Year: 1876




strewn upon the floor.


Dust and desolation in.the midst of luxury


But what Immediately attracted my atten'
tion was large, ornamental bookcase with
wing on each side, the centre door of which
was standing open, showing a suspended
sheet of foolscap containing few lines of
writing.


Hastily approached to examine it, followed
by Miss Girard, and as detached it from its
place and took it in ny hand, her voice for
the first time broke silence.


ut is my fathers writing, Doctor" she
said, in her usual tone, "read it, please"


I would have declined and placed it in her
hand, but glance at her face, which, though
firm, had lost the rigidity had noticed, and
resumed its indvidualized and characteristic
expression, induced me to yield.


There were stains and blotches upon the
paper, like rust or blood but they might have
been ink. Evidently the document had been
hastily written. The date it bore was that of
some years back.


1t contained revelation thus:


"whoever reads this will find in the large draw
or beneath, the indication of purpose that should
have been fulfilled during my lifetime. But
have lacked nerve to complete it. Often and over
again have sought to nerve myself TO the TASK OF
reparation but how could I, after all thes years
make the explanations that would result in the
alienation of my daughters love from me? I
could not do it. Anything but that; and have
gone on, enjoying the wealth that was rightfully
anothers unable to take the step that justice and
conscience daily pleaded ought to be taken, until
it probably too late to make amends. For this
sin and folly of concealm,e'.t and a0a11ce have
| borne legitimate fruits, and dare not face the
sure disgrace which would inevitably follow
For after twenty years of silence, who would be,
lieve me to be, as am, innocent of Intentional
wrong? The papers beneath will show all, and
more than could utter. Make such use OF them
as may be deemed fitting shall be beyond the
reach of mortals and the worlds opinion, what
ever it may think, when this is read and OF my
darling daughter alone ask forgiveness Tor this
| legacy of disgrace. have secured the property
to her beyond the action of law, even should the
| original heirs be found to be living. with her l
leave the result. II she burns those papers-as L
have often tried to do but often failed in doing
the secret dies, and no one is the wiser. For her
| the consideration.


II have done. May the grave hide my weak
ness, and my darling forgive and pardon what
know she cannot forget. WILKES G1RARD.'


As finished the reading, looked at Miss
Girard She was deadly pale, and for mo-
ment her strength seemed leaving her. She
gasped and would have fallen, had l not
caught her in my arms. I bore her to the
parlor-laid her on the sofa in front ofthe still
smouldering fre-hastily administered restor.
atives, and leaving her to recover, returned
and secured all the papers referred to, bolted
the doors as had found them, and returned to
Miss Girard.


She was already sitting up, awaiting me,
with something like her ordinary composure.
I placed the papers in her hands with sug-
gestive glance from them to the fre-a sug.
gestiQn instantly repelled by look that was
stern and absolute in its desire and demand
for duty and for right.
AT her solicitous request, sat down with
her to an examination Of the documents,
which lasted for two hours, and arose with the
conviction that the idea of fraudulent posses
sion, more than hinted at in the paper I had
read, was not-as I hoped-a myth resulting
from failing health but miserable fact


The rightful heir, it appeared, had been a
sailor, supposed lost at sea, and thought to
have been bachelor but some years after
wards a wife and children had come to the
surface on one of the lowest currents of Liver
pool -wretchedly poor and debased. A
sum of money sufficient to place them above
want for the future had been settled on them
but they had been kept in total ignorance Of
the source whence it came, until deaths and
removals to other countries had left no trace
of the survivors.


What, then, was to be donei 1t might
take every dollar of which Miss Girard was
possessed to repay principal and interest of
the original inheritance during all these years.
Was it expedient to evoke from the oblivion
where it was rested case so full of doubt?
If the lost sailor had died unmarried, then
the estate was properly descended, and the
years of ignorance on that point would GER
tainly suggest a strong doubt.


was going On with these and other objec-
tions to there-opening of the case, when Miss
Girard laid her hand upon my arm and stop
ped me-


There was no mistaking the expression of
her calm and resolute face. Truth, love and
duty shone in every lineament, and gave some
thing of the angelic to the glance Of her eyes
as she softly spoke of her father.


Her determination was irrevocable. At
whatever cost or personal sacrifice, she would
right the wrong The surviving children Of
the dead sailor, or grandchildren, if there
were any, should be sought out. Could T.
Doctor Pangborne-aid her in this b?


What answer could I make but yes; and
making an appointment for the next day, we
parted for the night


Two days thereafter, with such memoranda
and data as could obtain, I sailed for Liv-
erpool, leaving my exasperatingly few patients
in charge of my friend for whom had done
similar service.


was absent year, during which time I
pursued the search unwearyingly, and return
ed at last with the sole surviving relative Of
the lost sailor-a little golden.haired, neglect
ed orphan-half English, half French-a
grand. daughter, whom I found playing on the
Quai de Porte at Marselles.


She was received by Miss Girard with
welcome, such as comes but once in lifetime.
She found a place Immediately in her heart
and home for the motherless child.


Legal steps were promptly taken for restor-
ing the estate to the original channel whence