The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-09

GA ilG,. ! tpstH'.t l4SSIL |tF'''t>
there. lie ioE"s he. | know, hut his
friends are proud: they would oppose
his marriage 10 Il dsimheritcd girl.
She would IN ali probability lose her
!Gy: Wln her fortune. q. Veronica.
cannot bear it, She drew nearer to
her. "l'0u love her. Veronica. | know
YOU do. You have said s0a hundred
times. You said see. remember the
words would give your life for her
if She needed it. because she WAS IN"
first TO love you. You said that yo'i
would stand between hcr and every
sowOw. that an arrow meant iof l''E
heart should first oi I'll piec" YOURS.
You said that. Veronica:
"Ycs. and meant il. she acknoWl-
edged.
LADY Brandon drew still nearer TO
her. Ii seemed to Veronica that tie
breath came in hot gasps from he:
lips.
she does not want your life, Nero-
Mica: TO give it would not serve her.
VIII You serve her aS YOU said you
would? Will You let the arrow meant
for her heart wound yours?
"Ncs," said Veronica. You know |
will"
"Will YOU save her youth, her love.
her hope: Will YOU keep her life
bright and unclouded? Willy you keep
her happy. as she has been? Will you
serve her Loyalty. faithfully. as You
have said?"
Yes" she answered again: and then
Lady Brandon drew the girls face down
10 her own.
You will do all. this? Then, Nero-
nica, burn the will-burn it. and keep
the secrc; until you die"
Veronica drew back pale. trembling
Burn the wiil"' she repeated FAINT
". You cannot mean that: How
can |? | dare not" She was beWlI-
dred: no such idea had occurred to her.
Burn the will" she said again.
ON. Lady Brandon. how caf l.:
You can do it easily enough. II you
wish-if YOU will" declared Lady
Brandon. Nv 10 knows Of it except
v0u an me? No one. Who knows the
secret save YOU and me? No one. Oh.
Veronica, il you would be true to your
promise. true to your word, burn the
will and forget it..
But that would be TO disobey the
wishes Of the dead" said Veronica.
1T seems to me I am not my own mis-
tress. My-lny fathers commands,
his wisheS-surely | must obey them:
surely | must carry out his plans
Lady Brandon stood before her erect,
her face eloquent with the passion Of
her words.
Veronica, make no scruples, raise
no doubts. Are YOU capable OF this
great sacrifice for katherlne's sake. for
her loves sake? 1t is much to ask. l
knwn. Have you the generosity. the
nobility. the grandeur OF soul to make
it? You said you would die for her,
my fair-haired darling. Would you
give life. vet withhold thiS?S
Lam bewildered. replied Veronica.
Il do not know how to answer you.
Come with me-" said Lady Bran
don. step lightly. Veronica, my
darling is asleep. Come with me-
And the two ladies passed out OF
Eeronica's pretty room together:
Lady Brandon led the way to kathe-
rine's room: she opened the door gent
" and they entered together. kathe-
rine had exhausted herself with weep
ing. Her fathers death was the nrSt
trouble Of her life, the first cloud that
had ever darkened her sky, the first
sorrow that had brought burning tears
to her eyes. She had exhausted herself
with weeping. and then she had thrown
herself onto the pretty white bed and
was sleeding the Sleep Of utter wearl-
ness. Her golden hair lay in pictures
saue disorder over the pillows. one
white rounded arm was thrown above
her head-even in profound Slumber,
her lips Quivered and deep sobs came
from them. She was too exhausted for
anv sound to reach her now. Lady
Brandon TOOK Veronica 5 hand and led
her to the bedside.
Look" she Said-"E eronica, see
how young and how fair she IS; see how
innocent and helpless. Think how She
has been loved and cherished. DO not
throw her on the mercies OF a cold
world. Think of her life: DC rot blight
it. Think of her love: do not Take It
from her. Veronica, ifabove this ten
der white breast you saw sword hang
ing. you would not let it fall. If you
saw hand clutching dagger and
pointing il at that tender heart. you
would thrust it aside. Look at
her. Veronica, so unconscious OF this
tra, ,edy. Willyou wake her to tell,
that YOU are going to take her inherl-
tance, her fortune. her happiness
ah. even her love from herr?
Veronica turned away with d Shud-
der
Come with me again." said Lady
Brandon-and this time she led the
way to the room where the dead states
man lay. She closed the door: and,
holding Veronica'S hand tightly clasp
ed in her own, she led her to his side.
u have brought you into the solemn
presence Of the dead. He who lies
there called this sin of his gilded sin.
Veronica, he did not foresee, he could
not know, the suffering and the sorrow
that would fall upon US. On. Eero-
MICA. is it just? Is it fair? Why should
this disgrace fall now upon me: Have
deserved il? IS it honorable that we
should so suddenly be deprived OF our
own-0ur position. our inheritance, all
that life holds most dear? Did you
love him, Veronica. this dear dead
father"
Yes" she replied. 1t seemed to
Veronica that al power Of speech had
left her-that she could not utter the
words that rose to her lips.
You did love him: then spare him.
You could do nothing so hurtful to his
memory as to let this secret be known.
AL England reverS him now, all Eng
land does homage to him. He is num-
bered amongst the greatest ones Of the
nation. Oh. Veronica, how they would
denOunce him. those who have loved
him best. if they knew that in very
truth he had left his wife and child to
bear the brunt and the burden OF his
concealment. They would blame where
they have praised. You will take a
hero from his pedestal. You will sha-
dow a grand memory, detract from d
fair fame if you tell his secret. And
YOU will gain-what? a fortune that
you will never enjoy. an inheltance
that will prove more curse than a
blessing. an inheritance that will be