The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-06-04
\ GILDED SIN.
BY CHARLOTTE n. BRBAME.
CHATTER II.

other CnliQ na0 Deefl given " queen ,
Chace. The long-wiShed-for heir had
never appeared. and the hopes OF both
parents were .centered in the beautl-
ful Young neireSS. She was just seven
teen. and more perfectly lovely ideal
of an English girl could not have been
found. To look at her was a pleasure.
The tall slender figure with its perfect
lines and curves, the face with its glow
of Youthful health. the subtle grace OF
movement. the free easy carriage. the
Quick graceful step, were alias pleasant
as they were rare. Like her mother.
She was blonde beauty. but she had
more color, greater vigor. Her halr
was Of golden brown-pure goId III the
sunlight, brown in the shade.
Ner eyes were Of lovely violet hue:
they looked like pansies STEPPED IN
dew. Her face had most exquisite
color, lilies and roses so perfectly
blended that it was impossible to tell
where one began and the other ended:
1t was an English face-nO other lana
could have produced one. The mouth
was beautiful, the lips were sweet and
arch. revealing little white teeth that
shone like pearls; a lovely dimpled chin,
a white rounded throat, and beautiful
hands, completed the list Of charms.
There was an air OF Tltal!ty ana nealth
about her that was irresistible.
She was as English in character as IN
face. She had none Of the characterls-
tics of the silent, courtly race OF Bran
dons. She was essentially Saxon, true
in thought, word, and deed, sincere,
earnest. transparently candid, gener-
Gus, slightly preju6iced and intolerant,
proud with a quick, bright pride that
was but "a virture run to Seeo"-a
most charming, lovable character, not
perhaps Of the most exalted type. She
would never have made poetesS or a
tragedy: there was no sad, traglcal
story in her lovely young face; but
she was essentially womanly, quickly
moved to sweetest pity and compassion
keenly sensitive, nobly generous. All
her short sweet life she had been
called "HeiresS of Queens Chace. .
She was woman enough to be more
than pleased with her lot in life-sbe
was proud of it. She loved the bright
beautiful world, and, above all, she
loved her own share in it. She would
rather have been heireSS Of Queen 5
Chace, she declared, than Queen OF
England. She loved the place, she en-
loved the honors and advantages con-
nected with it: She had inherited just
sufficient Of her mothers character to
make her appreciate the advantages OF
her position. The great difference be-
tween them was that Lady Brandon
loved the wealth, the pOmp, the hon
ors Of the world, while Katherine
loved it's brightness and its pleasures.
Sir Jasper was very much attached
to his daughter; his own wife never re-
minded him Of his first love, but his
daughter did. Something in her bright
glad youth, in her sunny laughter, IN
her bright eyes, reminded him Of the
beautiful Venetian girl whom he had
loved so madly. In these later years
all the love Of his life had centered in
his daughter, all the little happiness
that he enjoyed came from her-with
her he forgot his lifelong pain, and
She was heiress Of Queens Chace:
He had taken the greatest pride and
care in her education. She was accom-
plished in the full sense Of the word.
She spoke French, italian, and Ger
man. She sung with clear, sweet
voice. She danced gracefully. and was
no mean artist. Her father had taken
care that no pains should be spared in
her education, no expense. no LABOR.
The result was she developed into a
brilliantly accomplished girl. He was
delighted with her.
Katherine Brandon had made her
DEBUT; royal eyes had glanced kindly
at the fair, bright young face, She
had more lovers than she could count;
a beauty, a great heiress. clever, &C
complished, witha laugh like clear mu-
sic and spirits that never failed, no
wonder that some Of the most eligible
men in England were at her feet. She
only laughed at them at present. 1t
was the time for smiles: tears would
come afterward.
If there was one she liked little bet
ter than the rest, it was Lord Nhyn-
leigh, the son Of the Earl Of Woodwyn,
the poorest earl in England.
Lord Wynleigh was handsome ana
clever. He had had a hard fight with
the world, for he found it difficult to
keep up appearances on small income:
but he forgot his poverty and every
thing else when he fell in love with
charming, tantaliZing, imperlouS
Katherine Brandon. Would she ever
care for him? At present the differ
ence in her behavior toward him and
her other lovers was that she laughed
more at him, affected greater lndltfer-
ence to him, but never looked at nm,
and she flushed crimson at the mention
Of his name.
That same year Sir Jasper was much
OYertaSked with work: he was 50 Ill as
to be compelled to consult 4 physician,
who told him that he could not always
live at high pressure, and that II he
wished to save himself he must give up
work and rest for time. In order to
do this, the illustrious statesman de-
decided on going to Queens Chace, the
home that he loved so well. Some one
suggested that. he should go abroad.
He shrunk with horror from the idea.
So the whole family went to Queens
Chace. Sir Jasper invited a party OF
friends for Christmas. Until Christ
mas he promised himself perfect rest.
1t was at the beginning OF October
that he received the letter which so al
tered the course Of his life and that OF
Others. It was from ASSunta dl Gym
tha-written on her deathbed. Per
haps her approaching dissolution had
shown her that she had mlSJudged
some things and mistaken others;
She wrote to the man whom she had
hated with such deadly hate, and the
words she used more gracious than any
she had ever used before. She tod
him that she should rej0in her sister
the young wife he had so dearly loved
and that she could not die until her
child was safe and well provided for:
If I had money of my own she
wrote, u should not trouble you: but
I have none-my income dies with me,
and the old palace that has been my
own passes into other hands, | have
nothing to leave my beautiful Veronica
and you must take her. Shels heauti-
ful and gifted, but she IS unlike other
hos 1aH q lonely