Show OF THE WORLD by VICTOR REDCLIFFE copyright by W 0 chapman it s settled announced john gloomily as be entered the humble home kitchen and threw him into a chair with an abandon that evidenced strong emotion his patient faced wife looked up anxiously their pretty daughter ina with quick eagerness both knew what he referred to but silently wait ed tor him to explain the lawyer filed the will in court today proceeded mr it leaves everything to blanche morton mrs grew a trifle white about the lips the hopeful gleam died out of her faded eyes ina s face quivered she was not avaricious but she had to confess secretly to a severe als appointment she left the kitchen passed out into the garden chose a shaded corner and sat down and cried hardly right 3 it nancy T submit ted mr to his wife its hard john and unjust re spondee his helpmeet with a gulp bit terly my own brother tool see it all now my dead sister s folks have been courting tavoi with uncle ralpa tor over a year in the interests it blanche of course ashes my aleco but we know that she Is selfish and scheming they tell me that she and her athea just hau brother ralph under cheh thumb or the last year dont doubt they nol his against us and ina poor ina ai mrs wiped icar from he eye with the lorner of ier pron ind resumed hei drudgery tasks with hopeless elgh of lesol atlon it wai indeed hs Rl things hafl gone wrong with john lor he ast year r two and he was desperately in aeb there was an old mortgage on the little home held by ralph they had loped at he leas hat he would remit this it seemed not however everything had gone to blanche mort she inspected it gage and all knowing the ways and worth of that self centered young lady mr doubted it she would show much mercy he came apon ina as he strolled about the garden she was not aware of his near presence and he softly stole back to the bouse his face more saddened ihan ever nancy he said to his wife 1 I want you to be more gentle with ina than ever ashes out in the gar den crying out her heart poor child you know what that means disappointment about the fortune I 1 suppose observed mrs drearily she had a right to expect something and we certainly needed it badly I 1 m afraid it s that young man al bert telford said bluntly why I 1 think t had gone that far remarked mrs with a start 1 I knew he was friendly to ina and to blanche too la fact to halt ae girls in the village yea but lately he has about equal ly divided his attentions between ina and blanche explained her husband and I 1 think he has favored ina of course all over and done with now what do you mean questioned mrs it s the way of the world ina poor blanche rich hes a likely chap and can take his pick it will be blanche and the fortune naturally however twice during the ensuing week young telford called at the home as was his wont he was courteous as usual but ina fancied there was a new subdued air about him she teamed that he also visited her cousin blanche telford seemed to be studying her she could not fathom him no word of love had passed between them she wondered if in his generous hearted way he was not making an effort to break off their close friendship gracefully she heard great news of her for dunate cousin the heiress blanche had started out to make a great spread she was arranging to sell all the property which jhb had icher cited she was talking of building a mansion home she had entered on a career of reckless extravagance one day she invited ina to come down to the old home ina s heart saddened as she entered the place to find it du mantled blanche was selling off OT she offered ina some of the old relics of the family in tears ina selected only a framed faded pic ture of her dead uncle which hung in the room where he had died A month went by blanche was urging the closing up of the estate as speedily as possible one day mr ratchie came home with a serious worried face there are some pretty heartless eople in the world be remarked dejectedly what now questioned his wife blanche what do you thinks her lawyer notified me today that we mut pay up the mortgage on the place here now owned by her A dull blow fell upon all the hearts within the room it had meant pov erty before it was sheer destitution now the selfish avarice of blanche was apparent the family decided to move to another town then came a vast surprise there came by mall one day a week later a package it contained the mortgage the notes and a release deed the dear old homo stead was tree of debt blanche has relented 1 cried mrs ratchie joyfully no dissented her husband 1 I have learned positively that blanche had no hand in this blessed deed it is some benefactor friend who does not wish his name known but the next day he foun out who it was albert telford watt did it meana should ina feel humiliated or glada she could not analyze the situation ye she felt it needed an sh went to the bonu it was to learn that alber had gone to the city to fill nev n better position ah my ear said his mother don you understand it was love tha prompted him to give all be had 01 7 nir sake then it was not the rich blanche but he poor ina whom he loved what could ina do but feel happy and then a second wonderful thing came to light unheard of extraordinary in cleaning the old picture of her uncle ina noticed a sheet of paper folded in its back she in it there was the latest will of uncle ralph practically prisoner of blanche and her friends he had seized a favored moment to make this latter will just before iid died it had been witnessed secretly by two old servants whom blanche bad later als charged chere w as a great commotion in the town when the news came out in shame and chagrin blanche morton disappeared meanly taking with her what money she had been able al ready to secure from the estate come nome ran a telegram to albert in the city and it was signed by ina 1 I have sent for you to return the money ou so nobly gave to as she told him your mother misses you and and yoa too want me to stay in quiren albert softly and her blushes her quivering lips her ardent grateful eyes answered him lovingly |