The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-03-08

placed it in her bosom. To the law.
yer's embarrassed protest she said:
~ am the executrix of this will,
and prefer to be its custodian. That
is your desire, dear is it not-you
wish to keep the will here in the
house?" The exhausted invalid nod
ded feebly. At this moment the door
opened and Raymond entered the
room. The elder woman, with an
angry flush upon her face, walked
rapidly towards him, and the law
yer passed out with the notary.
"Fool!" she whispered, you endan-
ger it ALL" She drew him into
bay window. where they began an an
imated discussion. Brodnar had but
one free moment but in that moment
he acted. The girl had been left
standing by her fathers side. She
alone caught the sentence whispered
to her by the physician; her eyes fol-
lowed him as he walked slowly away
and then returned to rest upon the
sick man. Gazing into his wan face,
all her tenderness came back Sudden
ly she sank by his side and clasped
Der hands upon his knees.
Father" she said, gently, zone
word! VIII you let me speak now?
we may be parting FOR all eternity"
He opened his eyes and looked stead
lily upon her.
at is for eternity" he said And
| then, somehow, his hand found her
head and rested there gently. "You
are proud, Frances, and hurt, but the
! time will come when you will know
that have acted for the best"
"Oh you think So" she said, shak-
ing with half-suppressed emotion and
hiding her face. st know you think
so. But"
"Listen, Frances! You have a cous-
in whose name has long since ceased
to be spoken in my family She was
| proud-and ayward-and headstrong,
too. You are very like her as she was
when her fathers will made her my
ward--as she was when she passed
away"
"She is dead?"
ayes, to u.s." he waited for breath
and strength to proceed. "A husband
would have saved her. She had a
right under the will-to choose-her
residence. A foolish aunf received her
She followed her own fancy!"
81 would not talk of it, father. 1t
excites you"
! La
of advice-self willed-jealous-And
then she-disappeared - leaving a
note-and disgrace! 1 let her go
She is dead to mel" After pause he
continued: Il have seen you drifting
away-Frances! disobedient-unlov.
ing-I would save you-if could
Weep no more-I have forgiven;
have forgiven" The girl lifted he1
face quickly, indignant and agonized
"You have been deceived, father; oh
SO basely deceived. l am not way
ward-I have never yet disobeyed you
If you had permitted l should have
been with you night and day."
"If had permitted"
"Yes. 1t was you, they told me.
she brokenly said-'it was you who
sent me among strangers to school
you wished me never to come into
your room"
"Frances!"
at is too late now," she said II
anguish, ''but | cannot part from yol
without telling you the truth. low,
| fath
your dear daughter if you had mo-
: put it beyond my power"
Child! What is it you are say
ing?"
do you not understand, father?'
she said, passionately, "do you no
know that that woman has for years
deprived you of your independence
Of your freedom? Now she has take1
your property! Can't you see it? Yol
have been robbed of rything-ant
+! Oh, she has preyed upon you
holiest feelings; she has turned you
against your own child-the child t,
whose mother you promised to guart
and guide!"
He raised himself in his chair. 4
look of fright was upon his face.
"See!" she cried. there is the won
an with her son dividing your prop
.rty before you are dead. Oh, the,
think l am harmless, now; l am not Il
to be feared the die is cast, the vii
is signed, and you, father, have be
trayed your only child into the hand
Of her bitterest enemy"
He was speechless and pale. Hi
iull eyes were fixed on the girls.
"But no." he said family. ''this can
not be. it cannot be! My child. yU
are wronging a good woman-an
| Raymond-he has Deen very kind, S
| very kind!"
| "You are blinded, father; you al
| unsuspecting. Tell me, have the
| ever said that for months have bee
| eager to be with you; that?"
You, Francesl Why, you refuse
over and over" She sank her hea
upon her chair.
"And you believed that of me?
was untrue-a cruel, cruel invention
Mother and son caught the SCUM
of her aritated voice and would haN