The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-05

OF his high position, dignities and un-
bounded riches had lured her on to that
fatal step. Love had had no voice in
this wicked compact. Not until they
reached Paris and his draft on LIE Bar
ron came back protested did the fortune
hunter learn the deceit that she had
practiced upon him.
The stormy scene that might have been
expected ensued, and then De Courtney
informed her that their marriage was all
sham, and that his wealth and titles
were equally fictitious. Thus deserted
by the man with whom she had fled,
not for love, but for selfish ambitions,
and left to bear her troubles and disap-
pointments as best she might, her fall
was rapid. The money and jewelry she
had so wickedly purloined from mother
and sister that terrible night she had
carefully concealed from De Courtney.
For short time 1t enabled her to lead a
gsy life, but with no protector in Paris
he1pssociations must of course have been
OF lass that opened the door to every
kindly Z temptation. until at last she sank
into al kject ignominy and dishoner. In
this cd lition Eustace saw and rescued
her froi the lowest depths of degrade
ton.
And now \though she rallied for few
weeks, her Nays were numbered. The
physician from the first gave no encour-
agement of recoN Nkry. and after short pc
riod of comparative ease speedy terrmi-
nation Of her i'll sAent life was certain.
When first compellli to realize herNpre-
carious situation, shewas overwhelmed
with terror and despAI The chaplain
visited her daily. Undy his unwearied
teachings and Roses gent ministrations
the darkness was graduall5 5aispelled. and
the hope that she, the most Arilty, might
find mercy through that al atnement so
freely offered to all, even IL chief Of
sinners, began to comfort her.
As this hope frightened he heart
yearned after friends and kindre4 She
had only heard vague reports her
fathers death and was entirely ign mt
OF the condition of the other membd q
her family. 1t was great trial I'd
called upon to reveal to the poor suffei
all the sorrow and shame that had oveI
whelmed her former home, but after hei|
heart, SO long cold and hard, was brought
into better state she would not rest un-
til she had heard every particular. Her
gratitude for the kindness that had
shielded Robbie and Jennie from temp
tation was very touching, but Maud's
perilous situation weighed keenly upon
her mind. Feeling that her own reck-
less and unprincipled conduct from ear
lest childhood had led her sister into by
and forbidden paths, which had now SO
blasted her life If not ruined her soul,
she begged Eustace to seek out Maud
and beseech her by her dying sisters ex-
ample to seek the better life.
The Newtons, after leaving the city,
had very little opportunity to hear Of
Maud's life. From the first she had
steadfastly refused to see her little broth
er and sister and was even unwilling TO
receive any message from them, prefer
ring, she said, that oil memory of their
fathers family should die out Of their
young minds.
They now felt it important to see Maud,
If possible, while Eustace was with them,
and therefore, acting at once in accord
ance with their views of duty, Mr.. and
Mrs. Newton, accompanied by Eustace
and Lillian, went next day to the city.
They learned from o friend that after
two years of strife and bitterness, death
had at last separated this miserable pair.
Mr.. Varney had been dead but short
time. At his marriage he settled lib
- sum upon his young wife and then
made a will leaving her sole possessor Of
all his wealth at his death. Had she
treated the foolish old man with even
common kindness he was 30 infatuated
with her beauty he would have made no
change. But though she had sold her.
self and bartered all her hopes of happi-
ness for riches she could not sufficiently
control her loathing and contempt to se-
cure that for which she had risked so
much.
With his violent temper it took but q
few short weeks to open her husbands
eyes to his folly and to destroy all affec-
ton for and pride in her, and SO his
maudlin love turned to the bitterest hate.
In his dotage he had become like some
fierce animal in his anger, and her life
was wretched past description. His
cruelty she met by biting taunts and the
most exasperating language till at
length she so outraged him that for her
own safety she left the house and went
to reside at some fashionable resort.
Mr.. Varney had long been failing, and
when the excitement of her presence was
over he sank rapidly. One of his last
acts was TO destroy the old will and make
a new one, by which he deprived her Of
everything but what she could legally
claim. So when summoned to his dying
bed 1t was to find that the palatial home
with its royal furnishings, the spacious
grounds and splendid equipages had
passed into strangers hands and was be-
yond her reach. Her bridal settlement,
in itself fortune, and rich jewelry were
all she could call her own.
This will she determined to contest on
the ground that Mr.. Varney at the time
of making it was in no condition to make
a valid instrument for the disposal of his
property, and that the will that he made
at her marriage was still binding AS
soon as her husband was buried she
sought legal advice, but there was suffi-
cient evidence to prove that he was COM
petent to dispose of his property accord
ing to his own wishes, even IL the first
will had not been destroyed by his own
hand before his death. Her conduct had
been too widely known for any to sym
pathize when she was compelled to de-
scend to humber but very comfortable
home.
tTo BE Continued