The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-09-11

came, loved him with all the passion
of her soul.
My darling. my darlingr she cried.
in her passion and pain, ''how can |
live without YOU! Ny love. my loye!"
This was what he had to tell her.
Oh. God; could she only die before
the light of his laughing eyes fell on
her again.
All, God, how she lived through the
weeks that followed she could never
tell.
God had heard her passionate cry,
FOR the light of Alvin Emerson's laugh
ing eyes had not fallen on her during
the two dreary weeks that followed
her hearts awakening.
Business had called him away, she
heard. and that was all, and then in
her woman's weakness her heart re-
peated its bitter cry.
All, to see him once again-once
again to hear his voice, even though it
told her TIE story of his love for an
other, and the best of her life died
while she listened.
Her prayer was heard.
Standing on the low level stretch of
sand, her soul had cried out for him,
and he had answered it.
She heard his step upon the sand,
but she never turned till he stood be-
side her and called her name:
"Gloriar'
Then he turned, and low cry broke
from his lips.
My God! Gloria. have you been
i'll? Child what has happened to you?"
With all her shy sweetness and re-
serve, the girl was proud-intensely
proud in her own way, and she would
die before Alvin Emerson, the prom
ised husband of another would read
the bitterness of her soul.
Il have not been very WELL" she
said, nor very i'll, either. The
weather, l suppose. 1t is very change
able"
He made no answer, only looked at
her, a tender light coming into his
eyes.
Il said l had something to tell you,
Gloria" he said. ''Well, little girl,
you will have to wait another little
while to hear the news. | have to be
very certain myself, before | make it
public. Gloria, say you wish me
success
Il wish you success" she said; "why
should | not?"
He looked ut her in some surprise.
You are not like your usual SELF"
he said.
perhaps not she answered coldly,
and then she turned her eyes seaward
again.
Two days later Gloria was looking
for something in an old oaken desk
that was seldom used when, turning
away, her skirt caught in one of the
knobs, and before she could stop it the
old desk came down with 4 crash; and
as it did so a secret drawer in one side
sprang open, and a package of papers
fell at the girls feet, and her own
name in plain writing met her dilated
eyes.
'To be given TO the girl known as
Gloria Delmaine.n
The words seemed to scar themselves
on her brain; her heart beat with
great, strangling throbs, and her face
grew pallid as death; and then she
opened the letter. and low cry came
from her lips.
''Delmaine had been her mothers
name, but not hers. Thank God!
thank God
Every proof lay in her hand that she
was Gloria Delmaine Emerson, and
heiress of Emerson Hall, for the old
man "who had been kind to herr had
righted her even from the grave.
You will forgive the bitter wrong I did
you, Gloria" he wrote, when j am gone. l
married your mother when abroad. / loved
her passinnately, and she-she cared nothing
for me. Her parents forced her into marriage.
making her believe the lover to whom her
heart was given was false to her When l
learned the truth | went mad and Swore /
would never look upon her face again.
The position her parents duped me to win
for her would never be hers. She died, how
ever, when was far away, leaving you little
babe.
Even dead. could not forgive her the fact
that she did not love me. and swore never to
acknowledge my marriage or my child.
Il kept my oath-kept it till l felt my days
were numbered. and death drawing near. i
leave this with Mana TO be given to you after
my death. All the proofs, as well as the will
that makes you my heiress, are in the other
package. Your father.
CHARLES EMERSON"
She knew now who and what she
was.
For moment she ST ood motionleSs,
the papers in her hand.
At first she had been flushed and
triumphant, but the lovely face had
suddenly paied to the hue of death.
The evenings were growing chilly,
and low, red fire burned in the CRATE.
She went over to it, the papers still
in her hand. and laid them on it.
''Oh, love, my gain will never be
your loss" she murmured, rs the
flames leaped up and licked the parch-
ment.
And then-well. then. was it fate, Or
chance. or Providence but one thing
certain, that Alvin Emerson was in
the room. and holding the parchment
that left him penniless in his hand,
slightly scorched, but intact
.'Gloria, why did you try to burn
these?" Then more gravely: Il
think l understand. for / know what
these are. Mana has confessed to the
hiding of them; her motive lest the
change in your position should eStrange
YOU from her. Gloria, l promised to
tell you something. Sweet, it is this:
| suspected almost from the first who
YOU were, for l found miniature l
almost deemed was you among Charles
Emerson's papers, aud written below
it the words, my darling in his hand
writing. Gloria, l have sought proofs
of your birth, and l could prove your
rights even if you had destroyed the
papers. After to-day Emerson Hall
has no MASTER
NO, no. Oh. Alvin, you must be
mad,'
Not half as mad as the little girl
who would have destroyed her birth
right" he said. with smile. Then.