by taste, by art, and
by affection. 1t was dark and gloomy
now, with the blinds drawn and the
silent, dazed, bewildered. She still wore
her evening dress of black lace-she had
never changed it; her dark hair hung