Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-07

He TOLD NE THE STORY OF HIS SISTERS WRONGS.
He told me the story of his sisters wrongs;
she had been fooled and duped by a wealthy
Englishman. who cOOlly refused any PREPARATION
for the wrong he had done-for a girls blighted
name and broken heart. He was not very ex-
pllclt in his charges. but this was the kind of
thing which he gave me to understand, and he
was just as vlndictiye as if he had been certain
of his facts.
heard the true story of the case from your
husband afterward and he gave me his honor
that his worst ofense had been a sentimental
Irritation with a grisette, an innocent, unso-
phIstIcated girl. with whom he had been almost
seriously In love. His attachment had Just
stopped short of a serious passion. and he had
but Just escaped the folly of a low marriage.
L believed NV frlends statement and thought
no more of MOrel's malignity, which | did not
suppose would ever take any overt form, though
j considered 1t my duty to warn Robert Hatrell
of the existence of this yindIctlve feeling and
- let him know that his enemy was in London.
He laughed at the mans threats and the SUBJ
1ect was dismissed by us both.
/ had almost forgotten it when i met Morel
In Cover street one afternoon on nv way from
the museum to the Metropolitan railway sta
ton. He told me his troubles. the difficulty Of
getting employment. his schemes and inven-
tlOns, which sounded chimerlcal in the last de-
gree, and his want OF money. He talked again
of my friend Hatrell, but l stopped him per-
emptorily.
-"' NeA VI CAA bAbNCA > " 4 IODl III
friends own lips, / said; Il know that your
version Is a tissue of hes"
lie WAS furious at this. He upbraided me for
believing a gentleman in preference to d man
OF the people. Ii WAS the old story. The we'll
born seducer could always escape the conse-
quences OF his wrong doing; but for once in a
way the world should see that retribution NAV
follow wrong. Robert Hatrell had broken his
sisters heart and had grossly insulted him. and
he meant to.be even with HIM.
He asked me for half u sovereign, but I had
Only a Few shllllngs about me; so he gave me a
card with a written address upon 1t. begging
me 70 send him "A post office order next day.
L nave since discovered that he had appealed
to your husband for money and had been
sternly refused. and no doubt that refusal was
AmOre unpardOnable Oifcnse than any sin
against his sister.
II was within n week OF this accidental en-
counter with Claude Morel that | received an
unexpected visit from my fathers old LAWYER.
he came To Lamford IN order with his own lips
10 communicate some very wonderful news, A
second cousin OF my fathers had lately died in
Chicago. leaving ne his residuary legatee. and.
with some insignificant exceptions, the inner
1tor OF q large fortune acquired in trade. /
had never even heard OF Matthew Arden. who
had begun life with a small estate in the East
lidlng. where he farmed his own land, aud
had ended life AS one of the richest merchants
IL Chicago. For me this fortune was a fortune
dropped from the clouds.
i told my old friend that / should make no
"heEebce IN my mode OF life. and that / should
Tell my son nothing of this change in our for
tunes for some time to come. / begged the
good old family lawyer to exercise the discre-
tion which had always been his Distinguishing
q0aIlty, aud to take care that no newspaper
paragraphs descriptive of my unexpected luck
mad their source III his office.
when the lawyer left me I sat alone among
my DOoks-the companions of my life-and
Wrought over the change in nv fortunes. A
sroAe OF luck which would have made most
men hall mad with inv Iaft ro III.
could wealth give me! Nothing, for it could
not give me you.
Yes, Clara. 1t was OF you. and you only. that
AthouSht, as tired TO estimate the value or
the worthIessness OF these riches that had
FALLEN into my lap. What was their worth 10
me. what could they do for me. what could
they buy for me! Nothing. nothing, nothing
loved You from the first day | saw YOU.
oh; God' no" wildly | can recall tina. first day
and hour that casual meeting which decided
me whole course OF my life for good or evil.
Your face flashes out of the dimness beyoud
the lamp hght-a vision of giadness and beauty
as II shone upon me that clear October
morning when you stood before me leaning
against your husbands arm. newly returned
from your honeymoon two months bride.
lou remember ou- first meeting. Clara: how
looked IN through the open gate and saw you
standing deep IN conversation with your hus-
band and his architect. who was holding an
open plan for you both 20 look at. had made
M HatrelIs acquaintance a few DAYS before.
when lie came down to Lamford alone and we
happened 10 travel in the same railway car
rIage.
He introduced himself 10 me as nv future
nelghbOr, and insisted upon giving me a lift
In his Hy from the station. though / told him
II was my habit to walk home.
i want you to tell me all about the neigh
qorhOOd." he said.
This had broken the icc, and we EXCHANGED
friendly greetings through the open gate. lie
called me into the garden and introduced me
70 bis wife.