Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-06-30

accounting for his change of estate by
Z true story Of inheritance greater than
be 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
s!ways had told himself there would
be nothing for it but cheerful sur
render. In actually it would be far
from cheerful. He had no vulgar greed
nor worship of money, still ii would be
hard to get back into the old ways of
spare living. Besides. IL Milly mar
ried Billy Graham the fortune would
be only an embarrassment. Billy was
safe to come into 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
of there. conscious Of a sudden rising
In the region Of the heart. Milly. Ii
only Milly were free. But he could not
think Of supplanting Billy, even sup
posing it lay in his power. Should
ing himself and those other two I'M
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 hundred of the canoes.
Then, too. was it certain sweet Milly
was the heir? There might be others
Lot. 90 70
were in poverty, in priyation even, he
could not hesitate. But that could not
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 grayed stone and pound
it to powder. Suddenly, somewhere
high above his head. 4 robin sang clear
and gay. The sound brought back to
him q country church-himself rest
less little boy sitting at his mothers
side and suddenly growing calm as to-
rether they got to their feet and re-
heated 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. lie 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 60. There he burst In
upon NIilly and Betty, wild eyed and
white faced, but joyous indeed, and told
them everything, making no reserve
even over his temptation and how he
had been saved from it, and wound up
with: Now my soul is at peace, | 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"
Mily said joyously. "She hates me
enough as it is because Billy likes me.
She thinks, rs | do, he is quite wasted
on me. Indeed she said to him when
lie told her we We're engaged: oh, you
idiot! Why didn't you take BettyT"
Billy asked himself that question be-
fore the party was over. He got home
an 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
and twined in her golden hair, she was
so ravishing it is small wonder Bi!iys
callow heart wavered. In the third
waltz he capitulated lost his head ell
tirely and was only saved from max
ing himself pretty spectacle by Bet
ty's superior poise. Betty was shrewd-
ly observant. She had read Hardys
face like an open book while he
waltzed with Milly. 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 word spoken. But next
day, with the great news of Milly's for
tune the world heard that she had lost
lover and gained brother in Billy
Graham.