Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-02-07

too, would take lessons, butt he neve
appeared.
And Gerald? He also longed to Sc,
again that lovely, incompatible,
young creature who had so moved
his interest and pity; but how coult
he break his word to Connie? No
he would not do that, but he haC
more than once strolled at dusk
down the street in which Delphine
was located, and on two occasions
fortune had favored him so far that
he had obtained distinct view Of her
once as she entered the baker shop,
and at another time as she passed
out.
How he wished to go forward! to
exchange a word with herl He dwelt
continually on her image, and that
which his sister dreaded had come to
pass. Love had blossomed in his
soul for the penniless Delphine. One
evening, when DEFENDERS SHOWS were
falling, he sat late in his own room,
dreaming of his future. The young
man was restless and i'll at ease,
knowing that it would give pain to
his family if he asked the hand ofthis
frlendless girl, of whose antecedents
he know nothing. Ought he not to
think something of his mother-of
Connie? And might not happiness
fly away when the irrevocable step
was taken; but more and more he
thought that he would take that
step, confess all to Connie, fall on his
knees before Delphine and whisper to
her that he had loved her ever since
he and she met in the Gloomy Lon
don street.
Midnight sounded This night was q
sort of era in his life; for the cousin
from whom he had inherited his
wealth and who had died five years
ago had left with his bequest aletter,
enJoining his heir to open it after the
lapse of five years, on the anniversary
OF the testator's death, at midnight,
When in complete solitude.
The hour and the time had arrived
tonight; the secret he was to learn
would soon be in his possession.
The life of his relative, now dead and |
gone, had been a fair and open career,
iull OF kindness and courtesy. 1t
could not, then, be dreaded deed he
was to learn from the hand now in
active for ever. Nevertheless, the
young man opened the envelope with
certain thrill of emotion.
Poor Horacel" murmured he, 81
wonder If | am to learn a love secretl
lie never married p
His eyes were fastened on the page:
lis cheeks flushed, his brow knit.
What was this he saw before him?
VI wish to let some time pass be-
ore you read this, for time softens
IS and gives future possibilities.
5esldes, you are so impetous, you
night refuse to take my request I'M
ess you had opportunity first for re-
lection and for seeing that you are
he person who ought to administer
when am dead and gone"
Then there is secret |" broke
'om Gerald's lips, when he had read
hus far.
Yes, there was indeed. And as he
cad on he learned that once-when
oyhood trenched on manhood-at
II hour when sorely, cruelty tried, j
is dead cousin had yielded to temp
alton and had used the sum oftwenty
ounds belonging to his employer, /
nd intrusted to another, q sum he
new he could replace within week.
his employer was then absent; it {
as the most unlikely thing in the
ord that the fraud would he dis ,
)yered. I
But the unlikely thing occurred. {
is employer came home three DAYS
efore he was expected. Gerald's
ousln was absent for a few hours !
counts We're called for-the twenty {
ounds were missing. In vain the i
Dung man to whom this money had I
zen intrusted insisted on his inno-
that he had placed ]
he money safely in the desk-thougb
had certainly neglected to lock it
His dishonesty w9s s
owed in his employers mind, and t
he real culprit found, on his return.
lat his friend had been dismissed. /, {
nj had disappeared. Even now, t
'wever, he believed, he hoped that
could remedy the disaster. To e
nfess his crime would be destruc- Il
on-for this he had not courage P
1T he would $50 he thought) repair "
$ fault. He would find his friend; t
would pretend that he had found c
e money in the desk, in hidden h
cess; together they would tell their h
DRY to the offended gentleman, and
I'm reinstatement for his friend. a
e could not do more for the sake
those for whom he had sinned-
1t OIL it should be a lifelong lesson IL
r the future. Il
But never-never did his friend re- b
IN. All advertisements, all efforts :,
trace linn We're fruitless. The sew %
ty pounds were restored-the cor l.
+ IN the desk shown-the employer c,
nvinced that he had been hasty, W
t this did not bring back the in W
ed youth. In
Years went by, and the one who had a.
ured him rose by rapid degrees to W
osperity; but, all unknown to 9TH ri
!, he carried canker in his heart, I'll
never-never had he other oppor- IA
nifty for making reparation. Andsl
he lay dying he penned this con- tc
sion to his young cousin, enjoining w
n to pay sum of $4,000, if he X
ould ever have the opportunity, to W,
child or grandchild of Wilfred co
rston. Iv
IapstoDf rTbo Ia I'LL -