Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-05-23


said:
"But. Cullen, suppose-for instance,
suppose your father actually did de-
stroy paper which he took to be his
will? | merely ask for information.
81 doubt if that would affect the
case notably, sister, unless it could be
proved very clearly that the paper so
destroyed had been fraudulently sub
stituted."
II don't suppose that could be DONE"
she said, il low voice, looking down
upon the floor. Then suddenly she
spoke with animation:
''But, Cullen dear, you know, at least
Mr.. Amerson says, that all the land
out here and the large tract on the
Oconee were bought since the will, and
therefore didn't pass by it?"
'I am aware of that, sister," he
answered, with some retracting in
tone
She regarded him with much eager
ness.
IF I could so arrange it, as I'm sure
could, wouldn't you take both Of
those places?-knowing without a
doubt" she quickly added, ''what your
father wished?"
''I couldn't take any more than what
it would be recognized universally
that was entitled to, sister"
Not for my sake?"
Not for yours, dear sister, nor for
anybody's, because such an act would
subtract from my self-respect. by SEEM
ing equivalent to compromise with
brother, which have resolved not to
make"
"Oh, my Lord, what can be done in
this case? Are you, then, going to do
nothing to get at least some of your
rights? I don't know what to say or
what to do.''
She looked around the room in de-
spair.
THE case is in Dabney's hands, SIS
ter; but he has my instructions not to
move in it for the present, no matter
what grounds he may suspect he has. :"
Her quick sense saw the tenderly
compassionate motive of his breast,
and, laying her head upon his shoul-
der, she wept and wept. At length,
lifting herself, she looked into his face
with much tenderness, saying:
"My dear brother, l could not invent
words to express how much l admire
your nobility and your gentle true
heartedness. l know that if Mr..
Dabney should discover or should
believe himself to have discovered
any grievous fraud in this un-
happy affair, you will give me,
II then be alive, timely warning.
And Cullen, won't ask you to come
to our house, but you won't forbid Han
nah's coming sometimes, will you, to
see me? For tell you, my brother,
am nearly gone"
"Why, surely not, sister. Hannah
ought to go to you sometimes, and I'm
sure she will wish to do so, unless she
should find that brother objects"
mo, no; he will not object. I've
heard him say often that Hannah was
one of the finest women he knew"
He said nothing. After a moment,
she rose and said:
"Well, pray to God every day to
make some solution of this case that
will be right for all. I'll go out and
see Hannah a little while. There, !
see her among her rose-bushes. Don't
come in, child" she cried; I'm COM
ing. Hannah" she said, when she had
reached the garden, 1--WE had some
little chat with Cullen, not as satisfac-
tory as l hoped. He won't make any
compromise with his brother. Perhaps
he may be right, at least for the pres
ent, but hope"
ST don't think Cullen is right in that,
cfzA. IL H. ~
course brother would make such an Of
fer as would be at least respectable,
and for Pearce's sake, if not mine nor
his own, but he doesn't wish me to
interfere, and don't intend to-"
A slight shrinking showed that
Julia recognized the difference be-
tween the words and what she would
have expected. Then, after such COM
forting assurance as she could find to
bestow, and pressing solicitation for
Hannah to visit her as before, she
went away. Immediately after her de-
parture, Cullen put on his hat and
went out to the field. The movement
ment. Perhaps he foresaw it, but
thought well to hinder another discus
sion, knowing that now she would be
further than before from according
with his views. Some of her behavior
in the first year of their marriage had
not been such as his sensitiveness re-
garded as entirely becoming. It had
stung him somewhat several times to
witness what seemed to him her rather
indelicate efforts to win the regard OF
his father and brother. So also he had
suffered from her occasional illusions
to their comparative poverty, and in
timations that different action on his
part would change it. Believing yet
that her course had been wiser than
her husbands, and that Wiley could
be brought to terms which, II not just,
ought to be reasonably satisfactory,
she persuaded herself that it was her
duty to persevere, but to do so with
greatest prudence, and in such wise as
to-as to-indeed, Hannah, in this new
view of her powers, and of what she
ought and had at least n mothers
right to do, could not easily have an
red to herself as to what. Possibly
there might be some danger on the
line her thoughts were following, but
she trusted that even that was prefer
able to inaction and supine submis-
sion. On Cullen's return she met him
as usual, and in their talk about the
late visit nothing was said by either
with which the other could disagree.