Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-09-11


turning again and again to bow her
thanks for the ovation which her great
gift had called forth.
DO not take an encore" said Orloff
Reserve yourself for the second niece.
and then, if you feel inclined, YOU can
condescend to oblige them again. The
public will think more of Won IL Won
do not make yourself their siaye.s
Beryl happened to be quite alone IN
the waiting room when card was
handed to her by an official attached to
the hall.
"IIhe gentleman wants an answer.
miss" said the man.
Beryi glanced at the card It bore
the words Ralph Betterton, Solicitor"
Deneatn was written request for an
interview
Il do not know the gentleman" said
beryL WHO is Mr.. Betterton?"
He is the tip-top lawyer of Thorsby.
miss. He does business for all the coun
ty families"
please tell Mr.. Betterton that I will
see him when the concert is over" said
Beryl. Il cannot give any thought to
anything but my music now"
The man withdrew, and Beryl threw
aside the card, too much absorbed in her
work to give another thought to il at
that moment. 1t was not until she had
been recalled three times, and had been
compelled TO aecede to the desire of the
audience for an encore, that she remem-
bered once more that she had promised
to grant an interview to a tiresome
stranger, who doubtless came to ask her
to give lessons to his still more tiresome
children.
us Mr.. Betterton in the waiting
room?" she asked of the attendant who
had brought her the card.
He has just this very moment come
round, MISS" the man replied. 81
showed him in there, and he is alone"
Beryl entered the room and found an
elderly man awaiting her arrival.
Miss Vivian, 1 presume 7" he said,
with low bow.
Il am Beryl Vivian" she replied. smil-
ing at the absurdity of the question. re-
membering that she had only a few mo-
ments before quilted the platform.
Il am deputed by Sir Alured Vivian.
my esteemed client, to ask you If you
will consent to leave the brilliant career
that appears to be opening out before
you, to forgive past harshness, to forget
neglect, and take your proper place as
his granddaughter and the mistress of
Thorsby Abbey9"
Beryl started at the lawyer in speech
less amaZement
WAS my grandfather in the hall to-
night 7" she inquired.
Until the moment of your appearance.
He was so struck by your resemblance
to his deeply regretted son that he re-
ferred to the programme, which he had
not previously read. The sight of your
name confirmed his suspicious, and he
was SO overcome that he Quilted the hall
at the conclusion of your first piece. He
sent for me afterwards and asked me to
beg you, in the name of your poor father,
to 60 to the abbey in the morning. Il
ascertained that you were staying with
If you agree to pay this visit q carriage
will be sent at 1880 to convey you to
the ancestral home of your fathers"
This grandiloquent peroration raised
turmoil of conflicting thoughts in Beryl"s
excited brain. The sad memory of her
beloved father dying in neglect, in COM
parative poverty, in miserable exile, re-
turned to her mind, and seemed to urge
her not to place herself in the power Of
this. hard, cruel old man who had al
lowed his son to perish without one word
of love or forgiveness to soothe his last
agonized moments. Then she recalled
her cherished dreams of a great and
glorious future won by the foil of her
clever fingers and her gifted brain. But,
last of all, arose the thought of that
dead mother, whom her father had
taught her so tenderly to revere; and
the magic words Forgive, as you hope
to be forgiven" foated through her mind
as a solemn message, not to be lightly
disobeyed, from beyond the grave.
''You know Sir Alured Vivian well7"
she asked.
81 have been. the family solicitor for
many years. Sir Alured has called me
friend for more. We played as boys
together"
'aThen, knowing all the past" she said
gravely, "can you. as his solicitor and
his friend, advise me to go to the
abbey?"
"Sir Alured is very old man. His
stern spirit is broken. IF you can for
give you will be sure of warm welcome,
and you will shed ray of comfort on
a sorely stricken heart"
'.Nill my going imply that have un-
dertaken to remain?"
by no means. Sir Alured wishes you
to consider yourself a perfectly free
agent. He feels that he had forfeited
the right to control your actions. There
is but one stipulation. If you take your
place in his household as his granddaugh-
ter you must abandon forever your pres
emit public position. which is inexpresSi-
bly, painful to him."
FIt will be great sacrifice" said
Beryl.
life is full of sacrifices" said the old
man. "This one is but slight compared
with the enormous gain"
There is my contract with Monsieur
CTloff to be considered. My sudden de-
parture will cause him great inconven-
ience'
@Sir Alured is quite prepared to REIN
burse this person-to any reasonable
amount of course" said the cautious
lawyer.
'Jf my going tomorrow will commit
80 - ha eo,l ocrae