The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-16

70 COublu VI tuo IAupily, Aueloy Iuho
wicke by name, who married on,
o Ralph Dinsmore, and went to England
: It was believed that they were bott
! drowned IN the passage over as the YES
sci was wrecked; but II was not true
. They reached England, and in cours,
Of time q daughter was born to them
+ A few years after Ralph Dinsmort
: died, and his widow, being poor, tool
her child, then about ten years Of age
i and came home to America, intending
I to claim her share Of the Chadwick
Q fortune. But she had scarcely arrived
r in this country wnen she died-died
: 80 suddenly that she had no time te
= explain her identity; and but for q
i strange accident myself would never
s have learned the truth, though she has
= been dead eight Ling years, and hel
daughter is, consequently, eighteen
j., years of age.
. Therefore, sineD the great-grand-
: child whether msa or woman I can.
t not say of Eben Chadwick is still
, missing, though advertised for ex-
tensively, maintain that the daugh-
,, ter Of Lesley Chadwicke nlnsmore is
the real heir to this great fortune, and
that Barton Chadwicke, the late Ia
r mented deceased, had no right to dis
, pose of the estate. l have nothing
further to communicate, only that this
young lady is Miss Lesley Dinsmore;
,, her identity has been legally establish
ed, and all necessary forms complied
with, and she has come here to take
possession"
And Lawyer Greyson sank into the
nearest seat, and wiped his spectacles
reflectiyely.
A low moan of agony broke the ST.
lence which fell upon the room. Mrs.
Chadwick had tainted.
Lesley, forgetting everything in her
; sympathy with the bereaved woman,
flew to her side. to offer assistance;
but Mrs. Perry, the old housekeeper,
quietly bore her mistress to her cham
Der. and set about restoring her to con-
seriousness.
After time, Lesley, standing alone,
gazing out of the library window,
heard a football on the floor at her
side, and turning, beheld the handsome
face of Max Ruthven. He held out his
hand.
May we not be friends, Miss Dins-
more?" he queried, in his low, even,
musical voice.
Lesley blushed as she laid her hand
In his.
I'VE are almost relatives" he con-
tinued, land shall probably see great
deal Of each other"
There was soft, persuasive tone to
his voice, and his handsome eyes were
bent upon the girls dropping face. A
slight exclamation made him start
guilty. Lurline stood near him, pal
lid as specter, in her clinging black
robe.
Leave us, Maxi" she said, impera-
lively. Il wish to speak to Miss Dins-
more alone"
He obeyed her, leaving the room at
once.
Lurline darted forward then, and
caught Lesley's white wrist with grip
OF iron; one would not believe that
the white fingers could be SO strong.
Listen to me-" she painted breath
lessly, her great dark eyes fixed basil
|lisk-like, upon Lesley's pallid face.
"You have usurped my rights! You
are an interloper here, and not salts
fed with that, you-you would win
Max Ruthven's heart, suppose! Be-
ware, young woman. you may go q
step too far! hate you! hate you!"
She ground the words out between
her white clinched teeth.
so help me, Heaven, will be even
with you for all that you have done;
for daring to come between me and
happiness"
She caught her breath convulsively;
but Lesley wrenched her wrist from
the woman's grasp, and turning with
quiet scorn, walked Indignantly from
the room.
Lurline Chadwicke cIutched her jew
ieled hands madly together.
"Oh misery! misery" she groaned,
in bitter agony; Il have sinned in
vain! what have done? What have
/ done?-and-all- naught!"
Up and down the long room she
paced like mad creature. Hour after
hour passed; night threw its sable cur
tain over all things, and the silvery
moon arose; still she never wearied in
her nervous pacing to and fro.
Meantime, in the handsome chamber
assigned her, Lesley slept the sleep of
the innocent. And in her dreams, pur-
suing her like phantom, a face haunt
ed her-the face of man, and one
that she never beheld in her waking
moments.
A noble, handsome face; clear-cut
and refined features, with blue eyes
and gold-brown hair, and heavy silken
mustache shading the naughty upper
lip. His eyes, deep and wondrously
beautiful, were fixed upon her face
with a sad look, whose meaning she
could not fathom. A wild thrill shot
through her heart, and shuddering vio-
lently she awoke.
The moonlight, pearly and perfect,
was flooding the large room with sill
very radiance, making all things as
bright as day. With strange nerv-
BUSINESS Lesley arose, and DOMINIC a
blue cashmere wrapper, sat down at
the window. With her pale, statu-
esque face, and her long gold hair all
afoat, she looked like a spirit, as she
leaned her head against the azure
cushions of her chair, and gazed list
lessly from the window.
Suddenly she started, with a strange
thrill at her heart Had her vision
come to pass?
For there. below her open window,
leaning against huge acacia tree,
stood the graceful figure of man, his