The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-07-09

"In the drawer of his bookcase. where
he keeps letters not answered. | wish
| could unlock it. but the key has gone
down the carriage way in the old gents
pocket" replied the unGlial girl.
We'll. since you express wish 10 see
il. perhaps | can aid you. See. this key
Looks as though it might it any lock.
returned the young man. readily enough
falling into the suggestive mood of his
sister.
Laughing. the young girl turned quick
ly with him, and both glided with
stealthy steps towards the library and
their uncle's desk. The key fitted; fact
Robert well knew. as il was not the first
time it had been tried by the unprin-
cipled nephew, and the following letter.
written with a hand evidently feeble
from sickness. was eagerly read, then as
quickly returned to its hiding place. and
the drawer relocked, as they had found
il.
On the envelope was written, ITO be
sent to Sir Reginald Glendenning. Bart,
after my death"
Sir Reginald Gendennng:
MY Dear Brother-You will doubt
less be surprised to receive this letter
from one who has been so many years
separated from her family, in conse
qucnce of having married. secretly, the
man of her choice. Allow me merely to
say that when you read this. the sister
that you once loved will have passed
away, and. therefore. she trusts that all
hard feelings that her marriage may have
occasioned will be buried forever Broth
or. | write to you now in order to crave
| at "
died in infancy, and just twenty and
half years ago, |. with the consent of
my husband. took charge of little girl
of gentle blood and some pleasant future
prospects, and gave her the love of
true mother. On her twenty-first birth
day she will be at liberty to open certain
documents laid aside for her. and then
will come into possession of her own
property. for some little awaits her ma
! jority. Until then. after my death. she
will be friendess and alone. Now, | ask
| if you will care for her until that date.
October fifth is reached? Can she not
be in some way of service to you, and
| thus compensate for her board and trou
BILE? DO this for me, my dear brother
and be kind and care for my beloved
Ethel, and my dying gratitude will be
| yours.
Your affectionate sister.
GERTRUDE"
'Of all impudent proposals, that is the
climax" CALCULATED Belle. Indignantly
Take her into his own family, indeed!
The mink don't come here, if l can help
it, She is no earthly relation to him.
Your opinion will not be asked, sister
mine" returned her companion in evil
deeds; "and you must remember that you
are supposed to know nothing of the con-
tents of that letter But do not be alarm
ed. Our relative looked too much like a
thunder cloud to be csjoled into receiv-
ing her here"
Need We stop now. after relating such
a scene, to describe the wholly heartless
characters of these relations of Lady
Constance Glendenning? INDUCED from
Infancy by their own parents as much
as by the Lady Constance, whose whole
affections had centered upon them, in
consequence of the cold manner of her
moody, passionate husband towards her
self, il is not to be wondered at that
they developed with each year selfish and
unamable dispositions under her foolish
ly fond sway.
AS for Lady Constance. her naturally
smiable disposition had grown hardened.
Life with her violent tempered husband
had proved anything but pleasant, and as
she finally saw his ugly features of char
acter being initiated by these children
under her charge. she became mOrbidly
Indifferent and cold 10 such a degree that
her nearest relatives could scarcely rec
ognize in the proud Lady Constance
Glendenning the once light-hearted and
gay young cousin. whose society was so
much sought in former years by the three
brothers before their fathers death, when
life had been so different for each. This
morning Lady Constance felt unusually
dispirited. Her apathetic heart had
bern moved the night before by a singu-
larry vivid dream, in which she had met
once more her never forgotten early lover,
and the face of Sir Arthur had appear
! ed in that midnight hour with all the
realness of life. while she seemed to
hear him wall in despair:
"Oh. Constance. Constance"
Starting from this dreary sleep. she
tossed restlessly until morning, and then
after rising, found that the impression
made upon her mind had not in the least
: vanished. She sank upon her knees, and
weeping bitterly, moaned
, oh, Arthur, why was | so unfaith flu
r to thy precious memory? Why did ]
forget thee so soon, my own. my owni
Wretched guilty woman that | have beer
to wed for title and Inheritance, so un
\ feeling and heartless a man as l, alas
e have done. oh, heaven. forgive this, my
g sin. and grant me peace with thyseli
after my weary life is endedr'
e Long and bitterly she thus wrestleG
r with her own heart. never stirring from
[ her lowly posture until she was sudden
0 ly aroused by Mortified scream from
e lips she knew To be Bellies, while 9
e strange call in tones of anguish for "Aunt
! Constance" caIlSad har RI riSa and oDar