The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-09-13

IOuuu hnhlc Oupoub hO fdoodr
Mrs. Maynard's attention now ap-
peared to be wholly withdrawn from
Miss Hilary and concentrated upon
North's story. Her hands, clasped to-
gether closely, lay motionless in her
lap; her eyes were fixed upon North's
face; she listened with almost breath
less attention TO every word that he
spoke. LJ - -
AS If influenced by this change In her,
North's manner altered; its hghtness
vanished and his tones grew earnest
and sympathetic as he proceeded.
"For few months all went well.
Annie was happy In her college life,
winning friends and popularity, and
little dreaming Of the blow that was
soon to fall suddenly upon her. When
at last, summoned by the telegram
which, like thunderbolt from a clear
sky, had startled her out OF the routine
Of her busy school life, she reached her
home on the Hudson, she was too late
| TO receive the loving farewell OF the
\ one who had been her dearest earthly
| friend.
"The end had come almost without
warming, but II seems that the lady had
felt a presentiment Of her impending
fate, and had sent for her lawyer in
order to mako every provision for
Annies future. Unfortunately he was
absent from homo and could not re-
spond 10 the summons In time to re-
ceive from her lips her last instructions.
The only person who was with the lady
at her death was the girl whom I have
already mentioned. This girl, who had
been with Annie and her mother during
al their long wanderings In Europe,
was the only one Of the present house,
hold who knew the history OF the
adopted child; 1t was she who received
the final directions OF her mistress con-
cerning Annie's welfare. How these
instructions were treated, the sequel
will show.
"With the full knowledge that it was
the last message she should ever send
her darling, the lady wrote long let
Ter 10 Annie, giving her full history
OF her past, her parents death, her
brief sojourn in the orphan asylum,
her subsequent adoption and every lit
tie incident relating thereto. Then,
having told where all the papers con-
tanning the proofs Of her identity
were to be found, the writer closed
with most touching and affectionate
farewell. Before the ink was dry on
the paper the hand that had penned
these loving lines was cold in death.
Had Annie Dupont received this let
ter II would have changed the whole
current of her life but she was not des-
tined thus TO learn her romantic his
tory. 1t chanced that the first person
who approached the desk where the let
ter lay was this servant, now the
houselseeper and woman Of thirty
years She read the letter and II in.
creased her animosity toward Annie
castles. l have thus represented 10 you,
Mrs. Maynard, the peculiar attitude OF
this person toward Annie Dupont, that
you mny the more readily perceive q
motive for the line of action that sht
subsequently, pursued.
after lapse Of several years, spen
very happily abroad, the lady's henltf
began to fail seriously, and she wa
warned by her attending physician tha
the insidious disease which had been de
veloping for months, unsupported by
herself, might at any time prove fatal
The dread of dying In foreign lant
and leaving Annie once more among
strangers, alone and unprotected, In
duced the lady TO return at once to heI
AmeIcan home, beautiful little villG
on the Hudson, where for few month!
her health seemed 10 be materially i'm
proved. Encouraged by this favorable
change, she decided to wait littl'
longer before making known to heI
adopted daughter the secret of her tru'
parentage, seeming TO shrink with NJ
instructive dread from making the dis
closure.
"Annie was now sixteen, and yer,
finely accomplished, having been sine,
the age of five years under the care o
governesses and tutors who had takel
great pride in fitting their pupil for tn,
social position that she was destined u
She determined that her rival, as sh
still absurdly considered the girl
should never be known as Annie Du
pont, never inherit her aunt's wealth
/, and she also determined, II possible
|, , TO prevent her from inheriting tn
! smaller estate of her adaptive mother
In that desk, jealously guarded 70
years, were all the documents oi
which Annie Dupont's fortunes de
!, pended; the papers that declared he
/, /, Identity as Hamilton Dupont's daughte
/, /, and Mrs. Dunkirk's niece; the ador
ton papers that made her the lega
heir of her kind benefactress; the vii
OF that lady In which everything o
] which she died possessed was be
, queathed to her adopted daughter-al
these precious papers lay within reach
and only one living person knew Q
!, their existence. And that one person
because she hated Annie Dupont an
|, regarded her good fortune with jea.
! ousy as implacable as II was unreasoni
ble--that one person, unawed by tn
!. presence Of death, and too ignorant I
: fear the legal consequences should he
I deed be discovered, took possession {
= those papers, and also the letter TO Al
: mic, and hid them'away, exulting in th
. belief that she was thus avenging hs
J, own wrong and disappointment
IA, no BE CONTINUED.