River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-03-15
MY INHERITANCE.
Is Was Received In a Very PecuI-
lar Way.

~ w Do -s0OCANCA AZ q CSLA-
lar Way.
Martha. the old servant awakened
me She said: Your uncle Is dying"
I went downstairs and again found
myself before the half-Open door, where
for the past two days Ihad been watch
ing the agony Of my uncle. lie had
brought me up and had been the kind
est Of guardians lie had banished me
from his presence. lie had commanded
that ] should not be admitted TO the
chateau. He had done all this without
motive, without any Offense on nv
part, but simply because he had disin-
herited me for her,
Her? | see her moving about in the
dying mans room. few steps from
me There she reigns as sovereign
She devOtes herself TO the patient. She
Obeys each request of .he doctor. who.
with her. watches by my uncle's bed
eide. ] watch herevery movement. and
wild hatred, mixed with agony and
humiliation, burns in my veins
on my return from Germany / found
her living at my uncle's. and he said:
''She Is my old friend Senart's daugh-
ter lie died ruined-pOOr old fellow,
hope that you will not object TO my
giving her a small dOwry. You will
still De a millionaire"
She was very beautiful. but proud
and naughty. She received me cOldly
and in a very ungracious manner, but
in spite of that fell promptly in love
with her Her step made me tremble,
and ner Iine profile charmed me At
the end of a month | would have given
heaven and earth for her love. a dared
% sell her so-tO ask her to marry me
but she refused ne without hesita-
zion
Never she declared positively.
An, that never" it broke my heart,
but I answered her calmly;
You might have told me SO more
gently"
1T would have been less efficacious, 3"
she returned. calmly. And I admired
the barbaric frankness Of her answer,
like the sentimental fool that l was.
To-day know what the girl with
the dark eyes was hiding, now
understand her silence. her cold
reception. her insulting rejection. II
was because she was sure Of her posi-
ton. Already she knew that she
should rob ne of my fortune. And to
think that during the past two days 7
have not told her how J despise her!
To think that I was satisfied TO avoid
her, not 20 talk o. her. How she must
laugh al WY folly,
As this thought enters my mind am
u 81 .
words of the doctor still sound in my
ears:
DO you wish 20 kill the patient? It
can be done in a minute 4 sudden
emotion. a surprise and he goes
Thus even nature IS in favor IF the
spOiIer. Again / look at her. She is
leaning over the bed with the express
sion o a madonna!
Suddenly the old man moves end
means like a little child. My heart is
filed With pity for him. Then he calls:
"Laure:"
The doctor moves quickly. hear a
confused whispering, then a cry:
II am suffocating. All"
A dead >iIence-then a rafting In the
throat-and again silence.
Then the doctor leans over the bed,
listens. and finally says in low voice:
lie is dead"
Laure hides her face in her hands.
approach would like to accuse her.
but a puerile sense ~ respect keeps me
silent, and = Is she who speaks first.
Il woIld like To say something to you ="
Her eyes are filled with tears, but her
voice is resolrte. 1t seems as If she
were defying me.
However, | consent and lead ler into
the next room. There we remain look
ing al each other for a minute with
out speaking. II Is she who continues:
You will excuse me for not having
sent for you soont-, but your uncle re-
fused absolutely TO zee you. and con-
sidering his conditiI had only To
obey. That was at least the opinion
Of the doctor. Relieve me, l am sorry. :"
Il should think So" / exclaimed,
with an insulting laugh.
She looked a. me full in the face. her
eyes flashed and she stopped crying.
You will regret that laugh" she said.
haughJily. 1T Is cowardly. Your
duty as a gentleman is first to listen to
me"
was struck with her attitude. al
though believed il to be only another
form Of Implicitly, and | replied grave
ly:
he il 50. will listen 10 you"
She continued then vehemently:
Il know ihat You believe that in
fuenced your uncle l know that you
believe me responsible for his change
Of mind toward you and guilty Of hav-
ing captured his estate. / know that
you believe me avaricious. a liar. a plot
ter, However, l am none Of these
things"
All, then, You are not his heiress?' /
ASKED. with otter irony.
Yes! am his heiress! But I did
nothing that the most scrupulous del
ICacy could object 70. I often begged
your uncle 10 send for you, aud I only
ceasej when the doctor assured me
that my constant demands worried the
patient Your uncle was my benefac-
tor. lie saved me from misery and /
sould not do anything which would
prove me ungratefuL When he was
attacked with the strange within OF
preferring me 10 YOU, / was obliged -
submit As he was then too i'll TO be
opposed"
But you inherit the estate" re-
Peated, with he sans melancholy
IRONY.
II inherit it-well?''
She gazed ixedly al Ts
''If you were in nv p ace. what would
Tou think2" exelsiu ed
Just what you III think" and she
srew a small Packet IRON her pocket
and handed il to me, saying: Forgive
ghe old man and destroy this PROOF OF
ais deliTium."
Twas too much assonishe>- to speak.