Milford chronicle., 1904-06-03

accounting for his change OF estate by
q true story of inheritance greater than
he had had the right to expect.
Now he knew where the bulk of his
fortune belonged. Often In mind he
had contemplated the contingency and
always had told himself there would
be nothing for It but cheerful sur
render. In actuality It would be far
from cheerful. He had no vulgar greed
nor worship Of money, still it would be
hard to get back into the old ways of
spare living. Besides, If Aiilly mar
ried Billy Graham the fortune would
be only an embarrassment Billy was
safe to come into a million. Why spoil
his pretty romance by making the girl
Of his heart an heiress? Betty, blond
and stately and beautiful, would also
doubtless find in her face her fortune.
Might not he himself Hardy broke
Off there, conscious of a sudden rising
in the region Of the heart Millyl If
only Milly were free. But he could not
think of supplanting Billy, even sup
posing it lay in his power Should
he speak out, with the chance of max
ing himself and those other two un-
happy ever after, or hold his peace
and enjoy the riches tickle Fate had
provided? After all he did not really
know. The stonecutter might easily
have carved a hundred of the canoes.
Then, too, was it certain sweet Milly
was the heir? There might be others
with 4 stronger claim of blood. If she
were in poverty, in privation even, he
could not hesitate. But that could not 1
be poverty which had all the ease and !
delight of gentlewomanly existence, to |
say nothing of Billy Graham and his /
prospects. Almost he persuaded him /
self to hurry back to the city, take out .
the accusing graved stone and pound .
it to powder Suddenly, somewhere |
high above his head, robin sang clear
and gay. The sound brought back to
him Il country church-himself a rest
less little boy sitting at his mothers
side and suddenly growing calm as to-
gether they got to their feet and re-
peated in unison with the rest the
Lords Prayer.
LEAD us not into temptation, but de-
liver us from evil" 1t rang in his ears
like the voice of a friend. He had
flung himself face down upon the messy
turf. Instantly he was up and racing
back toward the Morris house fast as
his feet could go, There he burst in
upon Milly and Betty, wild eyed and
white faced, but joyous indeed, and told
them everything, making no reserve
even over his temptation and how he I
had been saved from it, and wound up
with: "NOw my soul is at peace, l can
dance and be happy. Let things stand
until tomorrow, please! 1t would be
cruel, almost inhuman, to spring SEN
sation such as this and eclipse Aunt
Harriet's party"
I'VE would never, never do that"
Aiilly said joyously. "She hates me
enough as it is because Billy likes me.
She thinks, as l do, he is quite wasted
on me- Indeed she said to him when
he told her we were engaged: oh. you
IDIOT! Why didn't you take Betty?"
Billy asked himself that question be-
fore the party was over. He got home
m hour before the guests assembled.
Betty was easily far and away the star
Of them. All in filmy white, with
strands of dull red coral at her throat
md twined in her golden hair. she was
so ravishing it is small wonder Billy's
,allow heart wavered. In the third
waltz he capitulated, lost his head en-
-irely and was only saved from max
ing himself a pretty spectacle by Bet
TVS superior poise. Betty was shrewd-
" observant She had read Hardy's
face like an open book while he
waltzed with AIilly. So she managed it
that the four Of them should meet in a
shrubby nook outside the dancing tent
There things Strengthened themselves.
with hardly a word spoken. But next ,
lay, with the great news of Milly's for ,
.une. the world heard that she had lost
| lover and gained a brother in Billy /