The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1914-02-26
A Case OF
Repentance
BY MARGARET c. GEVERzAUX

liam Markland. widower with a son,
at the time Of the marriage twelve
yearS older than his stepsister The
widow was very poor, and Mr., Mark
land was rich His son, Joseph. was
a singular youth. sometimes under the
influence OF pure and rOhle emotions
and sometimes apparently Swayed 10y
the devil himself. Whoa he WIS IN
the former condition he WAS very Kind
to Eleanor bat when I'm the latter ne
seemed to hate her.
Eleanor was Il fayarite with her step.
father ANA hr hoped when N'r grew
to be Il woman she Wuud r!urF his
son. for he was aware of tie litter'S
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde disposition,
and he believed that she would he
able to tide him over his eyi! periods.
but he only wished for this: he did
not attempt to bring 1t about. Flea
nors mother died when she was If
teen years old. ana after being made
again widower Mr. Mariland's af
lection for his little stepdauehter was
much enhanced. His sons periods Of
wickedness seemed 10 he increasing on
him and were a source of distress 10
his father.
Then Joe Markland. when Eleanor
was seventeen years old. delighted his
father by showing evidence that he
was falling In love with his StepSister
Eleanor. however. seemed 10 regard
him only as brother. but as such was
extremely fond OF him. lie asked for
a different love. and when she told
him that it was not possible for her
to give it TO him he fell into one OF
his wicked states and treated her
shamefully.
Joe MARYLAND disappeared one day
and was not seen at home again for
long while Meanwhile his father
failed In health aud Eleanor Was his
sole comfort She considered il her
duty as well as her preference 10 re-
main single and tO WiuiSter t0 him.
though she Ind ni2@y -aitorS. All
this time no oHp knew who're .iop
MARYLAND was till few months lrlore
his father died. when E!o.tpug rp Vivpd
a letter from him evident written in
one of his angelic uouUs. lie ;r.gc;-
ted that she could not love h'n. hIt
did not blame her. IT, wrote 10 ask
her forgiveness for ihe 'Yay he had
treated her
Eleanor wrote that his father could
not live long and legged him 90 eplue
home and give the iuyaiid Hhat com.
fort he could during Tive Shor, time
that remained before death. Joe wrote
that he would come at once: but.
though only few weeks we're need
ed for the journey. he did not arrive
for several months. lie reached home
the day his father died and it was
perhaps as well that ne did not ar
rive sooner. for. though he showed no
outward signs of his mood 10 those
who did not know him well. he was.
nevertheless. Ia one OF his devilish
conditions, His father was barely
able to bid him goodby and whisper
ed TO him that he hoped he would
some day secure Eleanor for his wife.
Joe took charge OF the household
and household affairs till after the flu
neral. when search WAS made for
the will No will was found Joe.
being sole heir ut law. took posses
sion Of the property nnd told Eleanor
that if she would marry him he would
turn over the management Of ii to her
Eleanor refused. Giite possibly. know
ing as she did that her stepfather de-
sired the match. she might have yield
ed. but she saw that Joe was at the
time not his better self.
Joe MARYLAND remained at home
long enough To put his estate under
a competent manager. whom he direct
ed to pay his sister $50 month and
permitted her to remain in the home
stead.
One morning looking out of an up
per window she saw her stepbrother
coming. Though some distance from
her, he appeared bedraggled. He was
walking rapidly, and she had scarcely
seen him when she heard him at the
door. She ran down To meet him. but
he was not where she had expected to
find him. Thinking he had entered be-
fore her, she went into the living room
There stood Joe with heavenly look
on his face. such as she had often seen
there when he had become repentant
She was about to spring toward him
when she noticed that he was dripping
with water. And singularly enough
there was a salt odor about him. She
ran out OF the room to get something
in which to wrap him till he could
change his clothing. and when she re-
turned with blanket she had snatch
ed from bed Joe was not there.
What had become OF him? she was
about to run into the hall TO look for
him when she noticed on table a
folded document She took II up and
found IL soaked with water. Clinging
to it was a fine strand OF seaweed
The paper was found to he will of
William MARYLAND. lenvlng all his prop
erty to his stepdnughter. Eleanor
Blake.
Eleanor was found lying on the floor
in swOon. and an illness followed
When she recovered she said that she
had found the will I'm the attic under