Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-22

gathered. and that Frances referred ia
him in the tender word husband" He
laid his hand upon the bcll-cord and
hesitatcc; then his wicked smile came
back again as he pulled H.
"TeIl your mistress ] shall be glad ~
she wiz favor me with her presence
here" he said TO William. When. a
few minutes later. Mrs. Rrookiu came
INTO he room he failed 10 hear her.
What is il. Raymond ?" she asked.
he reused himself and spoke ranidlv.
Frances got her wounded soldier
psss through our INES, and 70 please
Der carried him to the front. After
he left me I found these papers fn the
buggy whore he had dropped them.
The fellows captain is Richard
Sofners."
Richard sorners,"
And now, madam. read the no,s
from Frances to him and lev ne con-
graduate you upon~"
She read it rapidly. and when her
amazed face was Lifted he addsd,
You, son-in law
y do not understand What does
IL mean2"
Answer that question for me- moth
err; my head has ceased to be of any
assistance. Undoubtedly, however, the
woman who you lead me TO believe rave
you her promise to marry me some day
IS already in point of law Richard
somer's wife and has forfeited her
right to any part Of her fathers es-
tate. Madam. fortune favors the bold;
| congratulate you'll" His mbnner be-
trayed an intense s1eitsmeat and bit
terness.
Wal. watt" said the vuornsn. oui.
city, her eyes riveted upon the letter.
"lt seems that he was her husband
that night. Was not that night prior
to the signing Of the will7'
Yes, the night before" The con,
looking upon his mothers face. could
find no evidence Of 80 &sfactSou there,
It was CHASTITY. why. what is it
noW2"
than we imagined has been on war with
us. | DO not know the law, but they
were trying 10 defeat the viii in ad.
vance. II does defeat IL In some svey,
or our enemies would not have taken
the risk. Ii Frances were really mar
ried before the will was signed, she
cannot comply with its requirements,
and the law wall not demand inpos-
sibility."
Well" He bent forward. his voice
reduced TO whisper.
1--WE have lost, you and I. Except
for my pittance, We shall be beggars
upon the day that Frances comes of
age; and that day is near at hand"
A long silence followed, and then the
eyes of mother and sou met.
DO you not share alike Il the Will
faHsP"
NO. The iuten ton Of my husband
will be operative; only the condition
fails. There is no hope that way" His
mother looked from him and spoke
slowly.
rs there no renedy7" he asked.
"Yes. If Richard Somers is not liv-
ing when Frances comes of age, or
should Frances
Mother, mother, take care" The
words burst in sudden energy from the
rretohed man. "Dft hand to harm
but one hair Of her head. and, BY the
Mother of God"
"Hushl HUSH" she said, quietly
you love her; Mat is enough. She "a
safe"
Swear H."
Read the 9th er letter" she said.
disregardiug him. at IS likely that a
man would mention hi, wife IL mis- last
letter TO his mothsr' Raymond
stripped off the envelope and shook
two letters 70 tbs table. One, unsealed,
was addressed 10 Mrs Martha Somers.
Nothing bu. gush, he said. running
his eye hurrisd,y over the lines. Mrs.
Brookin had picked up the other, which
was addressed to DR.. Brodnsr
I'VE are getting to the heart Of the
mystery" she said. Read this one"
Raymond read in silence first, and
then, leaning forward, exeitedly read
aloud:
Go 10 the girl married at your request
and say death has dissolved the bond.
Break the news to her as gently a. pos
lieve that tho child loves me. You pre-
pared the way by your partially, and he's
loneliness and excess OF gratitude accom-
plished the rest Let me confess that I
have been foolish eEoush to love her ard
20 dream that some day you would permit
me 10 return and openly seek her ont But
this cursed war has killed my dream Bro6-
mar, and IL this letter reaches you. 1t viii
be after u has killed your friend alsol Go
10 her ana say that since ne met her Rich
ard Somers has loved her a. a n al loves
but once"
There were other lines dealing with
the friendship between the two men
while in Paris and containing a tender
farewell.
1t is now plain to me" he said, The
meddlesOme scoun6rel BrooAar Is the
author Of the whole plot" Mrs, BROOKE
in folded the letters into their places.
Her hands were without trsuor.
Let them keep their secret, To in
form them is to arm them. We viii
continue to be--their dupes. Richard
Somers may not be living when Fran
ces reaches twenty-one; who can tex?
The man who lost those letters has,
suppose, ere this made n fun report"
The man who lost tho letters. moth
er. has reported elsewhere with bull
let through bis heart
Raymond
What does II matter? We are kill
ing them in trout OF our hines every
nue I,,Iir4 ,,,,r.. f,,