Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-05-29
Continued.

GE1SS, anu MI ASbACAASA AOo1
to get her chair, but Guilford Der
ton stepped before him. and placed
one in the window recess, so that she
sat a little apart from the crowd, and
with her face half hidden in the
shadow of the curtains.
Norah did not raise her eyes to ii,
face, but took ner seat and sat mo
tionless, and holding Lady Ferndale's
hand tightly The crowd of faces
swan before her eyes and the first
words Mr.. Petherick uttered in his
thin voice sounded unintslligible N
her ears. She knew that all the ey S
burning with suppressed eagerness and
anticipation, were covertly regarding
her ears. She knew that all the eyes
Ferndale's loving clasp.
Mr. Petherick coughed in his IeTv-
GUS fashion, ana fingered the Will.
Before / read the last will and
testament of the Earl Of Arrowdale.
he said, his voice quivering, Il feel it
my duty to express my regret at the
absence Of the-the present earl.
have used every means to discover
hts whereabouts and acquaint him
with the melancholy news, but have
failed to reach him" There was an
intense silence. Sooner or later
soon, I trust!--he will arrive, and
and-relieve me, and all connected
with the estate, of a serious RESPONSE
bility, but until he does must ask
you to regard me as executor, as the
person in charge"
Then he proceeded to read the win
Many glances of curiosity and envy
and suspicion had been cast at Guil-
ford Berton's tall figure as he stool
just behind Norah and Lady Ferndale,
and when, after reading out the
small requests Mr.. Petherick slowly
recited the clause in which the earl
bestowed his watch and chair-and
nothing else-to his closest friend, |
Guilford Berton, a suppressed murmur
of surprise and relief ran round the
room
Lady Ferndale was as surprised as
ny one, and her hand closed over
Norah's Significantly But Norah |
made no sign.
Mr. Petherick read on in the sing
song. unpunctuated legal voice, ana
presently he came to the clause re,at- |
ing to her He read it slowly and I'M
pressively, and Norah felt rather than |
saw the hungry eyes fixed upon her. |
She heard nothing more until she
found Mr.. Petherick standing before |
her, with the will in his hand. MI the |
rest had left the room excepting Lady
Lady Ferndaie and Guilford Barton.
You will allow me to express
my satisfaction, Lady Norah," said
the old lawyer IF had drawn the
will myself it could not have been
more in accordance with the advice
should have given Very right ant
and just. indeed"
Lady Norah looked at him vacantly.
still holding Lady FerndaIe's hand.
"A very just and proper WILL" said
the old man, turning his spectacles |
on Guilford Berton, who stood with |
his hands cklsped behind him, his |
eyes fixed on the ground
Yes said Guilford Berton, in |
low voice. But how could the earl |
have done otherwise"
At the sound of his voice Moran |
drew little closer TO Lady Ferndale. |
Il do not understand = she falter- |
ed, almost inaudlbly
"'iell her" said Indy Ferndale. in Il /!
whisper, and she looked up at Gull !
ford Berton
He took a step forward
Your father has lef you every
thing that was his to b,queath, Lady |
Norah. he said VIII you let me,
too, say how rejoiced l am that it |
should be so?".
Norah raised her eyes to mis- face, |
which expressed a qualification con
sistent with his words and not a sign
Of disappointment or envy.
I do Dot understand" she said, al |
most piteously. Am L the viscount, |
the present earl, is he"
yes. yes" said Mr.. Petherick, in |
the tone a lawyer adopts when he Is |
enlightening ignorant womankind. |
THE yiscount-that is. the earl-has |
the estates. the land with the Court. |
OF course; but the rest is yours II |
represents a vast sum--vast The !
earl, your father. my dear young lady. |
had for some years saved a large por-
ton Of his income, and had been ex- |
tremely fortunate in his investments: |
extremely So II really seemed as If |
everything ne touched turned to gold. |
On several occasions / felt It my duty |
TO utter a word of wbrning respecting |
some of the speculations in which he |
embarked, but he always had his way.
and ! am bound to say that the re
suits proved me wrong and him right !
1t is impossible at this iuncture 10
give an approximate estimate of the
sum he has left you but It must I've
very large-very large indeed. am -
as Mr.. Berton has said-greatly -e.
joiced."
He looked round to bow to that gem
t'eman, but Guilford Berton had
glided from the room.
lFo- h put her hand to her brow
y do not underst nd vet" she sal I.
in low voice. SHOULD should not
all this money have gone to my faith
er's nephew. the present earl?"
Mr.. Petherick coughed behind mis-