San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-24

place UnaU paper in his coffin, but re-
membrance Of his oath forbade. After
once having made the midnight visit TO
Louis tomb he would be privileged to
speak Of it, but before doing SO the
terms of that curious, whimsical COM
pact precluded all reference 10 MS III
tended act.
You. too, seemed mystified by HE
having bid me to conceal that paper III
side his coffin" said Brenda. You can.
not guess, can you, Gerald, what it
contains"
mo. can not" replied Gerald, glad
70 answer so directly. "Unless," he
went on. "a list of accusations against
his wife is to be found there"
"Ob. I have thought of that" said
Brenda, ''but surely if Louis had wished
that YOU should see the paper he would
not have
The words died on her lips, for just
then, while they We're ascending the
piazza steps, Natalie came forward from
the inner hall. Her mourning did not
become her as it did Brenda. and, be-
side the extreme pallor of her face,
there was a certain wild1iess noticeable
in her odd hued eyes.
She dropped her gaze before Gerald's
direct one. A significant silence now
ensued, which Brenda suddenly broke.
She put out her hand to Gerald. Good
BY" she murmured; Il am worn out
for today. | must lie down. You will
come Tomorrow"
"To-morrow-surely," he said, press
ing her hand. She at once glided past
her sister-in-law and disappeared into the
hall.
Gerald waited moment for Natalie
to speak; then, seeing that she looked
both embarrassed and agitated, he said:
Il was very sorry not to have seen the
last of poor Louis"
Natalie seemed furtively to gnaw her
under lip. Then she threw back her
delicate head with a little blending of
scorn and sadness. "Oh, if you had but
come here a few hours sooner, Mr.. Rave
low" she exclaimed, Il believe that even
you might have consented to side with
me-yes. me, the wife of your friend
against the treatment have been forced
to receive from Brenda"
what treatment asked Gerald. 81
have heard that you wished to keep a
physician from visiting your husband,
even while you knew him to be in the
agonies of death"
Il did not know it, she burst out,
cIinching both her slim hands as they
hung at her sides. "Inever dreamed he
was dying! How should | dream so:
He had been i'll and ailing-he had had
such attacks before, and wished a New
York doctor of reputation to see him
instead of some-some mere country
ignoramus." Here she sank into one
of the bamboo chairs that were scat
tered about the piazza, and looked at
Gerald with a mixture of imperi-
business and malice. Il have only
this to tell you, Gerald Ravelow," she
continued: you may be as much in
love with Brenda Bond as you please,
but if my husband has left you an ex-
ecutor of his estate-and | dare say that
he has-then shall demand that a full
settlement of it shall be made as speed
lily rs possible, giving me the share to
which am entitled, for wish to leave
this country and escape from all further
insolence at the hands of this arrogant
sister. Yes, wish to go back to Eng
land"-
with Archibald? asked Gerald,
making the two sharp words cut her I'M
finished sentence like the swift stroke of
a knife.
She started terribly. and then stared
at him How do you know? What do
You know" she began to stanlner.
He gave a brief, cold laugh "Oh,
I'm a great deal more ignorant than
should like to be-" he answered. And
then. feeling that to stay and talk with
her like this might be to place within
her power some hint Of a certain secret
it was both his duty and his desire jeal-
ously to guard for the present, he
slightly lifted his hat, murmured Good
evening" and passed at rapid pace
down the piazza steps.
"lO-mOrTOW Will oS JIile enough lOt
action" he thought, as he hurried across
the twilight lit lawns. A dread which he
could not dismiss, however. assaulted him
with regard to Brenda. Was it safe for
her TO pass another night at Shadyshore,
with the hatred of Natalie vigilant and
asserted. But soon Gerald smiled at his
own fears. Whatever evil this widow
of Louis Bond might already have
dom, II WIS srrp that she WOIld mt no