Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-02-02


II do not. | foresee fresh trouble
there. He loves her, | know, but his
friends are proud; they would oppose
his marriage to a disinherited girl.
| She would in all probability lose her
| love with her fortune. o Veronica!
cannot bear II" She drew nearer to
! her You love her. Veronica.
/ know you do. You have said SO q
| hundred times You said-see, | re
/ member the words you would give
/ your life for her If she needed it, be-
cause she was the first to love you.
/ You said you would stand between her
and every sorrow; that an arrow
meant for her heart should first of all
pierce yours. You said that, YER
onica"
! Eyes, and | meant it," She acknowl-
/ edged Lady Brandon drew still
nearer and laid her hands upon her
shoulders. 1t seemed to Veronica
I that the breath came in hot gasps
from her lips
"She does not want your life, Yer
onica; to give il would not serve her
VIII you serve her as you said you
would? VIII you let the arrow meant
for her heart wound yours?'
Yes, said Veronica, you know
will"
"Will you save her youth, her love,
her hope? VIII you keep her life
bright and unclouded? viii you keep
her as happy as she has been? VIII
you serve her, Loyalty, faithfully, as
you have said?"
Yes" she answered again; and
then Lady Brandon drew the girls
face down to her own.
you will do all this? Then, Yer
onica, burn the will, burn it. and keep
the secret until you die" she said.
Veronica drew back, pale and
trembling
Burn the will" she repeated, faint
ly. You cannot mean that? How can
/? | dare not" She was bewildered;
no such idea had occurred to her.
Burn the Will" she said again 20
Lady Brandon! how can II"
you can do it easily enough If you
wish, if you will, declared Lady
Brandon. who knows of it except you
and me? No one. Who knows the
secret save you and me? No one
O Veronica! if you would be true to
your promise. true to your word burn
the will and forget It,"
But that would be to disobey the
wishes of the dead" said Veronica
1T seems to me l am not my own mis-
tress My-my fathers commands,
his wishes, surely ! must obey them;
surely | must carry out all his plans?'
Lady Brandon stood before her erect,
her face eloquent with the passion of
her words.
Veronica, make no scruples, raise
no doubts Are you capable Of this
great sacrifice for Katherine's sake
for her loves sake? 1t is much to ask,
! know. Have you the generosity, the
nobility, the grandeur of soul to make
it? You said you would die for her
my fairhaired darling Would you
give life, yet withhold this?"
II am bewildered," replied Yer
onica u do not know how to answer
you
Come with me, said Lady Bran
don Step lightly, Veronica, my dar-
ling is asleep. Come with me
And the two ladies passed out OF
Neronlca's pretty room together
Lady Brandon led the way to Kathe-
rlne's room; she opened the door
gently and they entered together
Katherine had exhausted h-.self with
weeping Her fathers death was the
first trouble Of her life the first cloud
that bad ever darkened her sky, the
first sorrow that had brought burn
ing tears to her eyes. She had ex-
hausted herself with weeping, and
then she had thrown herself onto the
pretty white bed and was sleeping the
sleep of utter WEAKNESS. She was too
exhausted for any sound to reach her
now. Lady Brandon took Veronica's
hand and led her to the bedside.
Look" she said, Veronica; see
how innocent and helpless. Think how
she has loved and cherished DO not
throw her on the mercies OF a cold
world Think Of her life; do not
blight IT, Think of her love; do not
take It from her Veronica. if above
this tender white breast YOU saw a
sword hanging, you would not let it
fall II YOU saw hand clutching
dagger and pointing ii at that tender
heart. you would thrust it aside. Look
at her, Veronica, so unconscious Of
this tragedy win you wake her TO
tell her that you are going to take her
inheritance, her fortune, her happiness
-ah! even her love from here"
Veronica turned away with shud-
der.
Come with me again" said Lady
Brandon, and this time She led the
way TO the room where the dead
statesman lay. She closed the door,
and, holding Verouica's hand tightly
claspcd in her own, she led her to his
side II have brought you into the