Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-11-17
Continued.


Leah wonderd to herself if the answer
to her many prayers was come-It he
had been sent to save her from life
she had dreaded.
Il come" said the general, proudly,
ito make a proposition; how it Will
be received l know not. I make 1t Ill
nv dead sisters name. l akhOr and
detest the principles and teachings OF
Martin Ray; | hold them in such
contempt that l can never after this
day have any communication what
ever with him. I would rather cut
Off nv right hand than let it touch
his. But his children are the children
Of my dead sister, and l am here to
make them an offer. | am rich
man; [ have been married, and my
wife, in dying, left me large fortune;
besides which, all that I have under
taken has prospered. [ have no
children, no relatives save my two
nieces, and consequently no one to
succeed to my wealth. | shall never
marry again; and l propose, in &C
cordance with my sisters wishes, to
adopt Leah and Hettie, and treat
them as daughters Of my own. will
educate them, find a proper chaperone
for them, introduce them to their
proper sphere, and | will divide my
money equally between them"
There was dead silence in the
room. Martin Ray grew pale. The
girls looked startled and surprised.
The silence was painful until the
general broke it himself.
81 need hardly say what different
life this will be for them. With large
fortunes and the name Of Hatton,
they may aspire to any position, they
may marry as they will. They will be
equal to any ladies in the land. A
brilliant future lies before them
wealth, gayety, pleasure, all that is
most bright and beautiful. But l will
do this only on one condition; and it
is to this condition that I beg you to
give your lest attention. [ can hold
no communication with Martin Ray.
A soldier of the queen and preacher
of sedition cannot join hands. If
adopt these children and make them
my own, they must give up for ever
all communication with the man who
is their father; they must give up his
name and take mine; they must cease
to hold any intercourse with him, I'M
less he is i'll or dying. I can accept
no half measures-it must be all or
nothing"
cit is inhuman," cried Martin Ray.
''r+ --~A----o1,'' cold tha--coz4 e4seeI
10y atty and treason can never &C
hand in hand. Give my sisters chill
dren to me, and I will make them my
own; but I will never share the
charge of them with you
There was silence again, during
which one could hear the laborec
breathing of Martin Ray.
THAT is like an aristocrat," he said
RemOrselessIy you ride roughshod
over the feelings Of those whom you
choose to consider as beneath you
Why should you seek to take my chill
dren from me? Why should you offer
to bride them with money ano
pleasure? Do you call that honor.
able? An aristocrat's notion Of honor
the bribing Of children to leave
their father Their mother. sweet
soul, loved me until she died: they
will do the same Offer what you
will, my children will not desert me.
l dare you'll defy you! Double the
gold that you offer and a name twice
as noble as the one you bear will not
take them from me-
They shall speak for themselves, -
returned the general. ''It is a
decision for life, not for a short time
only. The fairest way is to leave it
to them to make their choice"
Il am not afraid" said Martin Ray;
but he wondered at the strange look
on LEANS face. Il appeal to my chill
dren; they have loved, obeyed,
honored me; will they forsake me
now for a stranger who cOnfesses that
he detests me?"
Il make no appeal" put in the gen
eral; Il leave it to them If they will
come to me, they shall be as children
of my own; but they must give up all
claim to you. I own that it is a
momentous choice, and one most
difficult to make"
Again the painful silence fell over
them, unbroken this by any sound.
The girls stood with white faces,
looking from one man to the other.
my children" said Martin Ray, 81
leave it to you
He turned away his head, too
proud at that moment to let the ex-
preston of his face be seen
"And l." said General Hatton, look
ing at each of his nieces, "leave it to
you also. Ny dead si"ters children,
do as you will; but do not forget your
mothers words"
With a cry, the girls clasped their
arms around each other. In that
moment they felt quite alone in the
world. How were they to make such
a choice? To Leah's mind required
the memory Of her fervent prayers for
some one who would deliver her from
her furnace of fire " She looked into