The Opelousas courier., 1900-03-03
A Business Arrangement.

There was q dead silence as tn
lawyers clear official tones ceased an;
he glanced round ct the company as
sembled in the spacious library-a,
sminous silence, the calm before tn,
storm; and in another moment tn,
storm burst.
"It is abominable!'' cried Lady AIDE
line Carruthers, with a fierce energy
shat accorded ill with her handsome
mourning robes. "The will must b.
contested; Lord Mountathol was Ger.
iainly mad when he made it."
"You would find it impossible te
prove that assertion, Lady Adeline,' >
'aid the lawyer coldly. "We will
grant that the late Lord MountathoI
vas eccentric, but he was as sane as
Fou or I; and as there is no direct
aeir, he had q perfect right to leave
lis personal property as he wished. :"
sand he has left it to his sec
.etary aud his typewriter, on a condi-
ion that was doubtless arranged be.
orchard. A pretty state of affairs!'
Mied Lady Adeline furiously.
A girl neatly but plainly dressed in
black, who had been sitting in a dis
ant corner, listening with a pale, dis
ressed face while the curious will was
'ead, started up at these words aud
confronted the irate matron. She
vas q very pretty girl, evidently a
ady. The color hal fed from her
,heeks and lips, and her big gray
ayes full of tears; but she held
ler slight figure proudly erect and
poke distinctly, though her voice
vas tremulous with indignation.
"You are wrong, Lady Adeline!
The condition was not arranged be.
'orehand, and it will never be full
"IEdeedr' sneered Lady Adeline,
With q glance of whitening contempt.
And pray, what does the other inter
'sted person say? Is Mr.-er-
also willing to let this su-
'erb Legacy lapse to the CROWN
Everyone except the poo: agitated
turned expectantly toward the
ecretary, Ralph Trevelyan, who
TODD near Mr.. Denton. but his fine
ace % an inscrutable expression.
"The terms OF the will have r
rised me as much as anyone, but I
hink it will be better to discuss the
natter in private" he said, calmly.
DO you agree with me, Mr.. Denton?"
Certainly. certainly" answered
40 lawyer. There is no hurry; you
ave six months in which to make up
our minds"
'sMins is made up" murmured Eva
Vithers, who was making brave ef-
'rts TO restrain her tears. t.Mr. Dem
On, I don't think my presence is re.
uired here any longer"
Bowling slightly to the lawyer, and
Lady Adeline, Eva walked to
le door. Ralph Treyelyan sprang
to open it. and looked at her
lgerly, earnestly; but she passed
i'm with ayerted face.
A minute or two afterward Lady
define and the others departed, the
rmer tossing her head Indignantly
I'd enunciating disiointed remarks
,ncerning "scheming upstarts'' and
old FOOLS" while the rest of
. company discussed in subdued
mes the strange freak that had led
@ late Lord Mountathol to leave
II thousand a year to his secretary.
aiph Trevelyan, and his typewriter,
va Withers, ON the sole condition
ct they become man and wife within
months of the testator's decease.
Mr.. Denton had a brief consultation
Ith Ralph Treyelyan. and then he
MT D message bya servant asking
iss Withers if she was able to see
~. She received him in the pretty
room that had been hers since
. entered the service of her late
''Dear Mi. Denton, this is terrible"
70 said, as she o e to meet the law
I. lord Mountathol was always
q father to me. I'm sure lie loved
J as . daughteri What could have
1nced him to lay this--this humilia.
n on mo?"
II don't quite see where the humil.
ion comes in, my dear young lady,"
yponded the lawyer, with q kindly
inkle in his eyes. .tIf Lord Mount
lol loved you as q daughter-and he
loved Ralph Trevelyan az q
!. Latterly it was the dearest wish
his lites that you two might be mar
d. spw come, my dear Miss
lthers, Think it I'VE quietly. I have
own Ralph Taevelyan since he was
10Y, and know him for q true gen.
man in every sense of the word, d
descendant Of an ancient and
norable line, q husband any woman
ght be proud of; while, ON the
ler hand-well. ] can only say that !
I had been Ralph's age I should
envied his good fortuna-the
,sonal, not the financial, part OF it, !,
concluded with . gallant little bow.
The ghost of q smile fitted over :
80 wan face. :
All. YOU would have been differ. :
! NE. Denton" she said gracious
"Bnt my mind is made MP; /
! have nothing to do with this :
eme-k is hateful to ma" ]
We'll, wsll," rejoined Denton good. !
noredly. tim not going to Try to I
.uence you in any way; after all,
ests between the two of you. But
link yon ought to give MI. Ire '
yan an opportunity of--shalI we d
stating his view of the ease?n
hesitated for q moment and j
. answered, You are right. [ i
see him now, it ron will send him /
ne. The sooner il il over the bet
.@f& a1anm Ern a~s1 s