La Junta tribune., 1898-10-29
CHAPTER ri.

Magnus did not die. He slowly
came back to life and consciousness.
nursed by the tender hands of the two
women who loved him: and OF these
two the tenderest were Elspeth Trolls.
Lilith Stuart had been laid to rest in
the family vaults. Lady Westray was
still at the castle whittier had gone
the lawyers in whose hands We're the
affairs of the estate. and Elspeth was
with her
A fortnight later Magnus lay in his
own room at Abbot's Head. and Day
sat beside him. He was still pale. and
the terrible cut across his forehead was
very conspicuous. but to Day 1t seemed
as II he had come back from the jaws
| OF death.
A ring at the outer door made the
| sweet color fly to Days cheeks. Mon
teith had been away for five days. but
she knew that this was him come back
again.
Day flew to the door. and in few
minutes came back. not with Monteith
only. but with Elspeth Troll as well.
II have brought your nurse to see
you. Halcrow," said Monteith as Mag
nus extended his uninjured hand.
And your nurse is more pleased with
your progress than she can say" said
Elspeth. bending her grave. sweet
| voice and dark eyes over the couch.
They sat together for few minutes,
then Monteith suddenly spoke:
II have a purpose in thus bringing
you all together. 1t is that you might
together hear my story. and the Sc
| cret of my connection with the poor
dead girl whom We all knew. Miss
Troll knows part of the story-not all.
Five years ago l was secretary to
| Sir James Westray, to whom ! was
| also distant connection. He lived
then on his estate in Perthshire. and
during Parliament was up in London:
for he was. as you know. vice-Chan-
cellor of the EXchequer. While there.
his cousin, Mrs. Stuart. widow of a
captain in the army. and her daugh-
ter came to visit him She was very
| poor; she was also-I must not mince
| matters--a scbeming, designing wom
an. Sir James had no children. His
property and fortune should go. in
| right of succession. to the orphan chill
dren OF another cousin--a boy and
girl, mere children.
1T became Mrs. Stuart's object to in
duce the old man to make. a will leav
ing all to her own daughter Lilith
was then seventeen. such as she was
| when you knew her-beautiful and fas-
cinating. Her mother set her to work
on the old mans vanity. Sir James
had one foible, and that was an inor-
dinate love of self. How well she sue
ceeded you can yourselves imagine.
II was three years older than Lilith,
and at susceptible age. She be-
witched me. ! did not love her-I
could not profane that holy feeling by
| giving my own infatuation its name;
| but seemed under spell, and yielded
| to her in all things. She allowed me
| 20 think my feeling was reciprocated.
Suddenly Mrs. Stuart died. Then
| Sir James announced his intention of
| adopting Lilith. To all intents and
| purposes she was his own child. Yet
| Lilith herself knew her position was
insecure as long as the Westray chill
dren lived.
''Sir James was ailing for some time
before he died. and Lilith was con-
stantly with him during that time. She
urged him constantly. with all the per-
suasive powers of which she was mis-
tress; but for long he held out steadily
| against her.
"One night-it was late at night
Lilith came to me.
He has done it, she exclaimed
| triumphantly. He has made out the
will at last! All that he has will be
mine. Come and sign it as witness,
Evan
Il feebly protested, saying that it
was sin to deprive the other chill
| dren OF their inheritance. but Lilith
only scoffed. You will understand
how far had fallen by that mean in
fatuation when tell you that fol-
lowed her and signed the paper as a
witness.
| "A few days after Sir James died.
| There was no contested case. The chill
dren were too young to understand
! matters, and their guardians were cas-
| lily silenced.
.'Lilith still encouraged me, and l
/ visited the house. which was occupied
| by her and Lady Westray 1t was
while doing SO that. by strange acci-
! dent, l discovered the secret which
( legal eyes had not detected.
"sir James signature to the will had
| been forged!
49, txse