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

lou cOulO 90 nOLnlnS so nurLIul 10 MS
memory as to let this secret be known.
All England reveres him now-all
England does homage to him. He is
numbered among the great ones of the
nation. O Veronica, how they would
denounce him, those who have loved
him best, if they knew that in very
truth he had left his wife and child to
bear the brunt and burden OF bis con-
fcealment! They would blame where
they have praised. You will take a
hero from his pedestal. You will
shadow grand memory, detract from
a fair fame, If you tell his secret. And
you will gain-what? A fortune that
you will never enjoy, an inheritance
that will prove more of a curse than
a blessing. an inheritance that will be
almost fraud. Veronica, burn that
cruel will"
"But others must know of it," she
said
NO" asserted Lady Brandon; the
lawyer who drew up that will is dead
dead | tell you. / remember that
Sir Jasper went to a strange lawyer
some days afterward he said that a
strange thing had happened. Re had
asked Mathews to attend to some lit
tie business for him, and a few days
Nfterward he had died suddenly. /
emember it so we'll. One never misses
what one has never had, Veronica.
You have never been considered or
treated as the heiress of Queens
Chace. You would not miss the dis
tinetion. But Katherine has. Tathe-
rine has grown up with the thought;
II has formed part OF her life. My
dear, | plead to you, / ply to you
burn that will. For Katherine's Sake
by your love for her, by your promis,
to shield her, for your dead fathers
sake, to save his name from rude com
ment, to shield his memory from al
, stain of reproach. /. your fathers
widow, Katherines mother-knee
to you'll beg of you to grant what
ask" And Lady Brandon knelt be
fore Veronica with outstretched hands
Veronica rose, sublime in he
emotion; light that did not seem t.
be of this world shone on her face.
For your dead fathers sake, Yer
onical" sobbed Lady Brandon.
81 will do it." she replied. Il will
burn the will, and | will keep tn
secret till | die; and in death | will
keep II STILL"
Lady Brandon rose and drew tn
girl to her fathers side.
Swear 1t here she said ia
your hands on his breast--above hi
heart here. Now swear to me tina
you will never take Katherines In
heritance from her: that you vii
never lay claim TO It; that you vii
never betray the secret of your brit
and parentage!"
Veronica swore 1t.
don; they would open to bless you
they could"
Veronica kissed his lips.
1T will lie between us, father" sh
said, this secret of ours"
Then she started up in alarm. TIL
struggle had been too much for Lad
Brandon; she had fallen to the GROUND
The servants who came to her hel
that she was i'll from grief, and the
bore her with plying words to he
chamber, while Veronica went bac
to her room like one In a trance. No
for long had she been heiress G
Queens Chaoe. not for long had sh
called herself Veronica Brandon, 81
Jaspers daughter. All the noblei
higher, better part of her nature ha
been aroused By Lady Brandon's pas
sionate appeal, She forgot in her en-
thusiasm all that the sacrifice woul
cost her. She remembered only tina
she was securing Katherine's happi
ness and saving her fathers fair name
She sat quite still and silent. Will
the birds sang outside her window
and the sunlight frightened tn
whole glad earth-how many hours sh
never knew. She reflected that he
golden dream was over. that she woul
be Veronica di Cynthia now until sh
died Then she reused herself. Tn
will must be burned before she saw
Lady Brandon again. She would no
read il. That would simply renew he
pam ana coulu not OSneul nef, on
must destroy it at once, She went {,
the box in which she had put 1t away
and took 1t out. She read, THE las
will and testament of Sir Jasper Bran
don. Baron of Hurstwood. etc" Sh
: kissed the name. and her tears fel
on it, How could she destroy II
Curiously, instead of being written oil
paper, 1t was written on thick parch
ment that she could neither tear no
cut On this June day there was n,
4 fire anywhere. She could not so dowi
to the servants offices to burn 1t there
y for she would be noticed, and harm
might come of IL. The only way wa
! 10 have fire made in her sitting
nroQn, and burn 1t there. The bel
answered by Clara Morton. ;
~ girl whom Sir Jasper had ad
sed her to take as her maid. Sh,
B. efully placed the will out of sight
anNthen. when the maid entered, she
asked her to light a fire in her room.
"a fire. repeated Clara Morton
ere acre. missf,'