The Republican journal., 1901-09-19

thing with money for a little while in
its hands, and my dearest friends like
me with caution. knowing that any day
they may find my hands empty. I'm
nothing without that glitter
TELL me what you mean" said Dali
cares. His tone was queer
"Oh," said Bess impatiently, 'does
not all the world know that the General
left me everything till-I-married?"
God bless the General!' cried Dal
cares.
There was no mistaking his look at
last.
"You-did-not- know?" she said
NO." said Dalcarres. eff | had
known"
"And Archie did not know. The
merciful; they seemed to think it was
kind of slur. Yeti thought-oh!
thought the whole word knew the
thing and Stunned me-"
Listen" said Dalcarres. I'll beg
your pardon, Mrs. Courage-oh, my
dearest!'' 1T was odd to see his old dis
tant manner giving way to the new
eagerness in his face. "Others may
have known; did not. And I've never
dared to tell you l loved you because
of that black trouble of money hid
you so. Don't be angry. l used to
hear people say, There's Dalcarres;
he must marry money; watch him with
the widowv' Then | had to turn my
back. Each time your little hand
touched mine, heavy with rings, |
could not give you, it was a fight; but
the Gordons were always poor ard
proud"
The strong arm was not around her
yet. She looked at him with a little
SILVER. This was not the quiet John
Gordon that she knew; it was strange,
eager, impatient-lover
II was i'll last year," she said," and |
used to hear night after night horse
in the distance Nobody heard it but
|, as they waited for me to die. But |
asked the doctor, and he said it was
Mr.. Gordon. | asked him again. and
not ask any longer, although night
after night | heard it still alone.
only wanted to lie and listen; it was so
far-so far. And l said, L will not
die-perhaps' She broke off, putting
out her hands with little fling of re-
proach. ''The Gordons were always
proud" she repeated. 'Were they al
ways hard-and unkind?''
His arm was round her then; it held
her safe and happy-and poor-at last.
'Allow me to congratulate you
Mrs. Gordon
The lawyer spoke as cheerfully as if
he had not come down from town ex-
pressly to deprive this Mrs. Gordon of
all her wealth. His manner was far
too chirpy for such a melancholy occa-
OH 1yctn mol Pc
surviving relatives were sitting side by
side. The lady was MIS-. Cox no longer,
having clinched the bargain irrevocably
with the rival party. Within the next
minute one or the other would be made
rich, and they had cunningly put them
selves past the danger Of treachery or
a fear of breach of promise. Now
they were able to look forward with
an air of assured expectation. The
General had directed solemn opening
of his last instructions as soon as the
fatal marriage had taken place, and
their young aunt by marriage was for
given by them at last.
Archie was there also, glum and en-
barrassed-bu inquisitive, all the
same.
There was no reading the counten-
ance of that little gray man with the
sheets of blue paper and the envelope
sealed with black. He was impasSive,
professional, down to his very cough.
1t was cough that for the last thirty
years had made heirs-expectant jump.
His curt, dry voice went muttering ON,
repeating the last clauses of the Gen
crabs will, with its burden of riches
left to his wife, and it's one harsh con-
dition: ''rhe said Elizabeth Black, or
Courage, having forfeited the above, |
will now break the seal of his envelope,
obeying the above directions, and will
disclose the name of the individual in
heriting in her default"
Archie. looking on, entirely as a spec
tator, fancied ne caught a twinkle in
the formal mask of the speaker, as he
paused with fate in his hands. Was he
ignorant also, or could he give guess?
can institution after all, by George"
said he
The Generals niece and nephew, for
getting in their excitement that their
interests were identical, glared like a
cat and dog at each other. But Bess,
stripped of her riches, smiled valiantly
at Dacarres.
Whereas, THE seal Was broken.
They heard the Generals commands,
stilted and formal, but firm as on the
field of BATTLE Whereas my wife
Elizabeth has found a man worth all
she has hereby forfeited for his sake;
and whereas this man will have mar
ried her for herself, and is proved
worthy of her trust-and mine; l here
by leave all l die possessed OTTO my
dear girl as wedding present.
There was short hush of consterna-
ton.
The Generals surviving relatives
looked at each other fiercely, each feel
ing tricked by the other into match;
and the lawyer, his twinkle justified by
results, came forward to repeat his con-
CALCULATIONS. But Archie turned on
his heel.-E. Ramsey, in Chambers's
Journal.