Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-01-09

1
She was filed with a vague prescience
of calamity. What was It?
| At last IL was morning. The fire was
dead; the servants were stirring. She
rose chilled anu miserable, and went
up to her own room. There could he
nothing serious the matter, and soon
her lover must come to explain away
the trlfie.
But as the morning wore away. and
he did not come. the doubt and un-
easiness returned. and for the first time
there crept into her heart a feenng Of
condemnation for the man she had
| thought could do no wrong.
1t was near noon when the servant
announced a gentleman.
.'Who Is 1t, .IaneT
Il don't know, Miss. He Is an old
gentleman"
When she entered the parlor, she
recognized in the person who rose to
meet her her uncle's lawyer.
MIR. Haverly," she said, 1T is kind
of you to remember me-"
MY dear Miss Marsden, came upon
business. and would rather this NOM
ent be almost anywhere else. have
bad news for you"
she sat looking at him, unable to ar
ticuIate.
VERY bad news: but you must try to
bear 1t bravely. Your uncle's will can
not he found-I mean, your uncle left
no WILL"
She breathed more freely; her 4..st
thought had been of Belsham.
Il do not quite understand" she
said.
He saw that she did not understand.
MY dear, If we do not find a will
you will get nothing ut ALL"
She sat silent for II long time, aud
when ut last she spoke she showed
that she comprehended the whole mat
ter
did my uncle knOw?"
Certainly, certainly. 1t is an al
most objectionable piece Of careless
ness"
My uncle was not n careless man"
THAT is what puzzles me-"
Mr.. Haverly, if my uncle knew what
the law was, there is Il will some
where"
Mr.. Haverly only shook his head.
1--WE must be careful what we say"
he said.
did you say anything to my aunt"
Eyes, and / found ut once that she
would hear nothins concerning your
claim. l may as we. tell you at once
that you have nothing to expect from
her generosity If you want any help
or advice, l will be glad to do all that
L can for YOU"
She thought he had gone, but he
was back.
Miss Marsden, you will not be Of
fended-but, do you need any money
Immediately meanY'
The tears came into her eyes. NO"
she said. But ! thank you, thank
your
Belsham had known this, and he had
not come to her. 1t was all plain
enough now. No mother, no uncle, no
fortune, no lover! IL she had not
been Il brave, strong nature, she would
have been utterly crushed; but pride
and indignation came to her support.
She engaged board i'm a distant. part
of the city, with the privilege Of fur
nishing her room, and removed to 1t her
own room furniture, adding her
mothers work table and many little
articles of ornament; but there was not
room for half the things she would have
taken, for every article in the old house
had it's associations, and to part with
any of them was like leaving old
friends. Nevertheless the red flag had
been hung out, and they were gone.
All debts were paid, the servants were
satisfied and discharged, and mere
were few hundred dollars left, with
which to begin the new life she pro-
Helen Marsden was successful wo-
man. After ten years, she was for the
first time going back to her uncle's
house. Mrs Marsden was i'll, and had
sent for her. She did not hesitate a
moment; all feeling of luminosity had
long since died out. AS she assembled
the weli-knOwn stairs and entered the
library, she looked curiously around to
note me changes, and was shocked by
the dilapidated aspect Of the place.
There was but one change to note
that of time; the carpets, the curtains,
the furniture were the same, save that
they had grown old and faded and
shabby.
How long has Mrs. Marsden been
illy' she asked of the servant.
Its years since she has been down
stairs, Ma'am; but it's not very long
since she took to her bed"
If there had been any enmity yet
lingering in Helen's heart, 1t surely
would have received it's death blow mt
sight of the CHASTITY face that peered
at her from the midst Of the pillows of
Mrs. Marsden's bed.
| Mrs. Marsden's voice was much
stronger than one would have expected
from such frail body.
lis that Helen Marsden?" she asked.
Eyes, Aunt 1t is t.
| Mrs. Marsden moved uneasily. Give
me drink" she said to the nurse; but
even while she drank, she continued to
gaze over the rim Of her cup. "How
hate you. she exclaimed; then sudden.
ly to the nurse again, "Well, what are
you staying forT'
Helen began to fear that she was in
delirium.
"You sent for me, Aunt. Did you
want me? Can do anything for your
II hate YOU. l cannot rest for