People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1896 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

matter so carefully that I believe, if you’ll be guided by me, your little wife will actually help us out of difficulty.” “Tell me how?” “By rousing, as I have suggested, May’s jealousy, and causing her to refuse you in disgust. Then her fortune’s yours; and what have you to do but fly away to Europe with Cousin Dolly, and bring her back as your bride? No one will be likely to question very closely as to when you married her; or, if they do, you're not bound to answer.” Cyril looked at his cousin with a curiously mixed expression of admiration and distrust. “What a sharp fellow you are,” he said. “A good fellow to have on one’s-own side, but I shouldn’t much care to fight against you. You are somewhat unscrupulous as to your weapons, Fred.” The other laughed. “No more so than my circumstances compel,” he said. “I don't set up for a model of all virtues. lam as honest as a poor man can afford to be in these days.” “Your present plans are scarcely honest, though,” said Cyril, quietly. “Though I dare say you never thought of the matter in that light. Circumstanced as I am I cannot really claim Huntsford at all, and the one honorable and straightforward course would be to go for my little wife, let the world know the truth, and leave May Ellis to claim her own.” Fred Hastings looked up in quick alarm. “Good God! You would never be such a madman,” he cried. Cyril shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know about that. I believe it to be the right course. The question is, then, am I not bound, as a gentleman and an honest man, to adopt it?” “Most emphatically and self-evidently not,” cried Fred Hastings; “and none but. a fool or a madman would do it. What! relinquish Huntsford without a struggle? If I were the heir they should cut me to pieces first.”

‘‘But if I am not the heir, if on account of my marriage my claim is void?” “Then let the courts of law decide it so, don't assume such a state of affairs for yourself. Your marriage took place before the will was read; not afterward and in opposition to it; your uncle whiled an impossible thing when he willed you to marry Miss Ellis and under those circumstances how far his condition binds you is not for-you, but the law, to decide. “Then you think the matter had better go into litigation?” “Nothing of the kind. In that case, as I said once before, the law will swallow the fortune up, and neither you npr May be made the richer. For Heaven’s sake, Cyril, and for your poor little wife's sake, act with common sense and lay aside these high-flown notions. Honor is well enough; but w r e live in a practical, modern world today, not in the old era of romance aud chivalry. If you hand tl% Huntsford fortune over to Miss Ellis, your own poor little wife may starve.” Cyril laughed, though uneasily. “Not quite so bad as that, I hope,” he said “I think I shall manage to give her enough to eat, at all events. But it is kind in you to have so much thought for her, poor little girl!” He arose and walked the room uneasily. “I protest that I don’t know how to act in this aaffir in any of its phases,” said he wearily. Then Fred began to argue and explain. “Where was the use of being so absolutely scrupulous?” he inquired. “The whole difficulty arose from a mere misapprehension on old Mr. Huntsford’s part as to his nephew’s circumstances. It is certain that he wished you for his heir. You, the last of his name! Why, in the event of your refusal, even, the fortune only goes to May for life, and she hasenough already. Had your uncle known the truth he would have welcomed your young wife, aud left the estate unconditionally. If you were a single man, and chose to throw wealth away, it would be your own affair eutirel.y, but it appears to me that the matter wears a different aspect now.” Cyril could not deny it. The helpless young creature with whose welfare and happiness he had charged himself had undoubtedly a claim to be considered. His course of action ought to be taken with reference to her interests first of all. “If I were not such an extravagent expensive devil myself,” he sighed. “Poor little Dolly; she has never been crossed in anyway; it would be hard if she should suffer for her love’s sake.” (As if that was not always the natural fat 4 of women!) After a few moments of earnest thought Cyril began—with that indecision and propensity to lean upon another, which was the very keynote of his character: “You advise me then to write, not to go?” “Exactly. Write her a good, kind, sepsible letter, explaining how the matter stands. * No mention of Miss Ellis, of course, nor of the Huntsford fortune; time enough for that by and bjr. Tell her to be prepared to fly with you at any time, and let her send word what day has been named for the marriage, so we may know exactly how much time we can command.” “And then?” , “And then we will at once prepare her future home, and either you or I will go and fetch her.”