The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-03

your charge some documents not to be
opened until that day. My dear, will
you take those papers, and promise me
that you will not break their seal until
that time arrives?"
81 will, dearest aunt; rest assured I
will do exactly as you wish"
"The papers l speak Of, then, are in
my trunk. inside small wallet. Take
charge of them Immediately, and he sure
to attend to them at the time ! mention.
Now, ! must tell you fact that have
withheld from your knowledge for the
best Of reasons, and in order to keep a
solemn pledge OF secrecy given to your
father when babe. took you, as you
are aware, when child of few weeks
old, as my own had died, as we'll as my
husbands sister, who was your own dear
mother.
"YOu were SO young, and to be so en-
tirely ours until your twenty-frst birth
day, that all thought it best to call you
by our own name. I now tell you, for
the first time, what has been kept secret.
Your father still lives, but for various
reasons did not wish to claim you or be
known to you until that time. have
informed him Of my husbands death,
my failing health, and Of my return to
England. l have also given him Cousin
Rogers address, who will also tell him
where you can be found when that date
arrives.
~ will only add that there is nothing
to be ashamed Of in your birth. You
are d Srue genJlewoman, ana wnen
twenty-one will come into property sufi'
cient for your support; but this fact is
not to be generally known. Four months
will elapse before that time comes, and !
can leave only enough to bury me and
purchase suitable mourning apparel for
yourself.
II dare not leave you without pro-
tector and guardian, and as our present
host is poor and has a struggle to pro-
vide for his own six children and wife, ]
have written to my brother, Sir Reginald
Glendenning, asking him to take charge
OF You. I told him unless he did you
would be obliged to earn your own liv-
ing, and hated to send you out into the
world alone for such purpose. ! asked
him if you could not be of use in some to
him, until the fifth of October, when you
would be otherwise provided for. This
letter must be sent after my interment
Let him be notified Of my death and in
vited to my funeral; then, after all is
over and your mourning garments are
made, send him the letter.
"Now, my love, wish you to promise
me that you will 60 to him if he sends
for you, and assist him in whatever ca
pacity he offers, even though it may be
distasteful. Will you do this for your
dying aunt, Ethel, my child?"
y surely will," was the low reply,
sobbed out almost with wall, "but l
cannot think Of your dying. o, auntie!
] have loved you so, how can live with
out you2"
"'As thy day, 80 shall thy strength be-
Is all can say. God will comfort you,
and in few more months your father
will claim and protect you"
THANK God for that. Dear aunt, I
shall rejoice in that fathers love, I
trust"
"You will, my darling. But what is
thisp cannot see! lam growing numb
cold. Ethel-Ethel-I am dyingl"
She spoke no more, and as Mr.. and
Mrs Rogers hastened back to the room
at Ethel's hurried call, they saw that she
was indeed breathing her last.
Ethel mourned, as one with such q
loving heart would naturally do over
her great loss, but amid all her grief she
remembered distinctly every direction
she had received from those loved, dying
lips.
The package spoken of was hidden
instantly amid her own possessions, and
a message dispatched to the baronet,
notifying him of his sisters death and
the hour of her funeral.
TO this no answer was vouchsafed.
The day came and passed without his
presence, and in little less than a week
after all was over, the. letter to be deliv-
cred after death was forwarded to Glen
denniDg Hall.
The next day telegraphic dispatch
summoned the young girl Immediately to
the presence Of the baronet, saying "that
be was III, and needed her at once"
An hour later saw her seated in a rail-
way train that passed through shire,
IN her way to the Hall.
Poor girl; she little knew what
awaited her there.
To BE CONTINUED.
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