Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-21
CAPTER XIII.

| III the cOOi uTdWluS-IOUiH Vi pretty
villa at ventnor, Miss Osborne sat re-
garding an open letter, much as though
it were some extraordinary geological
or Geological specimen which nad sud.
denly been presented to her notice.
1t was from st. Petersburg, and had
been posted by Osborne before his de-
parture.
! my dear Maria" it ran, don't be
alarmed at the budget of papers ! en-
| close, they are merely instructions for
| my lawyer. l am contemplating a
! journey north, to visit the mines of
| Siberia; l may possibly return in three
| or four months, but as there are SO
many chances on the road, am set
| Ting my affairs definitely In a way to
meet every possible contingency. !
| have given directions to have sum of
two thousand pounds placed at once to
my credit with Rego G. Co, of st. Pet
ersburg; and until you hear from me
to the contrary | wish to have two hun
dred pounds paid over to them for me
every quarter. Your pin money and the
sum | have always handed you for
housekeeping expenses, will be paid
over regularly as usual, on the distinct
stipulation that the establishment Is
kept up in the same style and on the
same lines as at present. The remain
der of my income will be paid yearly to
Eva. who will know what to do with it.
If at the end of FIVE years | have not
returned Tor earlier. should you learn
that the sums in Rega e Co.'S hands
have begun to accumulate), wish you
to apply in Chancery to presume my
death. You will then be able to act on
my will, which in sum and substance
is merely a definite disposal of my
property much on these lines. l have
nothing further to add except good bye
and God bless you. We have held diff
ferent views on many subjects, and the
difference has sometimes seemed to
embitter our intercourse a little. l
wish | could let you know how much l
regret that bitterness, now | am bid
ding you goodbye. Think as well of
me as you can, Maria, and believe that
there will always be warm affection
for you in the heart of your affection
ate brother F. OSBORNE.
"P. S.-Be kind to Eva. | have an
unpleasant presentiment as regards her.
Fancy, no doubt yet it seems to me
that there is some kind of trouble in
store for her.-F. o.
well of all the mad ridiculous let
ters," exclaimed Miss Osborne. Pray
what does yours contain? Are you
aware that Frank has broken out in a
new vein? Forsooth. he is going to be
traveller now. He Upon my
word, if the girl isn't crying
Crying, That was a poor word for
the passion of grief and despair which
presented itself to Maria's astonished
gaze Well might Francis Osborne
have that presentiment of which he
spoke the cause of which was hidden
from him.
Whats the matter, my dear? What
is the matter? Frank isn't going to die
| because he sees fit to start on a jour
ney and make his will
NO, no. Maria; but what difference
will that make to us If we never see
him again? Oh, how shall we ever live
/ without him."
Miss Maria paused; it fioated across
her mind that she had managed to live
some fourteen years very comfortably
without him, and that the advent OF
| her step daughters "wretched baby"
had not improved things for her, so she
looked across at the weeping girl and
said: Don't be ridiculous, Eva: You'll
make yourself positively hideous for the
garden party this afternoon" which was
her way of being sympathetic, and a
very common way, too.
Eva sprang up and fed from the room
and Miss Osborne settled her cuffs and
said: Dear me. How provoking,"