The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-30

Msn irI1''N s;ayjnr in England. Yet by
,i"h1. and hy day-Gespite all his stern
,csolvc 10 forget \eronlca-he M;sS
,}ways asking himself why she had
ulrned the will-what her motive was
what she had gained by it? Was 1t
possible that the will took from heE
some legacy or gift: =,
i never thought that she even care91
for money" he said to himself over anu anu
over again. She seemed 50 Tree lT0li!
Eli mercenarv taint. Why dlo SIZE
DESTROY the will?" The more ne
thought about it the more ne was puI W.
zled, the greater grew the mlste.s 10y dre
drove himself almost mao WIZ Soi..
ipcturing: and he never even IdlnllS
r,InSseG the truth, 1t never od"iies'
across him. 10 ,,o,o ,,,.
,inn1 ~ a( comments and remarks. ~
was Supposed by the world in genera!
fhIt he had been dismissed BY Miss al
Cvn1ha: no one had even an mixing OF
the truth. He grew pale and thln our,
inc jhc>r few months: out they passed
at last. Two days before ChriStm4lS
day ali his arrangenlEnts were MAGE
and he was ready &c sail. lie beth9ugiit
himself then that it would only be
right 70 destroy the charrcd fragments
of the viii, for if they fell into other
hands there would be danger. ana one
wild day in December, when the Wliio
was wailing and roaring round tne
house. he went TO the safe ana LOOK
from it the little parcel. The Sno"
was beating furiously against the WIN,
dow, great masses OF cloud darkeneo S
the heavy skios: then came a !ul! m the
storm. Never until the day ne aleS
will Sir Marc forget the hour and the
scene. With some curiosity he went
to the window to examine tie cnarred
fragments: quite distinctly he saw the
The last will and testament
of 81? Jasper Brandon"
Poor child" he murmured to hlm-
self. What could have prompted her
10 do this most evil deed?'
\ little robin-redbreast fell with nut
tering wings on the windoW-Slll, beaten
down by the snow and wind. IT lay
there futtering. gasping with Its little
life almost gone. He was tender Oh
heart, this man so stern in. morals; ne
could not endure the sight OF the little
birds agony. He droped the parch-
ment and opened the window. he tooE;
the little helpless creature, he warmed
it and FED it. and then bethought him
self of the will. lie fastened to PICK
it up: it had opened as it fell, and as he
raised it he saw words that ne mao not
seen before. He took it to the Wlndow
and as he examined it his face grew
white, great dark shadows came into
his eyes, and he cried
Great Heaven. How is it that /
have never even thought OF this be-
fore?"
CHAPTER NJ.
Great had been the CONSERVATION at
Queens Chace when Lady Brandon, IN
few curt words, said that Miss dl
Cvntha's wedding was postponed in
difnitely. The worst Of it was there
came no solution to the mystery
whether there had been a quarrel OF
not no one could say. All that was
known was that Sir Marc had left
quite suddenly one day, and that two
or three days afterward those inter
ested had been told to cease all prepa'
rations for the wedding.
No one was more aStonlShed than
Katherine when her mother told he1
the news: and at first she refused to
believe it.
There is some mistake. mama, she
cried: y would more readily believe
that Alton did dot care for me-
Unfortunately there is no mistake.
said Lady Brandon sadly.
Whose fault is it?'' inquired kath-
crime. Not Eeronica'S? am quite
sure that Veronica loved Sir Marc
more dearly than l can tell. 1t always
seemed to me that her love was her
life. 1t cannot be Sir Mares for he
loved the very ground she stood on: |
cannot understand it, mama. What
does Veronica say"
Nothing. She only looks unutter-
ably sad and miserable, and begS OF me
not to talk about it."
Il will go to her myself, y said Kathe-
rine impulSively.
1t is useless, Katherine" returned
Lady Brandon. She will only be more
miserable than ever"
But Katherine would not be controll-
ed. She hastened up TO Veronica's
room and found her favorite standing
by the window.
My darling, you have been ill., she
cried. Mama says that you tainted. >
Then she started, for Veronica had
turned round to greet her, and the
change that had come over her was so
terrible that the young heireSS was
shocked. Feronica's face was pale and
worn, the dark eyes were fearless, but
there was in them look OF fathomleSs
woe.
"Veronica," cried the girl, lit is
true then, l can see from your face
that it is true: there is no need to ask a
question. You and Sir Marc have
parted.'
Yes" she said drearily, "we have
parted, kataerine-n0t for an hour, a
Gay. or a year, but forever.
Il will not believe it. What has
come between you who loved each
other so well?"
Il cannot tell you, ,"replied Veroni-
ca, with a long low sigh.
Ou lluSG leIl ilc, ueCidllcQ
Katherine. L want to help you. l
could not live and know that you were
unhappy, Veronica. l must follow
Sir Marc and bring him back"
Il cannot tell you anything about
it. Katherine" said Veronica. And
yet may tell you this. lie asked me
to do something for him, and l refused
he placed the alternative Of parting
before me, and took it. You will
ask me nothing more?"
NO" she replied musingly-"that
is, unless you like to trust me more
fully"
i cannot" said Veronica, with a
''he has gone, and we shall
not meet again in this world: yet l
was worthy of his love. To me it seems
that have stood by him dead and
kissed him tor the last time"
Her voice had in it a ring of weary
dependency, her eyes were fixed with
a strange daZed expression, her hands
were folded and lay on her knees. She
looked up at katherine.
Kate. give me one promise" she
Sai0-"iuSt one. Tell me that Won