The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-06-19

OOTOIuy IOuuu u6fBelI Taking with THIS
stranger about the flowers and the gar
dens and the beck she was reading
your name Is Dorothy" he said,
glancing at the embroidered, tidy on
the green table on which her work was
placed. That was the name of a great
aunt of mine and Of yours-D Dorothy
Patten."
So he had probably inquired and
found out who she was: but she. an
swered quietly:
II am Dorothy BritOn.'
"And l am Neil Underwood"
They looked RraYely at each ether.
She was thinking that this interview
ought to end, and perhaps be sur
missed this, for he said:
You will not let me brighten you
away from this pleasant haunt of yours.
Rather than do so win promise never
again to intrude."
my aunt" she said, hesltatingly.
Il know; you and have both heard
the old story, But we did not build
| this wall. II could, l would have IL
! down"
ut seems inclined to come down OF
! ITSELF" she said, smiling.
1T is time. Pity it was ever built"
And then they talked little farther;
and when Dorothy found herself alone
in her room that evening, she could
think of nothing but Neil Underwood,
and she had a shy, delightful convic-
ton that he was also thinking Of her.
This must not go on" she thought,
| regretfuliy. 1T is not righL-n0t for
me and not as regards my duty to Aunt
Janet"
And for a whole week she stayed
away from the summer house.
But it was strange how Neil Under
wood contrived to cross her path. Once
overtaking her when in returning from
an errand in an obscure little suburban
street she was caught in sudden thun-
! der storm.
! He made her take necessary shelter
in church porch, and there for more
than an hour, while the storm lasted,
these two stood talking together and oc-
casionally looking into each others
eyes. And everybody who has been
/
much eyes can tell.
But Miss Briton heard of this inter-
view and was furious. What hard and
bitter things she said of those I'm
derwoods" and of the Briton who could
be degenerate enough to forget the
dignity of her family and stoOp to ac-
cept a service from their enemies who
had wronged and robbed them! And
her commands were positive that Dor
othy should never again, upon any oc-
casion, speak to Neil Underwood.
So some weeks passed and the girl
went no more to the summer house, or
alone to the town. And the old-time
people who visited Miss Briton would
occasionally remark that somehow Miss
Dorothy didn't look as bright and
cheerful as when she had first come
to her aunts.
One day she was in her own room,
arranging her work in the drawers of
little ebony writing-stand, which she
had found in the attic and taken a
fancy to.
CHANGING toward the open window
she saw, across the top of the brick
wall, Neil Underwood, slowly prone
nading one of the garden terraces.
His back was to her. and she watched
him until he turned at the end of the
walk, when, with girlish shyness, she
instinctively drew back out of sight.
In the sudden motion the little ebony
table was overturned, and came with
a crash to the floor.
Dorothy stopped and lifted the |
broken top. She found it to be a lid, |
closing by steel spring over a shallow
space beneath, where no one would have |
suspected such to exist. And in this |
space appeared several old letters and a |
folded paper, yellow and crisp with |
age.
The girl took up the latter and
glanced at the writing on the outside
Last VIII and Testament of Paul
Patten,' with the date. An old copy,
perhaps? But no. Was there not the
story Of the lost will?
With eager haste she unfolded the
paper, and glancing hastily over the
first page, ran down stairs to her aunt's
room, her face pale, her eyes bright
with excitement.
"oh, Aunt Janet, see how you have
wronged them! Here is the missing
willr'
Miss Briton read it with trembling
hands, and then sat like one dazed,
staring at the paper.
Il found it in the little ebony writ
ing-table," Dorothy explained
Eyes. / heard my father say that
that table stood always by his uncle's
bed in his last illness. He kept his