The new South-news., 1908-05-02
CHAPTER I.

Would anybody else like to look
a, the corpse before Il Is nailed
DOWN."
| The grnesomc invitation uttered in
the husky voice OF Sandy Wright. the
undertaken. set the lawyers teeth
on edge. He was standing just with
In the door of the darkened room
where the mourners were assembled
and as Sandy spoke he caught him
by the arm and whispered In his
ear.
Surely this .s unnecessary. Miss
Murray wouldn't like It," And at the
same moment he east n plying glance
towards the far corner OF the room
where the orphaned daughter sat
y dropping attitude. a pathetic fig-
ure OF grief
But Sandy was jrrcpressitlc
'fioots' She'll no mind. IT'S aye
dune, and Miss Murray hersel' gac
me orders to see that everything WIS
done ia the usual way"
At last all WAS over. aud the com
pany were on their feet ready to 10
The undertakers. with what seemed
unnecessary noise. had taken the
conin with the old Domnie's body
through the narrow lobby OF the
house out to the garden in front
where the company were assembling
to carry It to the old kirkyard beside
the ioch and the ancient tree-shaded
church.
sydney Austruther waited TIL the
last TO shake hands with Edith Muir
ray and whisper n word to her be-
fore he went She was standing at
the door OF the room, her pale. re-
hned face looking whittier by contrast
with her sable garments. but he no.
ticed that she was not weeping. by
strong effort she had maintained
her self-control. But the few words
OF sympathy he uttered made her Inns
twitch and her eyes fill with tears.
and she thanked him in broken
voice
There are some things--busines
TO talk over" he added but | won't
come back to-day. | will leave them
over tn next week" and she bowed
her mute appreciation of his kind
ness.
IL was bright winter day, and n
Eoodly number had gathered to carry
the old Dominic TO his beautiful rest
ing-placc. But as Sydney Anstruther
walked Nith them to the grave his
thoughts were more with the daugh-
ter who had been bereaved than with
tho old man who had been taken
away. How well ne remembered the
day on which he had first met Edith
Murray
II was fifteen years ago since he
had come to Dunthorpc. a young law
yer from Edinburgh. TO take up a
business and the agency OF bank:
aud Mr. Murray, the old Dominic.
had been one OF the first to welcome
him. His only daughter. Edith, was
then a lovely golden-haired girl. who
had Just finished school. with cheeks
like twin roses and bits OF blue
heaven Tor her eyes, "a laughing.
happy-heartcd maiden. whose friend
ship had always been delight to
''''' "'' '"' o'i'tu W uiiEuttu tne
otherwise dun and monotonous ex-
istence he led In Dunthorpe. He had
watched her grow up into woman
hood, and his admiration for her had
only Increased with her growth OF
character; for though an only child,
and much INDUCED by her father.
she was In no way spoiled. and,
though educated to e higher degree
than most young ladies in the place.
was not ambitious to shine In any
way, but was content to be a good
housekeeper.
But now--his heart was sore for
her--for she would have to 20 out
into the world and earn her living,
and the thought OF 1t filled him with
dismay and foreboding. That was
the one thing to be prevented II pos
sible. and he set his brains a steep
to see II he could contrive plan by
which II might be obviated