Passaic City record., 1893-01-07

which it had never vibrated before. lis
it-because he is poor--and ! am richs"
81 think SO, dear--yes.
The color mounted in deep wave
over Mina's delicate neck and cheeks.
ssTell him." said the poor child, still
lower than before, sstell him that don't
mind" And. seizing her hat, Nina fed
from the room.
An hour later little note came:
"Would Miss Barbara, it said, "tell
Mr.. Dilkley that Mina's mother, Mrs.
Wilton, would be glad to see him at
dinner the following EVENING"
Poor little Minal
Well did Barbara DilkleY understand
the meaning of this rash yet pitiful lit
tie missive. If Vincent would go and il
he would speak--then all might be well
with them. If not, there was that voY-
age Nina had spoken of. Barbara in
stinctively felt that this was the turning
point in Vincent Dilkley's life.
eVincent," I" she said that night, after
long silence, during which he had
stood staring motionless out into the
serene beauty of the summer moonlight,
'sshe loves you, you love her. On, l
know you dol Why can't you be happya
What is wealth or poverty that it should
stand between you so2 1t is your pride
He turned from the window almost
fiercely.
s.Barbara, Barbara, don't tempt me
so! Don't make it any harderl It's bad
enough. Pride2 I think need all the
pride have. What right have I to take
that young girls lovea What have to
offer her2 Can drag her down to my
levela Can / live on her money!"
"You will be famous some uay, per-
haps, said Miss Barbara.
Her brother laughed. There was no
mirth in the sound.
"You may say SO, Bah, to keep me
from sinking too low in my own eyes.
But you know, and I know, that me-
diocrity I am and will remain to the
end. Such fellows as / have no right to
think of such creatures as Nina Wilton.
She is young, she is beautiful, she has
all that Life can bestow. / was not made
for such as she, bless her!'' And his
voice had dropped very low. "No, ]
shall not go there tomorrow"
Nor was fate to give him the oppor-
tunity Of changing his decision.
The next morning dread report
reached the village and like wild fire
spread in an hour through all the coun-
try round. Mr.. Abel Wilton, million
aire, owner of town house and country
house and yacht and blooded horses, had
been found dead il his liblary-dead
and with small vial in his tight
clenched hand.
The reason for the deeda People
asked each other with horror stricken
faces. 1t was unheard of, Incompetent
sible.
Not SO unheard of, not so incompre-
hensible as the day wore on. The first
vague rumor of business troubles had
grown and now the truth could no
longer be concealed. Search had been
made. papers found. Mr.. Abel Wilton,
millionaire by no rightful title, had been
such now these many months. The town
house and country house, the yacht and
the blooded horses = frauds, hollow
mockeries. Flowers twined over the
top of precipice, hiding the yawning
depths beneath, even perhaps from the
man himself, who still wildly hoped for
some impossible chance to avert the blow
of fate.
It was rainy, dreary afternoon, and
Vincent Dilkley had gone up to the
beautiful country house, now inexpressi-
bly, dismal aud soon to be the Wiltons
no longer.
1t was the first time he had seen Nina
since her fathers death. She came
toward him across the long room in
silence, coldly and with downcast lids.
Her black dress made her seem very
frail and young, but her eyes had become
woman's. She gave him her hand dis
family.
Then, under his strong pressure, she
at last looked up, and all her new re-
serve, her fresh born shame and con-
sciousness of the love she had shown him,
melted away of sudden, with little
cry, and she was fast locked in his arms.
ssOh, Vincent" she sobbed like
tired child, 81 thought you did not care
for mel
.sMina--Minai Had I the right to
care or to show it thena"
SIT was your pride. IL was not so
proud" she blushed and hung her head.
~ am not so proud now"
"Minal" The pressure grew tighter
still.
"Poor papal" lower, with her face
buried on his shoulder. 'sIs it very
wrong, Vincent2 can't grleye as I
should, because little squeeze 81
have you now. New York Mercury.