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

His daughter W She came back again
and again-to these wor,is-"His daugh-
ter" The proud, noble statesman whom
all England revered was her father Oh,
il she could but have known it before
If she had but had time TO pour out the
passionate love OF her heart to himl Ii
there had but been time TO tell him how
proud and happy she was, and how she
valued her birthright, how she rejoiced
in the knowledge that he was her father,
So many things were clear To her now.
She had never understood his strange
manner toward her, half love, half avoid
ance. One thing alter another unveiled
itself, SO that she almost wondered at
last that she had not guessed the secret
And she was Veronica Brandon, heiress
OF Queens Chace. She repeated the
name over and over again TO herself
Veronica Brdndon"-and each time she
liked it better She was heiress of the
grand mansion, OF the fair domain, OF the
broad lands, OF all the wonders of wealth
she saw around her-she who had never
known the luxury OF having one shilling
10 spend. Itwas no great wonder ii her
heart beat and every nerve thrilled with
the sudden sense OF power and wealth.
Henceiorth she could do as she liked =
she could make everyone happy, she
could lavish wealth on the things she
loved best, she could do untold good
She was reused from her rcvcric by
the entrance of Lady Brandon, Look
ing at her, Veronica realized what she
had sufTered-her face was quite white,
with dark circles around the eyes. She
had wept almost necessarily since her
husbands death, but now she seemed
calm with the calmness of despair. She
closed the door, and, coming up to Nero-
Mica, took the girls cold hands in her
own and looked earnestly in her face.
@Vcronica," she asked, ''have you kept
the secret ?''
The young girl raised her head proud
ly.
"Did you think that 1 should betrav
it ?v she asked. 81 am not a traitor,
Lady Brandon"
Il know, 1 know, forgive me for rspeak-
Ing hastily. Veronica / am almost mad.
You cannot realize what / have 10 suffer
You cannot understand my position. /
would rather-thesc are not wild words,
but true ones-I would rather kill myself
than that the world should know how
cruelty l have been deceived = that 1
had but the ashes of my husbands S love,
that he never cared for me, that his heart
had been given 10 another before me. l
could not bear it Il could not survive
such downfall to my pride, my afiec-
ton, my standing and position in the
world-I should not survive il"
81 am very sorry" said Veronica; 'I
cannot help it, Lady Brandon; it is not
my fault, you know"
Think, too, of Katherine, my beauti-
ful child, brought up as her fathers
heiress- All her life she has deemed
herself heiress OF Queens Chace he
future secure. Oh, Veronica, think what
blow it will prove for herl 1t will kill
her!'' And the poor lady's lips quiver-
ed again. "Then," she continued, you
do not know my people, the WALDORF
aines. They are the proudest people in
England they would dare not think
what they VIII say or do when they hear
that my child is disinherited. 1 shall
never look them in the face again. l
wish that l had died before this day
came"
az am very much grieved," said Yer
onica "but cannot help il"
Poor Katherine-so happy in her fu-
ture, They called her heircss of Queens
Cnsce when she lay in her cradle. Ny
pretty Child, it is not right, ii is not just
1 have done nothing TO deserve IL. All
my life / was good and faithful TO my
husband. He has left me a legacy of
sorrow and shame. Poor katherine,
how is she to bear il, Veronica? VIII
it make her hate him and dislike his
memory ?"
"No. she is too noble for that" said
Veronica "Have you forgotten what he
said to her on the evening before his
death ?"
NO. Oh, Veronica, my dear, can
not tell her, cannot, indeed She has
been so light-hearted, so happy all her
life Until now she has never had any
sorrow, any care. How can |, her own
mother, 90 TO her and tell her that she
and are to be driven out, away from
that which we have always held to be
her own? How can go to her and
say to her that she must lay down every
| hope, every brightness OF her life, and
! suffer Heaven knows what ?'
"You forget that she has loved Lord
Wynleigh." said Veronica, gently.
81 do not / foresee fresh trouble
I there. He loves her, 1 know. but his
friends are proud; they would oppose
his marriage to a disinherited girl. She
wou.d in all probability lose her love
with her fortune. Oh, Veronica, ! can
not bear it ]" She drew nearer 10 her.
"You love her, Veronica. l know you
Go. You have said so a hundred times.
/ You said-see, i remember the words
! you would give your life for her if she
! needed IT, because she vas the first n
Owe YOU. lou said that you would
! stand between her and every sorrow.
( that an arrow meant for her heart should
first OF all pierce yours. You said that,
| Veronica"
ayes, and meant it." she acknowl-
edged.
Lady Brandon drew still nearer to her.
1t seemed to Veronica that the breadth
came in hot gasps from her lips.
".She does not want your life, Veroni-
ca; TO give it would not serve her Will
you serve her as you said you would ?
VIII you let the arrow meant for her
heart wound yours ?"
"Yes" said Veronica; @you know 1
| will"
will you save her youth, her love,
her hope? VIII you keep her life bright