The Forrest City times., 1894-03-09


 Laurel"
 The doctor moves quickly. I hear confused whispering. then cry: ''I am suffocating! Ah-I-" dead silence-then a rattling in the throat-and again silence. Then the doctor leans over the bed. listens, and finally says in low voice: ''He is dead' Laure hides her face in her hands. I approach l would like to accuse her, but puerile sense of respect keeps me silent, and it is she who speaks first. ''I would like to say something to you." Her eyes are filled with tears, but her voice is resol-te. It seems as if she were defying me. However, l consent and lead her into the next room. There we remain look ing at each other for a minute with out speaking. It is she who continues
 You will excuse me for not having sent for you sooner. but your uncle re- fused absolutely to see you. and con- sidering his condition l had only to obey. Tha. was at least the opinion of the doctor. Believe me, I am sorry"
 II should think so!'' 1 exclaimed, with an insulting laugh She looked at me full in the face, her eyes flashed and she stopped crying. You will regret that laugh" she said, haughtily. Ut is cowardly. Your duty as gentleman is first to listen to me-"
 1 was struck with her attitude. al- though l believed it to be only another form of duplicity, and replied grave 1 ly:
 Be it so. l will listen to you" Sue continued then vehemently:
 ''I know that you believe that in- fuenced your uncle 1 know that you believe me responsible for his change of mind toward you and guilty of hav- ing captured his estate. I know that 1 you believe me avaricious, a liar, plot ter. However, 1 am none of these things
 "Ah. then, you are not his heiress?" 1 asked with bitter irony. 1 '.Yes. l am his heiress But l did nothing that the most scrupulous del icacy could object to. l often begged 1 your uncle to send for you and l only ceased when the doctor assured me that my constant demands worried the i patient. Your uncle was my benefac- l tor. He saved me from misery and could not do anything which would prove me ungrateful When he was attacked with the strange whim of preferring me to you, l was obliged to submit. As he was then too ill to be opposed"
 But you inherit the estate!" re- peated, with the same melancholy irony.
 ''I inherit it-well?' She gazed fxedy at me.
 If you were in my place, what would you think?" l exclaimed. | Just what you will think" and she drew small packet from her pocket and handed it to me, saying; Forgive the old man and destroy this proof of his delirium."
 1 was too much astonished to speak. My hands trembled. Confusedly 1 re- alized how wrong had been in blam- ing her.
 "What do you mean?' finally stam- mered.
 That is the will I give it to you. anu you rciudtH tuo HUT ol your uuHdP- py uncle"
 | 1 was so overcome by her answer that Twas obliged to lean against the i wall for support-so ashamed that l could not look her in the face-her whom had so basely accused. 1 After few minutes l collected my self and begged in a supplicating voice Forgive me. Take back this packet! | l would rather die than accept the es- | tate on such conditions" And l,'' she exclaimed. vehemently and disdainfully. Do you think that I will touch it? Do you think I would defile myself by stealing?' 'I have misunderstood you." l ex- claimed. "l have acted like brute. l am miserable fool" l 1t does not matter now. We shall probably never see each other again. She spoke gently in an absent manner. Her beautiful eyes had a faraway look. and now I knew that she was really pure. innocent stainless. | "Ahr' l murmured 'Of what use is | the money to me? To receive ir thus from your hands is the hardest of pun | ishments l will not have it. To re- ceive it from you, who refused me so coldly: from you, who despise me with such humiliating gentleness l should consider myself disgraced for life" 1 What do you say? Disgraced be- cause 1 return to you what belongs to you? Because l refuse to profit by the unreasonable whim of an invalid?"
 She retreated few steps, and her ad- mirable beauty filled my heart with adoration. ''Ah. why should you not