Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-02-26
FLORA'S FORTUNES.

she was at work and hurried forward
TO her place behind the counter for
Messrs. Screw & Pinch made it rule
never to allow any time to be
wasted" in their establishment When
Flora saw the faces OF the customers
she was to serve. she dropped the box
OF velvet ribbons and exclaimed:
Aunt Juliet? And Clara!"
The words broke almost unconscious
ly from her lips; tho next instant she
checked herself abashed.
Dear me- Clara" fa!tered the elder
lady. hall angry. half confused. this
is very embarrassing to-
'Do hush, mamma! What a fool
you are." said Miss Clara Darcy in a
not very flial strain. OF co urse. we
aren't obliged to recognize any rela-
tIonship with this-.this young woman.
Let us go;' and they went
Flora Darcy had hard day OF II at
MessrS Screw & Pinch'S aud 1T was
not until they were closing up for the
night that she had an opportunity to
clear the heaped up counter which
was her special charge A paste board
boX-cover lay on the floor partly un-
der the counter. aud as Flora stopped
TO pick it up something glittered be-
meath ia gilt-clasped portmonnale.
Some lady has left her portmon-
nsie on the counter and il has got
brushed OF with the trimmings" was
the girls first thought as she opened
It. Il mover saw so much money at
one time in all my life before!'
At the same instant a perfumed
card dropped from the inner COM
partment-a card engraved in Ger
man text
MRS DEvEREUX DARCY.
The blood instinctively rushed into
Flora's pale and wearied cheek.
1T is Aunt Juliets purse. and the
money is hers-no. ours! Did not
her husband meanly deprive my
mother OF her poor little fortune?
Does he not live in luxury while we
are starving? But it is not mine. l
will take it to Aunt Darcy at once. "
She turned resolutely toward the
aristocratic quarter OF the city. in
which dwelt Mrs Devereaux Darcy.
1t was long walk but Flora scarcely
self OF the tiny burden that was mo-
mentarily growing heavier in her heart
and hand.
Mrs Darcy was at dinner; she could
see no one, was the answer Flora re-
ceived when she requested a brief in
terview with her aunt; nor was she
blind to the footman's insolence and
Bupercilious stare as he delivered his
stereotyped answer
You will give her this parcel. il
you please she said. little annoyed.
Yes miss I'll give it to her. was
Mercury's reply, as he yawned vIsibly
and shut the door after her; while
Flora, infinitely relieved. tripped away
with a heart many degrees lighter
than it had been.
Il shall soon be at home now. "
thought Flora Il hope mamma is
not alarmed at my unusual delay"
Miss Clara Darcy who, had sat
whole hour in full dress white kid
gloves silver bouquet holder and all
was beginning to wax exceedingly i'm
patient when at length CDR. Philip
son" was announced-a frank. hand
some young man. with thoughtful
grey eyes and port erect as that OF
Hyperion.
You must excuse my delay, Miss
Darcy;we professional men are not al
ways masters of our own time and I
was detained by street accident-a
broken arm"
..Ah. indeed?"
''Yes-a pretty little sewing-girl.
should judge-sent to the hospital
And. my the way. it's curious coinci.
dence-but her name is Darcy"
'DarcyP" echoed Clara
yes; Flora Darcy"
How strangel 1 thought added
Clara with the glib readiness of the
habitual falsehood monger that we
were the only family Of that name in
the city. Papa-ahem-he's no rela-
tives living"
The intense glow OF the August sun
ehine quivered fitfullY on the floor OF
the convalescent ward as DIR. Philip
sons footsteps rang strong. nervous
aud inspiriting. upon it's threshold
There was many n heart leaped up
al Tile lbnllldT SOunu, DuJ uOob VI hlt
the heart OF poor Flora Darcy. who
was sitting up for the first time since
the long, wearisome fever that had
followed on the pain and Inflammation
OF her broken arm.
All the morning she had been think
ing OF Dr. Philipson. but scarcely
more than DIR. Philipson had been
thin king Of her What should he do
with this fair. fragile convalescent
who was just emerging from the valley
OF the shadow OF death?
She had told him much OF her his
tory-the rest had been unconsciously
reve aled In the incoherent rawlings Of
fever. Had Clara Darcy known this,
she could perhaps have understood
the su dden and unaccountable cessa-
ion Of Dr. Philipson's visits and at