The Opelousas courier., 1897-09-18

) about it. And our acquaintanc
: rapidly ripened. When she cam
. back to town, I met her at variou
J places, sometimes quite by acciden
andlater on by-by appointment. ]
wasn't right, sir, but II was yer
deeplyin love-"
"The little mink" cries the olde
man. "Why, she never breathed
word Of this"
$50 she told me, sir, and that-an,
that makes my present task all tn
harder"
"Well, never mind that. You ar
not her dearest friend-and yet [ sup
pose you think you are. Come, ar,
you sure she loves you?"
II have her word for it, sir. Sh,
sent me to you"
"Well, we'll; and so quiet and de
mure."
"Wh-what did you say, sir?"
II say, why didn't Helen tell me?'
because she wanted to keep it {
secret"
"And she was in it too?"
"Sir?"
"Well, we'll, she is a good girl and
you must make her happy"
The two men shake hands solemnly,
the younger mans face beaming with
delight. Then Mr.. Tinsley rises and
goes to the safe that stands in a cor
ner. From it he take a large envelope.
"She'n not come to you exactly
empty-handed, Torrance" he says as
he looks the contents of the envelope
over. "I've put aside from time to
time certain securities for her, and I
see that they now amount to something
like $40, 600. Of course when I leave
therell be more"
He puts the envelope in the safe and
comes back to his desk.
"She is a very good GIRL" he con-
tlnues, "a sweet tempered, dutiful
girl. Really, I couldn't think more of
her II she were my own child"
"Not your own child?" gasps the
young man.
Certainly not. She is my brother
Edwards daughter. When her parents
died ten years ago I took charge other.
I've brought her up like a daughter,
but she is my niece. You look sur
prised."
II am" replied the young man. IT
thought she was your daughter"
"She didn't tell you SO, did she?"
"Why II think she led me to be-
believe that such was the CASE"
Astonishing! And you've been
counting her all this time in the belief
that she was my daughter. Perhaps
but, no, I won't say it. I believe
you are an honorable man. You surely
wouldn't wreck her happiness for the
sake of the paltry dollars. No, no.
Ill-Iu add to that 800, OOO."
"Sir." says the young man, his face
a1ame, II would marry your
your niece if she didn't have a dollar"
SPOKEN like a man." cries the old
gentleman. "Ill double that $40, 900.
The young man stirs uneasily in his
chair.
"Wait," says the old man. ct can't
understand about this little piece of
It isn't a bit like Mary"
"You mean Helen" says the younger
man.
mo, Mary"
"Helen."
"Mary.v
The young man pushes back his chair
J little.
"She-she never told me her name
vas Mary" he gasps.
WHO never told you?"
"Helen."
The older man leans back in his
hair and shakes hisforefnger at Robert
Torrance.
"Will you kindly tell me what
Helen has to do with this muddle?"
10 asks.
"You mean Mary"
mo, Helen"
The young man rises and takes his
'sMr. Tinsley," he says. 81 came
ere to ask the hand Of your daughter,
nd you tell me she is your niece.
even insist that her name is some
hing else. II don't know what to
mink, sir. I have fear I've'-his
dice trembles, and he stops. |,
"Hark," murmurs the older man.
A voice comes to them from the
assageWay-a sweet and timid voice.
"Oh, is he engaged. Then I'll
+,
s'That-that's her voice" cries Her
ert. I.
s.Not-not Mary's voice." gasps the /
der man. +,
mo, no, Helen's voice" /,
The gray haired head drops back
the cushion.
"Helen." he cries. GOOD Lordr'
He stares at the young man as if
,scinated. i
'And Helen loves you?" he gasps. j
"She says So" replies Herbert. {
But she threw over an earli' I,
but she didn't love him." says
/
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