Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-03-31
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face, The relief was 80 great that ehs
almost broke down; after this there
could>be no difficulty whatever. She
had come through the greatest ordeal
she would have to face, and she had
not merely scraped through, but had
come out of it in triumph and with
flying colors.
There's no need to apologize, Mr..
Stock" she said at would never
have done for you to let in any stran-
ger who might claim to be Grace Var
wood, would it? A nice thing" she
added, "if l had come along and found
that someone else had taken my
place."
Such cases have occurred, Of
course" replied Mr.. Stock He had
sat down again and was examining
some papers on his desk; as a matter
OF fact, he was trying hard to get over
feeling that he did not like Miss
Grace Yarwood. Let it be said at
once that Mr. Stock was a kindly man
the father of small family that
| adored him; and, in rather romantic
way for lawyer, he had been looking
| forward to the coming of Grace Var
wood and to her taking possession of
her fortune. This bright-eyed, alert,
| dark little woman was not what he
had anticipated; if the truth be told,
he would be rather glad to have found
flaw in her evidence. However,
| there was no flaw, and he must make
| the best of the Grace Yarwood he had
| discovered.
Il dare say you are aware Miss
| Yarwood" he said at last, without
| looking up, that mention has been
made OF certain condition attaching
/ to your possession of the fortune. 1t
! is rather a delicate matter for me to
mention; but, as the solicitor to the
late Mr.. John Hawley. your grand
father and as your solicitor, also,
have no choice"
Some trifling little thing, suppose,
/ Mr.. Stock?" she said, carelessly. For
nothing mattered now; the great or
deal was passed. and she would SUBJ
NIT to any and ever ycondition they
might care to make
From your point Of view not tri-
fling affair by any means" said the
lawyer. The late John Hawley was
a man Of very eccentric character and
1 modes of thought man of strong
| likes and hatreds. He never forgave
! your mother, as you know; he only
1 relented against you at the last The
condition attaching to your fortune is
this: you are to marry the man your
or +, n f1t Inr hos g.
For moment there was silence in
i the room, then she gave little, quick
laugh-a laugh partly of anus ement,
partly of annoyance; she had expected
4 that the fortune would be unhampered
! by any vital condition at all.
Il don't quite like being disposed
of in this way" she said. May ask
who the man is that has been selected
for me?''
your cousin, Mr.. Raymond Hawley,
younger and favorite grandson of the
late John Hawley. Your mother took
took her own way as regarded her
marriage; her father cast her off. His
only son-your uncle, of course-mar.
ried according to his fathers Wishes
and had issue two sons. With the
elder of these we are not concerned;
he was long ago thrust aside by your
grandfather, while the younger one
was taken into the old mans favor.
1t is that younger ope-Raymond
i Hawley-that you are to marry
well, they certainly seem to have
made up their minds about me-" she
replied, with a laugh. Suppose l re-
/ fuse?"
THAT is not uestion, l think, we
can entertain" said the lawyer, quiet
| ly. "The will of the late John Haw-
/ ley specifically states that, in the
/ event of your failing to marry your
j cousin Raymond Hawley, the whole of
the fortune is to be divided among
!! other members of the family; in fact,
your elder cousin. who was cast off by
your grandfather, benefits very con-
siderably. In effect, you must comply
with the conditions of the will, Miss
Yarwood. in order to benefit under it
at all"
Ito BE Continued.)
Il b .