The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-09-01
CeCil'S False Faith.
BY ANNA SHIELDS.
'<FEFFFFE<rTFFFTTTT,
TT is monstrous!"

TT is monstrous!"
Cecil was marching up and down
the long drawing-room at Wexford
place, his face angrily flushed, his brow
in heavy wrinkles, his whole frame
quivering with passion. l had just told
him the terms of Uncle Harry Well
ford's will, for he had been in New Or
leans when our uncle died and reached
home three days after the funeral. 1T
was letter from Mr.. Hay" said, "that
almost killed Uncle Harry. We thought
he had made a new will, but it could
not be found"
Cecil's face frightened.
"A letter from Mr.. Hay A new Will"
he said, musingly, but keeping his eyes
keenly bent upon my face. why did
you think that?"
'Mr. Potter told Willard so; but we
could not find it and-and-Willard
seemed to be pleased"
mo uoubt! The cur! No doubt the
new will gave me the rights of which
he has robbed me-"
"Oh, Cecil, don't-please don't!"
d
thief
And yet said it falteringly, for was
not Cecil my cousin and betrothed and
Willard only my guardian under Uncle
Harry's will, and scarcely even friend
as yet?
But Cecil clenched his hands hard
moment and said:
Nil
just will?"
"Uncle Harry has left me the house
and $4,000, and to you $4,000; all the
rest-the factory, the real estate in
New York, the bank stock-you know,
Cecil-all the rest goes to Willard"
l shuddered at the oath that broke
from CeciPs lips. But Mr.. Hays let
ter?" he asked.
Uncle was very ill when that came
and he sent for Mr.. Potter at once.
cannot tell you any more excepting
that search was made for the will and
Willard seemed relieved when it was
not found"
Cecil made no reply to this. His an
ger seemed to have been rising till it
made him speeches.. He strobe out at
the French window and down the gar
den path, while threw myself upon the
sofa and cried as l had seldom cried in
all my petted life. For Cecil was nv
betrothed. had been away more than a
year, and fancied 1 loved him. His
letters had been brief and cold for
long time, and now. after one cold ca
ress, he had spoken only of Uncle Har-
rvs will-not one loving, tender word
to me-doubly orphaned by our uncle's
death.
Willard was not our own cousin, but
Uncle Harry's stepson, and much older
than either Cecil or myself We were
still children when Willard was sent to
Paris to take charge of the importa-
tions for our uncle's business and he
had lived there until Cecil went to New
Orleans to control branch establish
ment. Before Cecil left we were for
mally betrothed.
But l knew that Cecil was not pleas
ing Uncle Harry; that he was extrava-
giant, negligent of important business
affairs, and ugly stories of dissipation
came often to grieve us. Mr.. Hay, an
immensely wealthy Louisiana planter,
who was one of Uncle Harry's friends
and business correspondents, had made
Cecil warmly welcome in his family,
and the letter that had so agitated
him had been at once destroyed, and
no hint of it's contents given to me.
But long before this Willard had
come home upon business and Uncle
Harry would not let him leave again.
He was a great contrast to Cecil.
Cecil, at 25 was the handsomest man
I ever saw, with curling brown hair
and large blue eyes, smiling mouth