Morris tribune., 1903-03-07

v
esp" ! asked with bitter irony.
eyes, | am his heiress! But I die
nothing that the most scrupulous
delicacy could object to. l often
begged your uncle to send for you
and only ceased when the doctor
assured me that my constant de-
mands worried the patient. Your
uncle was my benefactor. He saved
me from misery and I could not do
anything which would prove me I'M
| grateful. When he was attacked
with the strange within of preferring
me to you, I was obliged to submit.
AS he was then too i'll to be OPP
posed
'sBut. you inherit the estate!" I
repeated with the same melancholy
irony.
81 inherit it. Well?"
She gazed fxedly at me.
eff you were in my place, what
would you think % / exclaimed.
''Just what you will Think" and
she drew a small packet from her
pocket and handed it to me, saying,
''Forgive the old man and destroy
this proof of his delirium."
I was too much astonished to
speak. Ny hands trembled. Con
fusedly I realized how wrong I had
been in blaming her.
"What do you mean?" I finally
stammered.
E'That is the will. I give it to
you and you remain the heir of your
unhappy uncle"
I was SO overcome by her answer
that I was obliged to lean against
the wall for support-so ashamed
that I could not look her in the face
her whom I had SO basely accused.
After a few minutes I collected
myself and begged in a supplicating
voice:
"Forgive me. Take back this
packet. I would rather die than ac-
cept the estate on such conditions"
Sand l." she exclaimed vehement
ly and disdainfully. 'SDo you think
that I will touch it? Do you think
that I would defle myself by steal
ing?"
II have misunderstood you," I ex-
claimed. Il have acted like brute.
I am miserable fool"
'1t does not matter now. We
shall probably never see each other
again She spoke gently in an alb
sent manner. Her beautiful eyes
had a faraway look, and now I knew
that she was really pure, innocent,
stainless.
"Ah," | murmured. "Of what use
is the money to me? To receive it
thus from your hands is the hardest
of punishments. will not have it
To receive it from you who refused
me SO coldly, from you who despise
me with such humiliating gentle
ness! l should consider myself dis
graced for lifep'
''What do you say? Disgraced
because | return to you what belongs
to you? Because l refuse to profit |
by the unreasonable Whim of an in
valid?"
She retreated few steps and her
admirable beauty filled my heart
with alteration. 'Ah, why would |
you not accept my love?" I cried. |
"Why would you let me have no
part in your life?"
Il was a poor girl, treated with |
kindness and trusted. | should have
betrayed that kindness and trust in
listening to you"
"Would you have listened to me
then if you had been rich?' I ex-
claimed.
She cast down her eyes and re-
NAMED minute undecided. Then
lifting her long eyelashes she said
simply:
81 think So
My excitement increased, words
failed me and l could only stammer:
FFBut now-you cam
She motioned me to be silent.
After few minutes of deep thought
she said:
"Today 1 think that I have the
right to listen to you. My refusal
OF acceptance depends now only
upon my own inclination.
I approached and implored her:
accept my life or refuse itp'
81 will not refuse" she answered
gently. And suddenly smiling
Bweetly she said, with subtle femi-
nine irony:
81 would never have refused it,
for if you fell quickly in love with
me, |, too, was not slow in loving
you"
/ caught Laure's hands and kissed
them humbly, but she gently drew
them away and begged me to re-