Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-02-14
HOS. j. ADAMS PROPRIETOR.
WEARYlN' FOR you.
A Business Arrangement.


w - - ~ -
There was a dead silence as the
lawyers clear official tones ceased and
he glanced round at the company as.
semhled in the spacious library-ar
ominous silence, the calm before the
storm; and IN another moment the
storm burst.
'.Itis abominable!" cried Lady Ade.
line Carruthers. with fierce energy
that accorded ill with her handsome
mourning robes. ''The will must be
contested; Lord Mountathol was cer-
tainly mad when he made it"
'sYou would find it impossible to
prove that assertion, Lady Adeline, y
said the lawyer coldly. "We will
grant that the late Lord Mountathol
was eccentric, but he was rs sane as
you or I; and as there is no direct
heir, he had q perfect right to leave
mis- personal property as he wished. u
"And he has left it to his Sec
retary and his typewriter, on condi-
tion that was doubtless arranged be-
forehand. A pretty state of affairs!"
cried Lady Adeline furiously.
A girl neatly but plainly dressed in
black, who had been sitting in dis
taut corner, listening with pale, dis
tresseil face while the curious will was
read, started up at these words and
confronted the irate matron. She
was very pretty girl, evidently a
lady. The color ha fed from her
cheeks and lips, and l. Ell big gray
eyes were full of tears; but she held
her slight figure proudly erect and
spoke distinctly, though her voice
was trenlulous with indignation.
"You are wrong, Lady Adeline!
The condition was not arranged be-
forehand, and it will never bo full
filled!"
"Irdeei!" sneered Lady Adeline,
with glance of whitening contempt.
''And pray, what does the other inter.
ested person say? Is ME- =
Frevelyan also willing to let this su-
perb lega y lapse to the crown?'
Everyone except the poor agitated
girl turned expectantly' toward the
secretary, Ralph Treyelyan, who
stood near Mr.. Denton, but his fine
face wore an inscrutable expression.
'sThe terms OF the will have sur
prised me as much as anyone, but I
think it will be better to discuss the
matter in private" he said, calmly.
tsDo you agree with me, Mr.. Denton?
Certainly. certainly" answered
the lawyer. ''There is no hurry; you
have six months in which to make up
your minds
Mine is made MP, !" murmured Eva
Withefs, wko was making brave eff
forts to restrain her tears Mr.. Dep-
ton, Idon't think my presence is re-
quired here any longer"
!, Bowing slightly to tie lawyer, and
ignoring Lady Adeline, Eve walked to
the door. Ralph Trevelyan sprang
forward to open il, and looked at her
eagerly, earnestly; but she passed
him with averted face.
A minute OF two afterward Lady
Adeline and the others departed, the
former tossing her head Indignantly
and enunc:sting disjointed remarks
concerning "scheming upstairs" and
s'doting old FOOLS" while the rest Of
the company discussed in subdued
tones the strange freak that had led
the late Lord Mountathol to leave
ten thousand year to his secretary,
Ralph Trevelyan, and his typewriter,
Eva Withers, on the sole condition
that they become man and wife within
six months of the testator's decease.
Mr.. Denton had a brief consultation
with Ralph Trevelyan, and then he
sent message by servant asking
Miss Withers if she was able to see
him. She received him in the pretty
sitting room that had been hers since
she entered the service of her late
employer.
"Dear Mr.. Denton, this is terrible"
Eva said, US she rose to meet the law
yer. '.Lord Mountathol was always
like father to me. I'm sure he loved
me as daughter! What could have
induced him to lay this-this humilia-
tion on me?'
sI don't quite see where the humil-
iation comes in, my dear young lady,"
responded the lawyer, with a kindly
twinkle in his eyes. eff Lord Mount
athol loved you as daughter-and he
did-he loved Ralph Trevelyan as q
son. Latterly it was the dearest wish
OF his life that you two might be mar
ried. Now come, my dear Miss
Withers, think it over quietly. I have
known Ralph Trevelyan since he was
boy, and know him for true gen.
tleman in every sense of the word, q
worthy descendant OF an ancient and
honorable line, husband any woman
might be proud of; while, on the
other hand-well, I can only ssy that
If I had been Ralph's age should
have elvied his good fortune-the
personal, not the financial, part of it, !"
he concluded with gallant little bow.
The ghost of smile fitted over
Eva's wan face.
"Ah, you would have been differ
ent, Mr.. Denton" she said gracious
ly. "But my mind is -nade up; I
will have nothing to do with this
scheme-it is hateful to me-"
'Well, WE'LL" reioined Denton good
humoredly, 'I'm not going to try to
influence you in any way; after all,
it rests between the two of you. But
I think you ought to give Mr.. Tre-
relyan an opportunity of-shall we
say, stating his view of the case?"
Eva hesitated for a moment and
then answered, ''You are right. I
will see him now, if you will send him
to me. The sooner it is over the bet
ter"
Left alone, Eva paced the room
restlessly.
'T will not be bought and sold like
q bale of goods" she murmured pas
sionately. EFF he had cared for me
e would have been 80 different-but