Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-03
A ROMANCE OF TWO BROTHERS

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 "I-I don't wish to seem over-trouble- some, Sylvan" she broke silence, with sort of semi-stammering apology. And yet"
 And yet you are very troublesome, indeed, my dear," he announced, with a naughty curtness which made my dear'' ring in sorry satire. ''I have in formed you more than once that can not satisfy your singular craving"
 "It is not that" she said, with heat, yet with self-repression, too. "It is a natural desire. I simply demand of you that you shall permit the worth or worthlessness of your fathers discovery to become known by us both"
 ''That will not do" he replied.
 "You will not do it? you will not?" Lucia broke forth, flushing and slipping nearer to him. "Ah," she went on, ''you have the manuscript concealed, no doubt, in this very room!"
 'If I have!' he shot back, bitterly, ''what then? Do you wish to play the thief and steal it from me?"
 She laid her hand on his arm. "I wish to play the adviser. the giver ot good counsel"
 He shook her hand from his arm at this. '"The devils own counsel" he nut tered.
 "Sylvan!'' she breathed, little gasp ingly. This is the first time you have ever insulted me!'
 "You drive me to it."
 "I seek to dissuade you from casting a slur on your fathers memory"
 "My fathers memoryl Pah! What In a,o,I oo T.a for. fhofC Vn11 want tho 5T-t1o the discovery as you call it. And it's all the merest riff-raff of a clever mans decaying faculties-nothing more."
 His tones were very acrid; he seemed transformed from his usual mild self. She watched him for second or two. with her eyes moistly shining and a quiver of her lower lip.
 ''If you so believe it, Sylvan, then why do you hide it like this?''
 Because it's an outrage against God. I've said so to you before, why make me say it again?"
 "Yes, you've said it before. But how can your fathers wish or design be an outrage against God when, as you your self concede, the brain that compassed the whole idea was in state of semi ruin? Oh, Sylvan, let us test the truth or falsity of that avowal!" Again she put her hand ont toward him, and this time she rested it on his shoulder. But he repulsed her with an excessive rude- ness, and she now saw on his working features the kind of pallor that was easy to explain as wrath.
 "You wish to tempt mel" he cried; you can not succeed. My mother long ago taught me"
 "Oh, your mother!" she flashed. "I knew it was she!" Then her voice sud. denly trembled and softened. "SylvanI I thought you loved me. You've SC often said that you did. What I ask is such little thing, after all!''
 "What you asL," he retorted. ''is a large and shameless thing. If I loved you as God himself loves his children (and may the blasphemy be pardoned meO I should never yield to this desire of yours-never!''
 The next moment she saw that he was intensely agitated His reeling step disclosed this, as he advanced to- ward the desk at which he had been seated. From packet he drew a bunch of keys, and with shaking grasp thrust one of them into the lock of lower drawer. Swiftly he drew forth long and somewhat dingy envelope, which Lucia seemed to recognize the instant ii met her gaze.
 Springing erect and facing her, he waved in air the object he had secured.
 'I am going to burn this," he pro ceeded; ito burn this before your sight Look" She peered at the written name for brief while, and then he withdrew it just as her quick sweep of one hand sought to tear 1t from his clasp. He sped toward the gas-burner that in q cone of green shade illumed his desk ''See," came his next words, "I give il