Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-03-02

have L been the cause OF this, YER |
onica?"
81 thought | was never to see you
again." she said, family. Are you |
sorry that you were quite so hard?
Have you come to tell me so?"
Il have come to tell you that / was
a madman-a blind madman," he
cried. Il hate myself so utterly for my
folly, veronical My darling-my noble,
generous darling, | know why you
burned the Wilt"
You cannot know why | destroyed
it" she said. Even the wicked woman
who saw me burn it did not know the
reason"
She did not, but do. Are you sur
prised? Veronica, see what this has
told me-"
He came nearer to her, and, taking a
paper from his pocket, unfolded it;
and then she saw the charred frag-
ments of the will
Look at this side first" he said
Here are the words, Last will and
testament of Sir Jasper Brandon The
woman read those"
She looked at them with curiosity,
the words had cost her so dear. Then
Sir Marc opened the parchment.
Now look" he said, "at what is
written here"
She bent over him and read:
My beloved daughter, Veronica
Brandon, hitherto known as Veronica
di CynthaI"
She cried out as she read the words
1t seemed IS though Heaven itself had
cleared her.
Those are the words that the wo-
man did not read" he said. They are
clear to me. The moment my eyes
fell upon them I understood it all.
l know, just as well as IL you told me.
\ that Sir Jasper married your mother
long years ago-in Venice, | should
imagine-and that she died quite
young, leaving you. Why he gave you
up / cannot even imagine, perhaps
you you will tell me; but it seems to
me that he kept the fact of his mar
riage profound secret-why, cannot
say. Then" he continued, 81 believe
that on his death-bed he gave you
this will, leaving, as was right, his
estates to you, his eldest daughter,
and that you, in your noble generosity,
your great self-sacrifice, rather than
disinherit your sister, burned the will,
and never mentioned it. Is it so?'
81 cannot answer you" she said. 81
will tell you why. took an oath of
silence, with my hand upon my dead
fathers heart" Then she stopped.
with cry of dismay. She had be-
trayed HERSELF
He was your father. then, said
Sir Mare. Il knew it, He took her
hands in his. Sweetheart" he said,
my life has been curse to me since
| lost you. Forgive me-forgive my
absurd folly, my miserable suspicious.
my unjust thoughts. Give me the
great treasure of your love again and
| will promise on my part the most
inviolable secrecy will never be-
tray the secret of your birth or the
secret of the will do not deserve
such pardon, but
The answer was certainly not given
in words. There was silence in the
room after that-silence full of hap
piness. How long had 1t lasted?
Veronica started in alarm. Lady Bran
don was standing near her with
most alarmed expression on her face.
MY dear Veronica" she was saying,
where are you? Who is that with
your"
She looked still more alarmed when
Veronica raised her happy, tear-stained
face, saying:
Lady Brandon. this is Sir Marc.
He has come back, and we are friends
again."
Then Lady Brandon went to seek
for Katherine; and while she was
gone, Veronica turned to her lover,
saying:
Marc, swear to me that you will
never utter single word to Lady
Brandon about the will-that you will
never betray to her your knowledge
Of my birth"
He promised; and that was the only
secret Veronica kept from him-he did
not know that Lady Brandon ever
heard either of the marriage or the
will
Il knew it must be So" said the
young heiress, she stood holding a
hand of each. Mamma. their wedding
must be on the same day as ours, and
we will take Veronica to France until
she grows quite strong again"
And it was all carried out as she
proposed