Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-01-24

full stop in his surprise at discovering
that Second-cousin Sarah was following
him.
80 you are here at last, young fellow
you have swallowed your pride, and
come to see me-" were the first words of
Mrs. Eastbell from the bed into which
she had been assisted, and before which
he sat down.
Il have swallowed my pride, aunt, and
come to see you," he said in her own
words.
Lucky for you" she answered, for,
though l didn't tell Sally so, l was not
going to be sighted by a bit of boy
like you"
The door was closed, and they were
together in secret conference, Reuben
and his aunt, with his second-cousin like
a fate, shadovy and still and vigilant.
There was a small table drawn close to
the bedhead,. with writing materials upon
it, and a little reading lamp. Sarah was
right. At strange hour, and IN
strange fashion, which his coming nad
suggested the old woman lying there
had thought of her last duty to the liv-
ing, and was now in eager haste to COM
plete it.
you have no: shaken hands with me,
Reuben" she said, and the shriveled hand
stole forth with the old difficulty from the
bed, and he took it in his own, and felt
it cling to his own and detain lie. eff |
have robbed you of your birthright, Reu-
ben-and Sally says 1 have-I hope you
bear me no i'll will
Heaven forbid!' was the quick an
swer.
fa+ hac n q
any good-and this big, cold place is as
dark and dull and empty rs the old aims
house was-only not so warm, and Sally
not always at my side now. Sally never
sighted me at st. Oswald's, mind you,
that's the curious part of it. l don't see
what is to become of her, exactly, when
[ am not here to look after her." said the
blind woman quantity. I'm as unset
tied about her as l was when you came
to me at Worcester, for she's an unset
tied kind of child, and does strange
things. I did not want her to meet you,
but she would run away at last. You
know my grandson Tom has come to see
me?'
ooh, yes"
81 have Tom to think of, too. He's
good lad He hasn't forgotten mel
hate people to forget me, Reuben. Still,
Sally's right, and neither she nor Nor
Tom, for that materials any business
with your fathers money. I didn't see it
quite so clearly a little while ago-half
an hour since-as | do now"
But
There you 60" said the old woman,
ENORMOUSLY; whats the use of interrupt
ing people while they are talking? When
I got rich, Reuben, l grew greedy, some
how-as if riches, after all, were any
| good to me! Wasn't / happy woman at
st. Oswald's? haven't been happy since
| then. When my foolish brother left me
money, he left me trouble, too, and I was
too old for trouble. Now about my Sally
"a willful girl enough, but true as steel,
Reuben"
What of her?" said Reuben, looking
across at Sarah, who sat with her arms
crossed, and her face bent very low, like
woman asleep.
Il think that l can trust you to see
after my family, if l leave you all my
money, as she wishes. You are not likely
to turn your back upon Sarah or Tom.
because it is Sarah's wish that l give up
every penny of my own free will"
Sarah is rash,' muttered Reuben Gull
wick, Every RASH"
II think it is OVERRIDING it myself" said
the old lady very calmly; ''but what peace
shall | have until it's done? Has my
maid put pens, and ink, and paper ON
that table? You are q scholar-write out
my will, Reuben, in half a dozen lines.
Put it all down % &c .self-freahold
leasehold. NOR ;, pictures, plate-the old
| woman gives 1t all.
"At her granddaughter wish?''
And at her own--in common fairness
Reu, to my dead brothers son. There
write, and let me sign it,"
| Reuben looked across at Sarah again
From the shadowy background she made
gesture of assent, earnest, imperative,
and supplicatory.
And this strange idea is my second
| cousin's?" Reuben said, still looking at
| her. she trusts me so much, knowing
so little of me- in a foggy dream of resti-
tuition. She thinks of my wrongs, at a
time when 1 am learning to forget Them
| She accepts dependence, she risks pov-
erty and privation, and puts herself en-
tirely in my power
ENTIRELY" replied the old woman;
! isn't it safer!
| folly, and not the common prudence that
should regulate all lives. l will have
nothing to do with it. Besides, he who
writes will in which he is interested,
and by which he is to profit, does it at lis
| own risk--a very great one in the eyes
| of the law, aunt" continued Reuben,
land after all the document may not be
worth the paper on which it is written.
Hence your will would get into Chancery,
| Mrs. EastbeI, depend upon it. I'll give
you my idea, if you'll keep quiet for five
minutes"
81 don't think much of your IDEAS"
| said Mrs. Eastbell, candidly, but go on
| Reuben tok up a pen, dipped it into the
ink. and commenced writing very rapidly.
The old woman lay back and listened to
the scratching of his pen upon the paper,
and Sarah Eastbell, intensely curious,
advanced on toptoe toward him, and re-
sarded him defiantly as he curved his