Year: 1874

was shown upstairs. By and by hs


came down into her room where Alice


was. He took her kindly by the hand


. My dear Mrs. Toft, prepare your.


self for bad news"


''Gs he very Ill % grasped Alice.


&c Yes, very i'll nay, he is dead"


After that the days passed like q
| dream till the day of the funeral. She


wished to follow him to the grave-for


ne had been very good TO her, she
thought and ow that he was gone her
mind misgave her that she had been
faithless to him, not in deed, but In
heart-but this was forbidden by those


who had the management of affairs.


A relation of Mr.. loft had turned up,
a nephew, a lanly rawboned youth,
with long neck and tuft of red hair on
his chin and this Ephraim loft was
the chief mOurner. Mr.. Emlyn also
was at the funeral, and when they re-
turned they went into the parIor and
drank wine, and afterwards sent for
Mrs. Toft to hear the will read.


He was a solemn courteous man. this
Emlyn, with a full resounding voice.
and he read out the terms of the will
distinctly and sonorously. Tt was diff
cult to repress q feeling of elation as
he rolled over the list of Mr.. Toft's
possessions and ended with the CLAUSE
that left his wife sole legatee and execu-
trix. How, through the gloom of this
day, bright vistas OF the future cleaned
and shone


Ahem there is a codicil," said MIR.
Emlyn; and bit by bit the codieil, un-
did all that the Will had done. The
lanky nephew uncoiled himself and
glOwered and blinked with amazement
and delight. There was but one be-
quest to Alicia copy of the Times
of June, of the day previous to the
old mans death.


They left her to herself for a while.
and she tried to grasp what all this
meant. The lawyer had POLITELY handed
to the widow her legacy, the copy of
the Times. What could it mean?


All, yes, it was dreadful, this poverty,
after wealth had seemed within her
grasp. But still there was youth and
hope, and William-yes, she might
think of him now, fully and freely.
She carried no burden of gratitude,
she was bound to no respectful memory
OF the dead. She was free now, and
perhaps William was close at hand
Well, she would read the Times.


Presently she clasped her hands to
her forehead, and, with strained and
horror-struck eyes, she read this par
agraph:


DERELIoT AT SEA.-A pathetic incident is
narrated by the master Of the steamship
Suez, Just arrived at Liverpool. 1t apea1s
that in the Indian Ocean she met with a dis
masted vessel apparently abandoned by the
crew. a boat was sent to board her when the
following sight met the eyes of the officer.
The main and upper decks had been swept
clean by the sea, the bulwarks were carried
away and every vestige of the spaTs and rig
glng. No living being was found on board
but In the captains cabin was the body of a
young man with golden hair and beard much
decomposed. A letter was living on he table
which was brought away by the boats crew.
and we are requested to give it in full as il
may lead to the Identification of the Ship
- DEAREST ALICE-How often have I thought
OF our last parting, and longed once more to
clasp you IN my armsl Love like ours is never
to be parted, let the sull1y old centenarian do
AS he please l write to you at your sisters
as you desired me, No. 10 Bond street Mel !
ford Regis. How well 1 remember the happv
hours we have spent therel am in command
of the ship now" The rest OF the letter is
lllegible except the words, Come TO ne,
your loving William Black" The body as !
sunk in the sea, the vessel left to its fate, and
the steamer continued her course.


That night, as the sun was setting,
Lighting up with golden flames the |
broad estuary of Melford, the tide was
Mt Its full, and white-winged ships were
floating in upon its bosom, a young
girl appeared on the farthest extremity |
of the landing stage, and poising her
self for "a moment, and taking a last |
long look at all the beautiful scene
around, cast herself into the waters,
which closed around her with a sullen |
ripple. Once and once again a white |
arm was seen at the, surface; boats put |
out, and men with ropes shouted and |
gesticuleted from the shore; but it was |
Of no use, the sea claimed its own, and |
still boards in its hidden treasury the |
bones of William and Alice.