Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-03-20
CHATTER \X.

w uAtti IL loHS Sidute ~ tlc
mans pale, earnest face.
CHAPTER NX.
With the fatal will clasped in his
hand, Dysart goes straight to the small
morning room, where he knows he will
be sure to find Vera. Twilight is begin
ming to fall and already the swift herald
of night is proclaiming the approach of
his king. She starts slightly as he comes
in.
Il am sorry to disturb you" says by
sart. with an effort at calmness. but it
was so necessary that | should come,
that"
Il am glad you have come. l, too,
was anxious to see you" says Vera,
touch of nervousness in her tone. 81
you must know it is impossible that we
should stay here any longer. Our uncle,
who was our guardian, is gone and
she has risen to her feet and is looking
at MIN in sore dstress-"I have wanted
to speak to you about it for long time;
| thought. perhaps. you would help us
to find another home" He can see that
she suffers terribly in having to throw
herself upon his good nature, to openly
demand his assistance. I'VE must leave
this, and at once" says she. stammering
little, and with slight miserable break
in her voice.
you will not have to look for another
home' says he; this is your own
house."
"Oh, no." drawing back with a naughty
gesture; II have told you it is impossi
bic. | shall certainly not stay here"
AS you WILL" quite as haughtily ut
will be in your power for the future to re-
side exactly where you please, but if the
fear of seeing me here is deciding you
against this place, pray be satisfied on
that point; have no longer the smallest
claim to consider myself master here"
Warned by a change in his manner,
Vera looks at him.
Something has happened?" she says,
abruptly
Yes; something find it difficult to ex
plain to you"
Still he manages to tell her all and to
show her her grandfather's will-the will
which his father had suppressed all these
years.
But this is horrible" she says, faint.
ly, when he had finished. Il won't have
it, She throws out her hands as though
in remuneration. why should | deprive
you of your home? Give me enough to
live on elsewhere with Griseda, but"
You are quick to fall into error" says
he, grimly. II have begged you already
to try to grasp the situation. 1t is l,
it appears, | who"--he hesitates, and
after finding it impossible to speak of
his father, goes on--"who have deprived
you OF your home. You must see that. |
beg" slowly, that you will not permit
yourself any further foolish discussion
on this subject"
lie turns away abruptly. There is
something so solitary, so utterly alone in
his whole air, that without giving her
self time for thought she springs to her
feet and calls to him.
Where are you going? To sit alone?
TO brood over all this? Oh. do not.
Why" going swiftly to him and standing
before him with downcast lips and trem-
bling fingers and quickened breath. "why
not stay here with me for little while
and let us discuss all this together and
try to see way out Of it?"
"My way is plain before ME; it wants
no discussion" says Dysart, resolutely.
refusing to look at her.
you mean" TREMENDOUSLY, that YOU
w
at her side closes upon fold of her soft
black gown and brushes it convulsively.
IL mean,' in an uncompromising tone,
that | fully understand your mistaken
kindness-the sacrifice Of your incliua-
tons you would make-and decline to
profit by it,
"You are disingenuous. What you
really mean is" in low tone, that you
will not forgive"
There is nothing to forgive, save my
presumption"
He opens the door deliberately and
closes it with firm hand behind him.
Vera. left standing thus cavalierly in the
middle of the room. with the knowledge
full upon her that she has been sighted.
spurned. her kind intentions ruthlessly
flung back upon her. lets the quick, pas
sionate blood rise upward. until it dyes
cheek and brow She presses her hand
upon her throbbing heart, and then all at
once it comes to her that she is no long
er poor. forlorn. but rich. one of the rich.
est commoners in England. And with
this comes, too, sense of deeper desc
lation than she has as yet known. Drop
ping into a chair. she covers her face
with her hands and cries as if her heart
is broken.