Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-01-31


oOlous creature for so she termed the
learned load. And if Allen is resOlV-
ed 10 break of the engagement, there
is nothing 10 keep me here. Mr. Edr-
mont rs dead; Allen, for some reason,
is eStranged; and I am all alone.
shall take my life in my own hands,
and go 90 London.
lt never entered her head TO earn the
reward. She was completely ignorant
as TO how her late guardian had come
% so untimely an end. Lady Burville
might have explained. but after the
crime she had gone 10 London, and one
did not know where to find her; Mr..
Pallant might have given a hint, but he
had left HernwOOd Hall also. Dora
saw no way of solving the mystery;
and even if she did conjecture the
truth she scarcely felt herself called up
on 10 revenge the death of Mr. Elder
mont by discovering the assassin. She
did not want the reward. and she had
not sufficient regard for the dead mans
memory TO devote herself to so diff
cult a task.
Mr.. Carver lived and worked in
dusty dingy, dreary house, near Mer-
Gerry Lane. His rooms were abOve-he
was a bachelor. dry and crusty-and
his Offices below. Two clerks, as lean
as their master, worked in the dismal
outer office; and in the inner apart
ment. the window of which looked on
10 a news. Mr.. Carver sat all day. and
often far into the night. The appear
auce of so charming and blooming a
woman as Dora quite lighted up the
muSty-fusty den. Her fresh beauty
had little effect upon Carver, who re
garded women as the root of all evil.
The acknowledgement root Of all evil
is mOney-this he approved of and
boarded: but wOmen-he could not
bear them. save i'm the light of clients.
And then they gave him endless trou-
BILE
Mr.. Carver" said Dora. facing the
saturine lawyer on the other side of
the table. 81 have called to see you
about my financial position. I was, as
YOU know. a ward of Mr. Edermont's.
Carver nodded. And he has left me
the Red House and two hundred a
year Mr. Carver nodded. But
what about my income of five hun
bred a year2'
What five hundred a year?' said
Carver grimly.
The income which was left me by
my parents.
"I was not aware that any income
had been left TO YOU by your parents,
nor for the matter of that-if you will
excuse me-was l aware that you had
/ any parents.
what do YOU mean. Sir?" asked Do
ra sitting up very straight.
Why. said the lawyer, meditative-
lv. cit is not hard for you to gather my
meaning. l never saw your parents
/ never heard mention of them. All
/ know is that my late client arrived
here with you. and shortly after his
arrival purchased the Red House. You
were then a year old; and as twenty
years have now elapsed, il makes YOU
twenty-One added Mr.. Carver in par
enthesis. My late client said that you
were an orphan, Carew by name. whom
ne intended TO bring up; but as to par
entS, or history or income know
nothing about them, absolutely moth
ing
But Mr.. Edermont assured me that
7 had five hundred year of my own! -
plain speaking. He handed me mon
ey from time TO time. and stated fire.
QUcutly that NE was saving the rest of
the income 10 give me when | came Of
age. If this is so, l ought to be emit
tied TO at least eight thousand pounds.
'I congratulate you on your logical
arguments. and on your business Capa-
hiities.' said Carver with grave irony,
"but I am afraid that YOU are mistak-
en-. or else that the late Mr.. Edermont
deceived YOU willfully-a thing which
I can hardly believe. / know all the
details eff my late clients monetary
affairs. As said before. | purchased
for him the Red House freehold some
twenty years agO-shOrtly after his ar
rival i'm the neighborhOOd The two
hundred per annUm which you inherit
under the will. is the rental of three
farms. which purchased at a later
period for him. The silver. furnitore
and pictures. which YOU also inherit. he
brought with him from his last dwell
iug-hOuse. Finally, Miss Carew, add
ED the lawyer, with the air of man
who is making a satisfactory state
ueut. 81 know precisely how he invest
ed that fifty thousand pounds. which,
by the will has been so fOOlishly offer
ed as a reward for the discovery of the
murderer of the teStatOr. All these
matters 1 can explain and prove, but as
regards your suggestions income OF
five hundred pounds. l know nothing.
There are. concluded Mr. Carver calm
d. neither letters. nor scrip. nor doc
umcnts of any kind whatsoever among
The papers of my late client. which can
i'm the least subStautiate your state
mont. or even hint at the possibility OF
such thing.
Dora listened 10 this long speech I'm 81
r.r+ an1azenent she had never Coutem-
mated the possibility Of such a deception
for now It seemed plainly deception.
Why Edermout should have toll, so many
u.s ana fostered i'm her a. belief that she
,,.,s irdcpeudeut ass regards pcCuniary
matters. she could not understand car
,..r waited for her to argue the matter,
but Dora made no attempt TO do this.
The LAWYERS explanation was so clear
and decisive that she saw no reason 10
doubt his honesty. Besides. he had been
always well disposed towards her, and no
motive could exist to induce him 10 deceive
her.
"rhen 1 am pcnnilcSs' she murmured
ir dismay Mr.. Edermont deceived me.
Apparently he did deceive you, as
scented Mr.. Carver. placing the tips OF his
fingers together: but il YOU Will permit
me to remind YOU. Miss Carew' you are
not pcnuiless.
Ell have a rccf to cover me and TWO hum
6rsd "a year" said Dora, bitterly. True