Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-07-19


once, and as we finished our supper
. We heard the tramp Of the men on th
. deck, the rafting Of blocks. the snor
of the steam-tug. and kindred noise
OF a ship getting under way. A
Edith and l reached the wharf, tn
last line was cast off and the Bernie,
moved slowly out into the stream.
Ny companion was q mystery TO me
When she came to my Office. with al
end in view. and with her mind OF
the means. she had SO bold an air thai
though her no other than a widow
who sought by her art to become Z
sole heir, noT-. shs WAS chs ard silent
yet scarcely cold, in short, she had
changed from a woman back to girl.
hood. Yet doubt if two persons
were ever better known to each other,
on two hours acquaintance. than my.
self and my new client.
Now what must we do with this
will?' she asked as We walked to my
office.
Just what you please, said /.
No, but what is the custom?' in
quired Edith.
did not wish to snap the link that
held me to his fair girl, so l made this
artful answer
Sometimes the lawyer keeps it with
his clients papers. sometimes the ex-
ecutor has it, and again it is put in the
custody of the court
You have it now2' she exclaimed
with a little start of terror.
oh, yesl' said, placing my hand on
= large envelope in my pocket, in
which were other papers.
You might as well keep it, she con.
tinued. i am free to own that never
thought to take it from uncle, and
that | had just now bit of fright
at the idea that it might still be on
the barque.'
Trust me for that, / exclaimed,
with pride. as we parted at the door
Of my office, | with the hope to call
on her soon, in response to her invita-
tion.
Just what to do with the will
could not, as sat down to my desk,
decide. l had no safe, nor any place
under lock and key, fit for the deposit;
of the paper.
On Monday, I said to myself, I
will take it to court and get a surro.
gates receipt
AZ ! mused over this and the other
events Of the day, l went to the south.
west window of my office. and took
from my pocket the package in which
was the will As took out the lat.
ter, with my mind perhaps more on
the heiress than on the will, the north
door OF my room opened, and lady
c,me in. Was it Edith? Had it
been she, l could not have see her, for
a wild gust swept up the stairs out
through the open window, and ere my
visitor spoke one word, the paper,
torn from my hand, was hall mile
away and lost forever from my sight.
A. | write these words feel again
the hot agony of that night, burning
despair that brought out the moisture
on me from head to foot, while shook
like a person under the fever taken
Oh the plains of Rome.
Can you tell me where the barque
Bernice lies ? inquired my new client.
Gone gone forever l cried. 1t
was but the voice of my woe, but the
lady took it as my answer.
Not lost ? she exclaimed.
Lost lost and, with it, my life,
was my wild wall, as | sank on the
floor by the open window.
My visitor could not but think me
maniac, and ere I could rise, the
rustic of her dress had died away on
the stairs, and was again alone.
No not alone, for ali the devils in
hell were with me that night. What
could | do? To find the lost will was
out of the question. Should / own to
my client that it was lost? First, I
felt that would go to her at once,
throw myself on her mercy, devote
my lite to her service, and gain back
the wealth which blew away from my
hand. Then ! thought of sailing for
the Arctic. but knew. as a sailor,
that the Bernice would not reach that
sea for six months, that might never
chance to meet her there, that in so
doing ! might miss seeing or hearing
from her captain elsewhere. Again
Edith might die aud never know her
loss. or Captain RobstOne might re-
turn and live to make many villa
Then with that hope that doubts truth,
which We love not to believe. began
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