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Show mL. ) \ yeMy SSy ules oy m™m \e the Western Households r fo December 15, 1888. tS Se \ AL ms Bee b : ¥ > Journal of Current Literature, News, Art and F Ee Wa Lal, No. Salt Lake City, Utah, 15. Science S225 Pen Y Cat. 4 possession’s “Such delicacy!” exclaimed Mr. Septimus. Such a regard for your feelings, my dear Miss Grace! I am enraptured.” So they went to Mr. Grimshaw’s house guided by George, and entering the study, found Mr. Grimshaw awaiting them.. He arose as they entered and nine points to the law, and we must take pos- session immediately.” “So soon?” said Grace. was introduced to Grace by George, and they all seated themselves and prepared for business. ; let them get ahead of us.” Foiled by Fate: “Very well,” ready.” So the said Grace, “I will be “Now,” said 3 they started for next morning precious About a THE week Grimshaw, “There’s IX. the he evening on} supposed, that ST i Teh ee, Grace Stoddart was a claimant for the Arden property, Grace and Mrs. Smirk were sitting alone in the for as Septimus said: nothing like seeing your evening, the office, and finding sent up his card it. “Be seated, him and George in, and was shown in after Mr. Smirk,” said Mr. Grimshaw, and having accepted the invitation in his usual airy and impetuons manner, Mr. Grimshaw asked: “And now, sir, may I ask the nature of cozy little room looking cozier than ever, Grace as asual copying while Mrs. Smirk your business?” “My dear sir,” replied Septimus, “you . was knitting. “Tt is almost a week,” said Mrs Smirk, {may. It is—my dear sir compose yourself—” and then with awful solemnity in since Septimus left’‘for Trenton, and not his tone—“it is in behalf of my client, a word from him yet. I do wonder what the rightful and only heir to the Arden : has become of him.” .. _ She had hardly finished when the Estate.” “What!” exclaimed George. “Imposdovr flew widely open and Septimus rushed wildly in, threw his valise in one corner and his hat in another,and pulling a roll of paper from his pocket, struck an attitude and waving the papers over his papers, “here b see, without any help sible!-—ah—that is, you surprise me, sir.” “Ah, I thought I should,” replied Sep- timus calmly, with a dignified sweep of are his the proofs. from me, the na- ture and validity of our claims. And now, my dear sir’, he added pompously, handing the “proceed.” _ After an papers hour’s the documents, Mr. op- ponent’s hand;my dear Miss Grace.” So Septimus went to Mr. Grimshaw’s which we left Mr. Septimus Smirk striding wildly around the room in his joy at having discoverad, as grown Arriving at their destination late in the afternoon, Septimus decided to leave Grace at. the little hotel, for the night, while he sought an interview with Mr. TOILS. after had to be very dear to her. * CHAPTER IN Fortune. house, for Grace Septimus, producing You have but to look over them in the order of their classification, and you will Ardentown, leaving Mrs. Smirk smiling and crying all at once in the door of the cozy little to Mr. careful Grimshaw, scrutiny Grimshaw of arose and advancing to Grace, said as he took her hand: “My dear Miss Stoddart, I find that your worthy friend has established your claim tothe estate beyond the possibility of adoubt. And I congratulate you on your good fortune, and,” with a bow to Septimus “you, my dear sir, upon your honor and now, sagacity in Miss Stoddart, the matter. you will my house your home, for “Madam,” said Septimus, “beware how you curb my fiery spirit.” But he curbed his fiery spirit, nevertheless, and Toren taking a seat said: “My dear people. You know I started out a week ago with an unfaltering belief that Miss Grace was the claimant the estate of Charles Arden, de- and an unalterable resolve ceased, he—why did you consider yet, and by as you are un- to prove my theory correct. I first went to Trenton and got a clue. Thisclue I followed up in a dozen different places, a.d ‘There, finally landed in Ardentown. after many difficulties, which were made more difficult by the necessity of hiding my errand under all sorts of pretenses, T at last found the only proof lacking to establish our claim, and to prove my theory correct. This proof I arranged go that a bat could see through it, and dryly. And I:suppose you are prepared to prove your claim?” “Beyond a doubt, sir,” replied Septi mus. “beyond a doubt. But,” he added, “as my fair client is fatigued with the journey, I will postpone the investiga- are indisputable. It is too bad, too, just as we were congratulating ourselves that it: wouid never be ciuined. Well, we are fortunate iuiat everyting has worked into such shape that wecan stand it. it is a pity, though,’ he“added with a sigi. “7 was just about to make a large invest- found nothing but a solid perpendicular wall of rock along which his hand slid as he was whirled swiftly down the stream. He tried the other side with the same result, and once more despair seized upon him. But presently he saw a place where the stream made a sharp turn to the left, leaving a perpendicular point of rock on one side, while the water swept with fearful violence-into the bend, on the left, and swimming to the right side of f 4™ road stock, which would have returned a fortune in dividends alone in a yoar.”’ grasp, and he soon climbed on it, safe at! “Well, well,’ said George impatiently, ‘it can’t be helped now.” “T suppose, though,” said Mr. Grim- least from the water. Southern Rail- shaw suddenly, after a pause, “you might marry the girl.” “The very thing!” cried George springing to his feet and pacing the citedly. ‘“She’s pretty And, by George!” he room enough, added, “I ex- sure. believe I’m half in love with her already. You “She could refuse you though,” sug- gested his father, “and we could not force her. very wellagainst her will’ ' “Why not?” asked George: surely your authority is something.” “Not much, I fear,” replied his father. “T learned before your respected mother departed from this vale of woe, the truth of the poet’s assurance that ‘When a women will, she will, and when she won’t, she won’t.’” “By heaven!” cried George stopping near his father, “I must and will marry her. If she refuses me,and defies your authority, I know a way to make her to terms, or,” he added under his breath, “I think I see a way to dispose of “But,” said Mr. Grimshaw, “these are merely conjectures. ‘You Standing up he was surprised . §- to see that the ledge he was standing on was a trail, cut out of the solid rock, which ran on an upward slant along the wall up stream but ended at the beginning of the curve in the stream where he then stood. There was now but one way out of the difficulty and This to do. that he was to follow: the accordingly proceeded For over an hour he walked, the incline becoming more and mére gradual until it ceased altogether, and presently “If it he found himself at the mouth of a great comes toa pinch she isin your power. You are her guardian in the law, and come the trail. are right, father, I must marry her.” c the stream he saw a ledge of rock just at | / water’s edge and right where the ¥ curve began. This ledge he managed to / h ment in the New Jersey may win her married, by the provision of the will you of her own free will.” must accept me for your guardian.” “True,” replied George, “but if not, *The color left Grace’s face for a mo- then against her will.” ? ment, then with moist eyes she said: The nex‘ day, Septimus, having finished “T thankyou, sir. You arevery kind,” up his business with Mr. Grimshaw stood while Septimus blew his nose like a in the drawing room with Grace just, betrumpet, and sto. d bowing like a manda- fore his departure for home, and holding rin, first at Mr. Grimshaw, then at Grace, her hand said in a faltering voice: George, and finally at every article of “Adieu, adieu, remember me, though not “As I perceive,” replied Mr. Grimshaw listen.”’ for is exit of Septimus, “I suppose that crushes our last hope ef retaining possession of the present, as her.” not having attained your majority several months And | furniture in the apartment. “And now,” said Mr. Grimshaw as a head, shouted: | bring him up?” inquired Mr. Grimshaw. servant appeared to a summons from the “Kureka!” “Well, ah—I believe . forgot to men- bell, “Jane will show you to your room, “Now, Septimus,” said his mother, Miss Stoddart, and you will be kind “if you have got something to tell us, do tion that it isa she. I often overlook house git down and do it like a sensible crea- such little conventionalities of speech,” eneugh to consider the whole your own.” ture and not like a lunatic, or we won’t he added loftily. his hand. “But where again after the tragic he struck out for one side of the stream, but other lips and other tongues their tales of —that is—ahem! ahem! My dear Miss Grace, God bless you, and always remember me as your friend. And if you ever need help, legal or otherwise, I will always beon hand. And if, some day— tunnel in the wall, while in front of him the trail ended in the solid rock. He considered a moment and naturally concluded that the trail must branch off | here into the tunnel. So having a few matches which he always carried in a teat ct La for his ee strations of hilarity when his mother ‘introduced by Septimus. said: 2 George then explained that he had. “Now, Septimus, don't go off again, there’s a good boy.” So Septimus re- called to say that his father had thought it might be more pleasant, as the client strained himself and said. “And now, Miss Grace, I must ask was a lady, to transact their business at you to prepare for a journey to Arden- his residence, and he would accompany town tomorrow morning, and to pack up them there if they so desired. things; and hee aint The moment Grace beheld him rible feeling of repugnance took posses sion of her, but she shook it off and was about to give him- self up again to his unrestrained demon- all your father sat down he Sen: seemed Then nothing if not ambitious. “Well,” said George, as ya Mr. Septimus mus, “for there may be other claimants, though I’m prepared. to prove the contrary; and if there should be, we mustn’t [Written for the Western Weekly.] BY Miss ante: rae Arden’s dear Arden’s fortune.” . “Yes” assented his father, “the proofs a ter- | “The sooner the better,” replied Septi- Richard and brains,my ew of eloquence Grace.” and tight tin box, he took some of them in his hand and went into the tunnel it became to burn so dark his until PEL ain of dis- proof, that he was obliged matches as he advanced. But there being no wind they burned a long time, so that when he at length en-. tered a large several left. chamber he still had In this chamber the tunnel ended, but as Richard made this discovery, he made . another, equally something as surprising. glittering floor of the on the Seeing ground cr chamber, he picked it up from,a pile of the same sort, and found it. to be quartz, but such quartz! It was literally filled with particles of gold, from the size of a pin-head to a pea. In a moment he was aminer again and had filled every pocket of his clothes with the precious rock. Then he began looking around to find where it had come from, and soon saw a two-foot vein of the same stuff on the south wall. Then with his last match he examined the place more closely and discovered a couple of rude stone hammers, sort of EE BROWNING. ‘IT count the dismal time by months and years Since last I felt the greensward under foot, . — And the great breath of all things: summer-mute Met mine upon my lips. Now earth appears As strange to me as dreams of distant spheres, Or thoughts of heaven we weep at. Nature’s lute Sounds on; behind the door so closely shut, A strange wild music to the prisoner’s ears Dilated bv the distance, till the brain Grows dim with fancies-which it feels too fine, While ever, with a visionary pain,. Past the precluded senses, sweep and shine Streams, forests, glades, and many a golden train -Of sunlit hills transfigured to divine. Se that Sa BARRETT is ie aOR ELIZABETH no possibility There damned be he who says—ah—that—-ah— The next morning Mr. Septimus and that it’s not enough. And now, Miss Grace were summoned into the little Grace, allow me to congratulate you, and parlor of the little hotel, and entering look out for fees. Ha! ha!” and here. found George Grimshaw waiting them. ‘ BY could be it. Poti puting stone mortar and pestle, and then he | that is—er—if you should ever feel—er— was in the dark. He felt his way out to the ledge of as it were—er—if in the dim future I Grace then retired, and Septimus, who had suddenly relapsed into a profound should dare—um—oh, damn it!” he conand melancholy silence, said in a low, cluded,grasping his hat and rushing from rock at and resolved mournful tone: the house leaving his carefully to “And thusit is, was, and ever shall be. My brightest dreams shattered, my fair- declaration of love unfinished. prepared the where dent now he mouth of to make the tunnel again, his way back first struck the trail, confi- that the persons who had worked the mine (for so he concluded |the tunnel must have been) had used est hopes squashed.” CUAPTER X. the trail to get to and from this work. “Why, sir,” said Mr. Grimshaw, who tion until tomorrow morning. I called GOLD! coup! GOLD! : So he tramped back until he reached “are you merely to prepare you and to give you had overheard this soliloquy, When Richard’s horse made the wild the curve in the stream where the trail not happy at your easy conquest?” time to collect your forces.” “Ah,” said Septimus, “you have hit leap over the precipice, and he felt him- ended in the water. But looking closely “Thank you,” replied Mr, Grimshaw. “But your precaution was unnecessary, the root of all my woe the first time. A self going down with a swiftness that he saw that it ran for a few feet, at as we have no desire to dispute posses- bloodless, barren, victory where I had, took his breath, he gave himself up for least, under the water and resolved to follow it to the end... |expected a glorious and sanguinary lost. sion with any rightful claimant.” ‘So carefully féeling his way he found A shock as horse and rider struck the “Good,” replied Septimus, “good. I battle in which I could have won the Ye gods!” he dark water, then another shock as the that the water did not get any deeper will return in the morning with my spurs of knight-hood. water closed over him, then and that it was comparatively quiet proofs and my client, and until then, added as he grasped his hat and strode cold farewell.” So saying he took himself wildly from the room, “and must I en- Richard, stunned and’ half unconscious there, its whole force being spent against felt the air upon his face, and had just the opposite wall. At last, after getting back to the hotel, and spent the evening dure all this?” in telling Grace how he had vanquished _ The reader, in all probability, has by strength enough left to keep himself around the point of rock at the curve, he saw the trail rise up out of the water her enemies, as he said, “By mere force this time discovered that Septimus was afloat till he got his breath again. iti e, PRISONER. ee ‘|so there THE |