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

Katherine 5 mother -kneelto you-I beg
OF you to grant what l ask l'-and Lady
Brandon knelt before Veronica with out
stretched hands.
Veronica rose, sublime in her emo
tion; light that did not seem TO be of
this world shone on her face.
"For your dead fathers sake, Veron-
icar" sobbeI Lady Brandon.
az VIII do it." she replied 'T viii
burn the viii, and I will keep the secret
until | die-anI in death VIII keep it
still"
Lady Brandon rose and drew the girl
to her fathers side.
Swear it here" she said; clay your
hands on his breast-abovc his heart
here. Now swear to me that you vii.
never take Kajherine's inheritance from
her-that You will never lay claim TO it
that you viii never betray the secret
OF your birth and parentage."
Veronica swore it.
"Niss his lips" cried Lady Brandon;
"they would open to bless you il they
coulI."
Veronica kissed his lips.
at will lie between US, father" she
said, this secret Of ours
Then she started up in alarm The
struggle had been too much for Lady
Brandon she had fallen to the ground.
The servants who came to her help
thought she was i'll from grief and they
bore her with plying words to her
oh haY. rg-ltfla Aaraefsa r.-ar,f
her room like one moving in a trance.
Not for long had she been heiress of
Queens Chace not for long had she
called herself Veronica Brandon, SIR
Jaspcr's daughter. All the nobler,
higher, better part OF her nature had
been reused by Lady Brandol's pas
sionate appeal. She forgot in her
enthusiasm all that the sacrifice would
cost her. she remembered only that
she was securing Katherine's happiness
and saving her fathers fair name
She sat quite still and silent, while the
birds sung oHtsi!c her window, and the
sunlight frightened the whole glad
world-how many hours she never
knew. she reflected that her golden
Veronica di Cynthia now unit. she died.
Then she reused herself. The will must
be burned before she saw Lady Brandon
again. She would not read it. That
would simply renew her pain, and could
not beu-1t her. She must destroy it at
once. She went to the boy in which she
had pat it away and took it out. She
read, The last Will and testament OF Sir
Jasper brandon, Baron of Hurstwood,
etc" She kissed the name, and her
tears fell on it. How could she destroy
it? Cur.ously, instead OF being written
on paper, ii WAS written on thick parch-
ment that she could neither tear nor cut.
On this June day there was no fire any
where. She could not go down to the
servants offices to burn it there, for she
would be noticed, and harm might come
OF it. The only way was TO have fire
made in her sitting-room, and burn it
there. The bell was ans wered by Clara
Morton, a pretty girl whom Sir Jasper
hal advised her to take as her maid.
She carefully placed the will out OF sight,
and then, when the maid entered. she
asked her TO light a fire in her room.
a fire." repeated Clara Morton-"a
fire here, miss"
'Yes," said Veronica.
@But," objected the girl, at is 50 warm
it is quite a hot day, miss. am afraid
the heat viii be too much for you"
"There is no warmth here" said Vero-
And the maid seeing the shulder that
made her Young MISTRESS graceful liz
ure tremble, thought perhaps she was
rea..y cold. Still! it was a strange thing
to ask for on a June day; and more Than
once, rs Clara Morton lighted the ire,
she said TO herself that It was unnatural.
and that there must be some reason FOR
it. Stii; she obeyed. But the fire would
not light Three or four times it went
out, and each time Veronica had to ring
again.
GLOW bent she is on it! said the girl
to herself. "What can she want a fire
for? There is something mysterious
about it."
At last the fire burned brightly; and
then Veronica fastened the door and took
out the will again. She held it in her
hands, looking first at the parchment roll
and then III lie :iamcs. Ii SEEMED &c
her as though she held something living.
Wealth, honor, fortune, position, the
T honor OF a noble name-these would al
perish with the document when she laid
4 it on the flames. Should she DESTROY it ?
/ Was it not Ike taking the lie OF some
living thing?
81 Will do it," she said, mot by halves.
! but generously. / make this sacrifice.
/ and Heaven sees me. make it to s.
cure my sisters happiness and to SAKE
my fathers memory. l make it with al.
my heart in return for their love for me,
and | shall never regret it.
Then she parted the Goals and placed
the parchment between thc.n. In few
moments there was thick smoke, and
seeing no more of the parchment, she
thought it was destroyed She watched
the thick smoke as it rose; what did II
bear with it OF hers?
There was some one at the door-who
could 1t be- She cried ont, "Who is it %
And Clara Morton answered:
u want You very particularly, if you
phase, Miss di Cynthia"
Veronica opened the door, and the cir
looked wonderingly into her pale face.
Il have brought you cup OF tea
miss, she said; 81 thought you wanted
something" Her quick eyes noted the
heavy smoke in the fireplace she with.
drew without word. In few moments
she was back again. "Aliss di Cynthia
she cried, 81 wish you would come to my
lady's room; have knocked at the doc
several times and can get no answer.
am afraid fh4ra < sometime, Nv,,r,e,