CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-06-09

| bank notes and precious stones, unset.
many uncut. There had been no name.
no mark. anywhere. Only at the very
bottom Of all. wrapped in silk. a brace
let. slender hoop of gold set with a
fanciful cameo. He had half smiled
over the pattern of 1t. even though he
knew some heart tragedy lay back of
It. He had not told of his find-search
for owners of such treasure trove seem
ed SO hopeless. He had meant to ask
his uncle's advice and be governed by
it. Then that very night came the dis
patch-the good uncle was dead and
Hardy his sole heir. Altogether fate
seemed bent on forcing him to keep
what he had found He had kept 1t,
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 1t but cheerful sur
render In actuality 1t would be far
from cheerful. He had no vulgar greed
nor worship of money. still 1t would be
hard to get back into the old ways of
spare living. Besides. If Milly 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 heiressf 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 Il 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
be speak ont. 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. lf she
were in poverty. in privntion 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 graved stone and pound
1t to powder Suddenly. somewhere
high above his head. a robin sang clear
and gay. The sound brought back to
him a country church-himself rest
less little boy sitting ut his mothers
side and suddenly growing calm as to-
getber 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" II rang in his ears
like the voice of a friend. He had
flung himself face down upon the mossy
turf. Instantly he was up and racing
back toward the Morris house fast as
his feet could 60. 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
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 a SEN
sation such as this and eclipse Aunt
Harriet's party"
"We would never, never do that"
Milly said joyously. 'She hates me
enough as it u because Billy likes me.
She thinks, as do, he 10 quite wasted
ON me. Indeed she said to him when
he told her we were engaged: oh, you
idiotl Why didn't you take Bettyr"
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 flmy white, with
strands of dull red coral at her throat
and twined in her golden hair, she was
30 ravishing 1t is small wonder Bflly's
callow heart wavered. In the third
waltz he capitulated, lost his head en-.
tirely and was only saved from max
ing himself a pretty spectacle by Bet
tvs superior poise. Betty was shrewd-
ly observant. She had read Hardy's
face like nm open book while he
waltzed with Milly. So she managed 1t
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
a lover and gained q brother in Billy