Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-04-18

him In troubled despair. DUTY, con-
science. honor, all tell me must go: but
l shrink from it. Oh, uncle. hated that
old life 30 muchr'
Sir Arthur took out his watch and lsok-
ed at II.
we can catch the midday express" he
said. ''if We lose no time"
But Leah seemed hardly conscious Of
his words.
Uncle" she said, ''there was a time
when Hettie and I had but one heart and
one life between US. How strange that
we were SO near. with only the great
green hill dividing M rwonder what
Hettie is like"
''She was a very sweet GIRL" said the
general. II wish she had chosen to come
with us; but admired then, as do now,
the faithful. tender heart. We must not
lose time, Leah" he added.
They reached the station just in time
to catch the midday express that would
enable them to arrive at Southwood long
before night
But, speedily as they had set out. the
angel of death had been swifter, and
they arrived at Martin Rays cottage
only to find him dead and Hettie lying
in faint on the floor.
When Hettie opened her eyes 1t was
minute had passed, Jet to Hettie It SEEM
ed many hours.
TOO later she heard someone say.
Then Leah placed her gently in the chair
and went over to her father. She knelt
down BY his side, and a bitter cry came
from her HIPS.
II am too late" she said, "too late! Oh,
Hettie. he has never taken that cruel
curse from me! am too late"'
She took the cold, motionless hand in
hers, and the silence in the room was
broken only by her sobs. All the past,
with its great dread. and her great horror
of it, passed over her as she looked at
his face-the face that would never smile
| nr frown upon her again.
The general. watching the scene. assur-
ed himself INA. N was better father and
| daughter had not met. There could nave
been nothing pleasant in the words they
would have exchanged; there would have
been no real affection. Yet he had a lin
| gering, half-superstitious wish that the
terrible curse Martin Ray had hurled at
Leah when they parted had been taken
back.
81 am too Iatev sobbed Leah "Oh,
Hettie, II had but spoken to him once!
I have often thought Of him, often been
sorry; and now am too late! Tell me il
he spoke about me, il he said anything
il he wished to see me? He was my own
father, after all"
Sir Arthur withdrew, signing the WON
en- to follow him. 1t was better to leave
the sisters alone with their dead.
| II h. Axt
back, he found them locked In each 9th
er's arms, and he vowed to himself that
they should not be parted again. Death
had softened his heart, and had inclined
| it to the fair and devoted child Of his
dead sister. He resolved that, IL she
would, she should come away with him
and leave him no more.
Martin Ray had left nothing but his
name. In one sense his daughters were
pleased that it was So 1t disprOved, they
thought. most conclusively, many Of the
| charges brought against him. He had
| not made none out of his starving ad.
nirers.
The funeral was over, and the general
| and his two nieces sat in the little parlor
where the blinds were still drawn and
the gloom of death still fingered. Now
| that the last solemn rites had been per
| formed. the general was anxious to re-
| turn home; it was Of no use spending
even another hour in SOuthwood. But he
wanted to take Hettie back with him.
He asked her to return with him, to
| live with him as his daughter. and not tC
| leave them again He liked her all the
better because she was in no hurry to
accept the invitation. The girls heart
| was still sore with the old pain She could
| not forget all at once that this man who
was willing now to make her his adopted
daughter had denounced her father in
| the most unmeasured terms; she could
not forget the scene in the gloomy little
| house In Manchester. In death, as in
| life. her heart was faithful to her father
| Had he lived, she would have refused
every overture from Sir Arthur; as il
| was. he was with difficulty persuaded
even to listen to him.
Come with me, Hettie," he said. "You
| shall be my daughter. Leah Is my heir
ess: but l will give you a fortune"
II do not wish any fortune" she Nm
swered simply; Il have no use fo1
mcuey. But l do want Leah. I would
he Leah's maid in order that might be
near her."
And Sir Arthur thought, as he saw the
| two sisters embrace each other, that i,
would be a thousand pities ever to part
them again.
1t was after q long struggle. Hettit
| promised to make her home with Sir Ar
| thur and her sister; and Leah knew that
she would keep her word.
1t was arranged that they should &C
first to London, where a fitting troussear
and mourning could be provided, and the
two sisters left Southwood with theil
hearts full Of love for each other, but
each keeping her secret. Leah had moi
/ told Hettie Of her passionate love. hel
approaching marriage or the pain which
weighed at times so heavily upon her. mol
| did Hettie tell Leah Of that episode il
her life which was to her like q fair
! sweet dream.
| Ito be continued)