The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-02-09
"Ah, Sunbeam, you have come

Alice, dear, the sun has not shown
his face all the time that you've
been gone. And are you satisfied
now, Allie? You know | told you
that it was a waste of time for you
to go near that proud, naughty,
heartless woman! But you are SO
good, 80 generous, you would not
give up the plea. Let me try,
Auntie that has been your plea
-'let me go to see Cora Worthing-
ton? She is my cousin, and has as
good right to your love and kind
ness as | have So l consented
you had your way, Birdie, and
well, tell me how she received you.'
"She-she-refused to see me J"
faltered Alice. Il suppose the SER
wants took me for seamstress or
nobody, for they were very pert and
supercilious. l believed, Auntie,
that she was at home all the time,
but | blamed the servants for her
refusal to see me, until-until-l
left the house; then | saw her at the
window Of her room. She saw me,
recognized me, and drew down the
window shade. But never mind,
Aunt Lydia, | have done my duty.
Tomorrow | shall write her a note,
and beg her to come to see US for a
few hours visit, at least. Once here,
she will understand all. "
my dear, you are very Donna
| Quixote," said the old lady; "Cora
Worthington is q heartless, design
ing woman-cold as ice-and al
though she is my dear sisters only
child, she is unworthy a kind
thought. She is just like selfish,
tyrannical father. l want nothing
of her."
A few moments later Alice re-
turned to her guest, who had sud
denly learned a lesson--an unex-
pected lesson, too. For the room
which Aunt Lydia occus led was
situated in a projecting wing Of the
house; the window was open to
admit air and the struggling sun
shine after rain; the window near
which Herbert Stanley was sitting
was also open at the top, and the
young man had overheard every
word of the conversation. He re-
solved to profit by it. Before he
left the house he was Alice Rays
betrothed husband.
The next day Alice wrote a friend
ly little note to her cousin, Miss
Worthington, begging her to come
to Aunt Lydia's house; that the
old lady was very feeble and longed
to see her before she died. A curtly
worded line was returned, to the
effect that Miss Worthington found
no such names upon her visiting
list as that of Misses Alice or Lydia
Ray. Of course that ended the
subject. Alice had done all in her
power to serve her cousin In way
Of which Cora Worthington little
dreamed; but she had striven in
vain +
"What do you want, Ninette?
Didn't / tell you not to disturb me
again this morning"
Miss Worthington glanced up
from the novel in her hand as her
maid came to her side.
Ninette tossed her beribboned
head, and her black eyes snapped
viciously.
II want my money, Miss Worth
ington !" she said insolently. you
have put me off times enough! |
haven't had a dollar from you in
three months, and I'm going to
have it now or there will be trouble y
Miss Worthington's face had
grown white as snow. She halt
arose, then sank back into her seat
again.
"Ninctte," she walled piteously,
| may as well tell the truth.
have no money! l have been
frightfully extravagant, and. ruin
stares me in the face. Mrs. Ward.
my companion, brought me pile
of bills to-day, and the mail con-
tained nothing else. This house
must be sold, and-I shall seek. ref.
uge with, poor Aunt Lydia, whom
have disowned p
"She is dead !" announced the
maid cooly: Il saw the notice in
the morning paper. And miss, that
gentleman who used to call here
Mr.. Herbert Stanley-he was mar
ried to your cousin, Miss Ray, al
the old iady's death-bed. 1t was
the old lady's request. And that
is not all. Your aunt left a big
fortune-all to Mrs. Herbert Stan.
ley-and-"
i Ninette did not finish, for Cor;
Worthington lay at her feet IN 8
dead swoon.
i The Worthington mansion was
closed, the creditors satisfied, ant
a pale, weary woman, plainly at
tired, drove away from the magniti
cent home which would know he
no more.
Shortly afterward, in the capacity
of "companion," she sailed to-
, Europe with wealthy lady, ane
| l:oI - hor onnlOv