The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-07-09
Ten Minutes to Twelve.
CONTINUED from First Page. J

VOWED in he= preservation Of equanimity
And what will not a woman do and en-
dure to make herself worthy in the eyea
of the man who loves her? IL this in.
centive and restraint should be removed
who could tell what disastrous conse
quences might ensue?
Mrs. Hart well nigh wrung her hand.
IN her sympathetic appreciation of the
difficulty of the situation. To be 50 near
the goal and then have hope baked OF
fruition. And now when the loss of the
money would make the recovery OF
sight more than ever n priceless boon!
What could blind woman without
money be save dependant all her days:
And what fate was that TO contem.
plate from the standpoint of two-and-
twenty! II only John Royal could have
accomplished his purpose? Ii only the
broken frame could have obeyed the he
roic will! Mrs. Harris tears fell fast
from very pity and swift realization
Of human impotence.
Royals words surprised her:
WAS she much attached to her cous
inY' He put the question in low voice.
For attachment in the sense of lovers
Mrs. Hart could not answer, but thought
it improbable that that sort of ardor
could now be factor in the engage
ment. The pair had been separated for
six years. and during that time it was
reasonable to suppose that the youthful
emotion which had drawn them together
should have evaporated. That there ex-
listed, however, strong love between the
cousins their conduct toward each other
had proved. John Royal had been a
quiet man, she had always heard, alb
sorbed in his profession and ambitious of
distinction therein; not man of much
worldly wisdom, nor much addicted to
society. Phyllis had doubtless nursed
her romance as much through force Of
circumstances as aught else; she had
been brought up in the knowledge and
belief that her cousin would be her
matrimonial destiny. and during her
most impossible years she had been held
apart from forming any other attach
ment by the blight which had slowly and
insidiously crept over her.
''It was that which prevented Miss
Royal from summoning John home be-
FORE" Mrs. Hart explained. "She was
so anxious that Phyllis sight should be
restored before he should see her, and
the disease was obliged to run its course.
Anne liked to arrange the procession for
her people down to the most minute de-
tails. She kept full knowledge of the
child's condition from him. and be-
heve it was only just before her last i'll
ness. when the possibility of cure was at
hand, that she took him into true con-
fidence. And. as i'll luck would have it,
that letter did not reach John for months
after it was written"
why did she make that iniquitous
Wilt" demanded Royal, who felt that
here he also had cause of complaint.
"God knows! I think, however, that
it was made just before John sailed for
Europe, and while the engagement was
fresh with them all, and the young peo-
pie very much in love. Perhaps her idea
was to keep John true by making his
cousins future dependent on his con-
stancy. When a copy of the will was
sent him, after his aunt's death, and
some indignation was expressed, John
wrote us that he had been aware of its
contents for years. None of the other
friends was. They might have coaxed
some reason and justice into Anne Royal
Il they had ben: Lis 2 great many
make or even mention such a thing
would be to prop the door open for
DEATH"
No one more than Hart Royal could
appreciate the importance of satisfactory
adjustments between physical and men
tai relations in cases like the present.
he talked the matter over with Mrs.
Hart, and, out of pity for the girl and
an unconscious adaptation of their
thought to the lines indicated by John
Royals conduct in regard to her thew
decided that they would continue to
shield her from knowledge of her be-
reavement until the operation should
nave been performed. It would be but
ior short time, they thought, and no
living being would be injured.
VI the property there would be no &C.
casion to think for three months vet. az
that time must elapse ere the executor
would render his account. And of Roy
ais kindred there was none, accessible.
nearer than Phyllis. His parents had
into rest many years before.
and OF his two sisters one had died in
'n1ohood. and the other had married q
and gone away with him to
'ome impossible place, where a letter
would be months IN reaching her.
ihey removed Phyllis to another ho- |
ei, where there would be no Chance of |
'ef accidentally acquiring more knowl- |
'dge than they desired for her. She had
'een told OF the death of the stranger. |
mo also that he was really a -kinsman
nd alone in the world, which sufficient
explained the fact that John and Nina
hould decide to remain in Matoacca nm
Il after the funeral.
They followed him alone, those two.
'eu Knowing that if the still heart and
oies brain could respond to sentient
bought or emotion John ROYALS de-
laon would be that it were better the
uerdon OF tears should be withheld
'om his memory forever than that the
lihng OF the drops should dim one
lance of light for the eyes of his be-
we'd. -s
tContlnued next week.