Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-01-28

| -COILoOlcuCc, lIiat lauy Ulu DedI up
Strange to say, the one who felt the keen
est sorrow,the deepest regret, the truest pain,
was the niece with whom Sir Oswald had
continually found fault, and whom he had
| disinherited. She went about with a sorrow
on her face more eloquent than words. Lady
Hampton said it was all assumed: but Lady
Darrell said, more gently, that Pauline was
not girl to assume a grief she did not feel.
So the barOnet died after a week of severe
illness, during which he never regained the
power Of speech, nor could he make himself
ineligible. The most distressing thing was
that there was evidently something which he
| wished to say-something which he desired
to make them understand. When Pauline
was in the room his eyes followed her with
a wistful glance, pitiful, sad. distressing: he
evidently wished to say something but had
not the power.
! With that wish uneXpressed he died, and
they never knew what it was. Only Pauline
thought that he meant, even at the last, to
! ask her forgiveness and to do her justice.
| Darrell Court was thrown into deepest
| mourning; the servants went about with
! hushed footsteps and sorrowful faces. He
! had been kind to them, this stately old mas
| ter; and who knew what might happen I'M
| der the new regime? Lady Hampton was,
| she assured every one, quite overwhelmed
| with business. She had to make all arrange
mentS for the funeral 20 order all the mourn
ing, while Lady Darrell was supposed to be
| overwhelmed with sorrow in the retirement
Of her own room.
One fine spring morning, while the pretty
| bluebells were swaying in the wind, and the
! hawthorn was shining pink and white on the
! hedges, while the birds sang and the Sun
/ shone, Sir Oswald Darrell was buried, and
| the secret OF what he had wished to say or
! have done was buried with him.
At Lady Darrell's suggestion, Captain
| Langt0n was sent for to attend the funeral.
1t was a grand and stately procession. All
the elite of the county were there, all the
tenantry from Audleigh Royal, all the
friends who had known Sir Oswald and re-
| spected him.
''Was he the last of DarreII?' one asked
! of another; and many looked at the stately,
! dark-eyed girl who bore the name wonder
| ing how he had left his property, whether
his niece would succeed him, or his wife take
all. They talked of this in subdued whis-
| pers as the funeral cOrtege wound It's way to
the church, they talked of it after the coffin
had been lowered into the vault, and they
| talked of it as the procession made it's way
back to Darrell Court.
As Lady Hampton said, it was a positive
relief to open the windows and let the bless
ed sunshine in, to draw up the heavy blinds,
to do away with the dark, mourning aspect
OF the place.
Everything had been done according to
rule-no peer of the realm could have had a
more magnificent funeral. Lady Hampton
felt that in every respect full honor had been
done both to the living and the dead.
Now" she wisely remarked, there is
nothing to be done, save to bear up as well
as it is possible"
Then, after solemn and dreary dinner,
the friends and invited guests went away,
and the most embarrassing ceremony of all
| had to be gone thrOugh--the reading of the
will.
Mr.. Ramsden, the family solicitor, was in
attendance. Captain Langton, Lady Oar
| rel, Lady Hampton, and Miss Darrell took
! their seats. Once or twice Lady Hampton
| looked with a smile OF malicious satisfaction
at the proud, calm face Of Pauline There
was nothing there to crafty her-no queen
| could have assisted at her own dethronement
| with prouder majesty or prouder grace
| Some of the old retainers, servants who had
! been in the family from their earliest youth,
| said there was not one who did not wish in
| his heart that Pauline might have Darrell
| Court.
Lady Darrell, clad in deepest mourning.
was placed in a large easy-chair in the center
of the group, her aunt by her side. She look
ed extremely delicate and lovely in her black
sweeping robes.
Pauline, who evidently thought the cere-
mOny an empty one, as far as she was con-
cerned stood near the table. She declined
the chair that Captain Langton placed for
her. Her uncle was dead; she regretted him
with true, unteigned sincere sorrow; but the
reading of his will had certainly nothing to
| do with her. There was not the least shad-
| oW on her face, not the least diScomp0sure
in her manner. To look at her one would
never have thought she was there to hear the
sentence of disinheritance.
| Lady Darrell did not look quite so tram
| quill; everything was at stake for her. She
| held her dainty handkerchief to her face lest
the trembling of her lips should be seen.
Mr.. Ramsden read the will. and its con-
| tents did not take any one much by surprise.
| The most important item was a legacy of ten
thousand pounds to Captain Aubrey Lang
| ton. To Pauline Darrell was left All annuity
of five hundred pounds per annum, with the
: strict injunction that she should live at Oar
| rell Court until her marriage; if she never
married, she was to reside there until her
death. To all his faithful servants Sir Os-
| wald left legacies. To his well-beloved wife,
| Elinor he bequeathed all else-DarTell Court,
with its rich dependencies and royal reve-
nues, his estate in Scotland, his house i'll
| town, together with the valuable furniture,
! plate, jewelry, pictures, all the moneys that
| had accumulated during his lifetime-all to
| her, to hold at her will and pleasure; there
was no restriction, no condition to mar the
| legacy.
To the foregoing Sir Oswald had added a
codicil; he left Miss Hastings one hundred
| pounds per annnm, and begged of her to re-
main at Darrell Court as companion to Lady
| Darrell and his niece
| Then the lawyer folded up the parchment
| and the ceremony was ended.
"A very proper WILL" said Lady Hamp-
ton; lit really does poor dear Sir Oswald
credit"
They fastened to congratulate Lady Oar
rell; but Captain Langton. it was noticed,
| forgot to do so-he was watching Pauline's
| calm, unconcerned departure from the room.
| CHAPTER XVIII.
WAITING FOR REVENGE.
There was slight only very slight diff
ference of opinion between Lady Darrell
and h0r aunt after the reading Of the will.
| Ta11- Han,1toD yyou1d ia in have pyap IN the