Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-14

After that all trace of you was lost, but still kept on advertising, for missing people have n wonderful way of turning up to claim fortunes, and you see the re suit. Here is the lutter, Sir Leonard"
 Leonard took the document and looked at it, while strange feelings crowded his mind. This was the first letter that he had ever received from Jane Beach; also it was the last that he ever could receive
 Before I open this, MT. Turner" he said, II may as we'll ask you, for my own satisfaction, to compare the handwriting of the address with another specimen of it that chances to be in my possession" and he produced the worn prayer book from his pockct-Jane's parting gift-and open ing it at the fly leaf pointed out the in scription to the lawyer, placing the en- velope beside it.
 MT Turner took a reading glass and ex- amined first one and then the other.
 These words appear to have been writ ten by the same hand, " he said presently. Lady Cohen's writing was peculiar, and it is difficult to be mistaken on the point, though I am no expert. To free you from responsibility, with your consent 1 myself will open this letter." and he slit the en- velopc at the top with an ivory paper knife, and drawing out its contents handed them to Leonard, They ran thus:
 My DEAREST LEoSARD-FOr so l, who all, no longer wife, may call you without shame, seeing that you are, in truth, the dearest to my heart whether you be still living or dead, like my husband and my child. The will which am going to sign tomorrow will prove to you, if you are yet alive. as be- litvc to be the case, how deep is my anxiety that you should re-entcr into possession of the ancestral home of which fortune has deprived you. It is with the greatest pleasure that make you this beQucst, and can do so with a lnFa hos lnff everything at my absolute disposal. being him self without near relations, in the sad event which has occurred of the death of his daugh- ter our only child.
 May you live long to enjoy the lands and for tune which l am thus enabled to return to your family, and may your children and their descendants sit at Outram for many genera tion to come.
 And now will talk no more of this matter, | for have an explanation to make and par l don to ask.
 It may well be, Leonard, that when your | eyes fall upon these lines you will have forgot I ten mr-most 1cscrvedly-and have found | some other woman to love you. No. as l set l this down f,tl that it is not true. You will l never altogether forget me. Leonard your l first lov,-and other woman will ever be quite the same to you as have been, or at l least so believe in my foolishncss and vanity. You will ask what explanation is possible 1 after the way in which have treated you and | the outrage thai I have done to my own love.
 Such as it is. however offer it to you. was driven into this marriage, Leonard, by my late father, who could be very cruel when 1 he chose. To admit this is, as know, Q proof 1 of weakness. So be it. 1 have never concealed 1 from myself that am weak. Yet, believe me, l struggled while could. Iwrote to you even 1 but they intercepted my letter. I told all the | truth to Mr Cohen, hut he was self willed l and passionate and would take no heed of my 1 pleading. And l married him, Leonard, l and was fairly happy with him, for he wa~' l kindness itself to me, but from that hour be | gan tO die.
 And now more than six years have passed 1 since the night of our parting in tho snow. and the end k at hand, for I really dying. It | has pleased God to take my little daughter. | and this last shock proved more than can l bear, and so -o to join her and to wait with her till such tin,,' as l shall once moro your 1 unforguttrn face.
 This k all thIt have to say, dear Leonard.
 Pardon me, and. l am selfish enough 10 add, l do not forget ,Ac. JANE. Leonard put down the letter on the ta. | blo and again covered his face with his l hand to hide his emotion, for his feelings ovcrcame him as n sense of the depth and purity of this dead woman's undying love sank into his heart.
 May read that letter, LcOnard!' asked | Juanna in quiet voice.
 Yes, suppose so, if you like, " he an
 swcrrd, feeling duly that it was better to
 make a clean breast of the matter at once,
 and thus prevent future misunderstand-
 ings
 JUauna took tho letter and peruscd it
 twice, by which time she knew it as well
 as she did the Lord's Prayer, nor did she
 ever forget single word of it. Then she
 handed it back to the lawyer, saying noth-
 ing.
 II understand" said Mir. Turner, break | ing in on silence which he felt to bC
 painful, that you will be able to produce
 the necessary proofs of identity within the
 next few days, and then we can get the
 will proved in the usual form. Meanwhile
 you must want money, which I will take
 tho risk of advancing you" And he wrot,
 a check for ElO0 and gave it to Leonard. Half an hour later Leonard and Juanni
 were alone in a room at their hotel, but a yet scarcely word had passed between
 them since they had left the lawyers of
 flee
 Don't you see, Leona rd, " his wife sait
 almost flercely, it is mtst amusing? Yot
 made a mistake. Your brothers dying prophecy was like Dclphic oracle. I
 could bo taken two ways, and of cours you adopted the wrong interpretation
 You left Grave mountain too soon. It Wa
 by Jane Bcach's help that you were to re cover Outram, not by mine" And sh Il laughed bitterly.
 Don't talk liko that, dear, said Leon
 oru in a heavy voice It pains me "
 How else shall ever talk again afte , reading that lettcr?' she answered. Oh i did we'll to be afraid of Jane Beach Ev
 cry word she writes is true. She still hold
 you fast from the grave. You love he
 now, as you loved her in tho past and Q s you will love her in tho future, for whn woman can hold her own against a dea rivalt Now 1 must be indebted to he bounty all my days. Oh, if had not los T the jewels-if only I had not lost tn V jewels"
 F And the unfortunate Juanna flung hel ' self face downward on the bed and burs :, into a passion of tears, but history doe z not relate how Leonard dealt with thl l, unexpected and yet natural situation.
 
 II A week had passed, and Leonard. wit 3 .Iuanna nt his side, found himself one )i more in the great hall at Outram, whert I n:l a tE-.,nr night, many years ago, he an G his Ii a;Iu brOI her had sworn their oath. A 'd Wa, Inc same, for in this hall nothing ha h been chAngtu. Jane had seen to tha ot There, chained to it's stand. was the Bib T. upon which they had registered their vov u There were the pictures of his ancestor II gazing down calmly upon him, as thoug It they cared little for the story of his struI
 gles and his strange triumph over fo tc tune by the help of a woman" The
 was the painted window, with its blazone t, coats of arms and Its proud notices, "F' III Heart, Home and Honor" and Per A ID dua ad Astra-" He had won the heart ar e home, and be had kept his honor and h lA oath. He had endured the tolls and dal e gers, and the crown of stars was his. et And yet was Leonard altogether hapI e, as he stood looking on these famili
 things? Perhaps not quite, for yonder ad the churchyard there was 8 grave, al es within the church n monument in whi ut marble that was wonderfully like one VI ay had loved him though time and troub