Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-01-26

Sir Jasper had replied by sending MIN
most cordial invitation, guessing
| shrewdly what was the attraction. SO
that Veronica had that to look for
ward to; and the knowledge of it made
her profoundly Indifferent to all the
/ homage offered her.
! The old, bitter struggle was still go
| ing on in Sir Jasper's mind. What
| should he do? Ills heart was torn
with thousand doubts, n thousand
/ fears. mere was hardly an hour of
the twenty-four during which he did
not again review all his reasons and
doubts Do as he would. one or the
| other must suffer. Should it be hathe-
rine, the bright, fair child, the de-
scendant of the proud Valdoraines? or
Veronica, who looked up at him with
dead Giulias eyes? Which of the two
should it be? He would have given
his life to save either.
One thing he had done. He had sent
for a strange lawyer, and had made
another will, in which he told the
secret of Veronica's birth, and left to
her the grand Inheritance of Queens
Chace and Hurstwood. That will he
kept by him Remembering it, he
was more at ease whenever he thought
of her
He grew worse The doctors did
/, not apprehend any immediate danger;
he was only suffering from oyertaxed
strength, from Ills that might be
=, remedied He did not even keep his
room. Sir Jasper himself was more
| alarmed than the people about him
Strange sensations came to him, There
we're times when he fancied, as he
walked through the shady garden
paths, that strange voices called him
he saw strange figures in his troubled
sleep. strange faces smiled at him
from the picture-frames.
One day-how Veronica remembered
it afterwards, he had walked in the
grounds, and when the sun grew warn
: he went into the drawing groom to RESI-
? on a couch, Veronica was there. Hf
asked her to read to him, and she die
so until he fell asleep; then she sa'
t and watched him, thinking how very
i'll he looked, how white and sunkel
his face was Suddenly she saw hi'
pale lips culver; he opened his arms
as though to clasp them round SOM
, one whom he loved. crying in pas
I Sionate voice:
"Giulia, Giulia, my hearts loye!'
\ She touched him gently, and hi
n eyes opened and look wildly at her.
~ l., no I'D sNyf, 7
? It is you, and yet another"
o Sir Jasper" said Veronica 'yol
e are dreaming-you are ILL.,"
S He looked in bewilderment at her,
"Giulia's eyes, be said, but an
e other face What does it mean
Q You have been dreaming re
h marked the girl, quietly Can I &c
: anything for you? Shall bring Lad
e Brandon?"
He gave a smothered groan.
: 'I-you were right, Veronica wa
dreaming No, do not call any one;
want nothing These June days ar
so warm,
y II was June then when the day
4 were at their longest, and the brigh
4 sweet hours were filled with beauty
!. June, when Queens Chace was
. picture of loneliness, with its lille
! and roses, its rich green foliage an
% wealth Of flowers, Veronica wa
i troubled as she looked at Sir Gaspel
for she had grown to love him Sh
n remembered afterward how he awok
n from fevered sleep and would hay
! Katherine by Veronica's side. She r.
70 membered every detail of that hi
D. last day on earth. He would not g
! into the dining-room. and it was Vel
= onica, by her own special request, WIN
"A took him little daiuties and coaxe
- him to eat them, She knelt by hi
a side, holding in her fingers a rip
e sunny peach.
n This is like Katherine's cheek
s she said. laughingly And she locke
Is so like her mother at that momer
that he could have cried aloud in h0
!" longing love and pain.
O. You have learned to love Katie
to rine. Veronica he said, gently
re Better than ! love my life 81
said, blushiug that she no longf
a. said, Better than | love any one els
g In the world"
e He looked up at her suddenly.
u. Have you learned to love me We
10 onica?' he asked
ne Yes, just as dearly" she replied
~ Then they were silent, he mute wit
Q emotion. she wondering that he shoul
n speak to her in this straln-he wt
~ had always been so distant and SO r.
OF served Then he was restless all II
e. day when evening came. he aske
n Katherine to sing her old songs
he him. the songs be loved best. an
s. Veronica fancied that his eyes fill
y With tears. Then. when ii was grow
ld ing later, he called Katherine to hir
We she knelt down by his side, and
drew her golden head down onto h
n breast
nd MY child my darling he sal
eh have been kind 20 yon2'
no "A 1y.ave mana + she rapIfnd