The national leader., 1889-02-09
INHERITING A WIFE.

'GOOuDy, dolen, bdlu tHe young
man, with a flush of anger on his hand
some face, as he turned from his uncle
towards the pale girl standing by the
window.
'Goodby, Frank,'' she said, listlessly,
proffering him slender white hand.
He took the hand, and, bending
over, lightly touched her forehead with
his lips.
She raised her head to address him
with forced effort, and he was gone.
The young fool thinks he can defy
me- said Mr.. John Duncan, angrily,
but with love and pity rising to his
kindly gray eyes as he bent them upon
Helen.
The latter was the rich old mans
adopted daughter, and in her seemed
centered all his happiness. She was
his idol, and he had planned to make
her his heiress, or that she should share
all she had Of this worlds goods with
Flank Duncan, his nephew. But this
latter contingency was to be that these
young people should have his fortune
together only as man and wife.
Helen Morley had been an orphan
ever since she could remember. She
had endeared herself to old Mr.. Duncan
by her sweet, unselfsh life and her
devotion to him as her benefactor.
She and Frank had been thrown
much together, as matter of course.
and old Mr.. Duncan, as he looked at
his favorite nephew's handsome, ami
mated face. and then at Helen's sweet
oval picture, framed by her mass of
bright hair, when the two were to-
gether, declared to himself that they
were made for each other, and that it
was plainly the work Of Heaven that
they should be thrown accidentally In
each others way.
But he had just now serious mlssav-
ings whether or not Heaven ever had
anything to do with such a young
scapegrace as his nephew.
He had just received a terrible shock,
and he was stirred by anger, disap-
pointment. and pity for his fair
Helen.
Then, too, he was placed in so deli
cate a position that he hardly kne W
what to say to her. He had no assur-
ance that Frank had ever spoken a
word of love to this girl.
But he can't defy me with impunityI'
growled the irate uncle, as Helen had
not replied to his first remark about
the gentleman in question. Il will
not leave HIM farthingI will make
new Will He shall be Q beggar for all
he'll get from mel" continued John
Duncan, stamping his foot 1ercely.
'Oh, fatherl' said Helen, sppealingIy.
what has he done to anger you sop
'DoneP' shouted the old man, fairly
exasperated by this question, forget
ting for the moment that Helen did
not share his news. and therefore in
dignant that she should not join with
him in condemning tho young man g
heinous CRIME. 'DoneP' he repeated,
in rising tones Of freshly kindled an
ger. What hasn't he done? Upset all
my plansl Destroyed all my happinessl
Tells me he's in love with that French
girl, Elsie Courtois. and that his hap
piness, his very life depends upon his
marrying her! And he has the effron-
terry to ask my approval Of such RI
diculous stepr
The old man paused only at sight of
Helen, who had sunk pale and tremb-
ling upon sofa. Her delicate fingers
were interlaced. and there was look
Of such unutterable pain in her face
that eve2 SIR. Duncan's anger fed be-
fore it.
Then with a sudden thought bis an
ger rose again, anG he demanded, Has
the villain deceived you, Helen9 Tell
me the truth. BY heaven. If he has.
PHI
oh, no, no; he has never spoken to
me of-Of f--"
There, there, my dearI only wished
to know-I meant it all for your good,
said Mr.. Duncan, tenderly.
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 constant visitor
to his 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 a safe resting place.
and that it was reciprocated by him,
although as yet not proclaimed. for