Chapter I .
The Missing Heir 0
.
"
Uncle 1
,
you 1
are not looking well to-night . "
"
I 1
'm not well ,
Florence 2
.
I 1
sometimes doubt if
I 1
shall ever be any better . "
" Surely ,
uncle 1
,
you 1
can not mean ---- " " Yes ,
,
I 1
have reason to believe that
I 1
am nearing the end . "
"
I 2
can not bear to hear
you 1
speak so ,
uncle 1
, " said
Florence Linden 2
, in irrepressible agitation .
"
You 1
are not
an old man 14
.
You 1
are but fifty-four . "
" True ,
Florence 2
, but it is not years only that make
a man 3
old .
Two great sorrows have embittered
my 1
life .
First , the death of
my 1
dearly beloved wife
4 , and next , the loss of
,
Harvey 0
. "
" It is long since
I 2
have heard
you 1
refer to
's loss .
I 2
thought
you 1
had become reconciled -- no ,
I 2
do not mean that , --
I 2
thought
your 1
regret might be less poignant . "
"
I 1
have not permitted
myself 1
to speak of it , but
I 1
have never ceased to think of it day and night . "
John Linden 1
paused sadly , then resumed : " If
he 0
had died ,
I 1
might , as
you 2
say , have become reconciled ; but
he 0
was abducted at the age of four by
a revengeful servant whom
I 1
had discharged from
my 1
employment
5 .
Heaven knows whether
he 0
is living or dead , but it is impressed upon
my 1
mind that
he 0
still lives , it may be in misery , it may be as
a criminal 6
, while
I 1
,
, live on in luxury which
I 1
can not enjoy , with
no one 7
to care for
me 1
---- "
Florence Linden 2
sank impulsively on
her 2
knees beside
's chair .
" Do n't say that ,
uncle 1
, "
she 2
pleaded .
"
You 1
know that
I 2
love
you 1
,
Uncle John 1
. "
" And
I 8
, too ,
uncle 1
. "
There was a shade of jealousy in the voice of
Curtis Waring 8
as
he 8
entered
the library 9
through the open door , and approaching
, pressed
his 1
hand .
He 8
was
a tall , dark-complexioned man , of perhaps thirty-five , with shifty , black eyes and thin lips , shaded by a dark mustache 24
.
It was not a face to trust .
Even when
he 8
smiled the expression of
his 8
face did not soften .
Yet
he 8
could moderate
his 8
voice so as to express tenderness and sympathy .
He 8
was
the son of
an elder sister of
Mr. Linden 1
10 , while
Florence 2
was
the daughter of
a younger brother 11
25 .
Both 12
were
orphans 22
, and both formed a part of
Mr. Linden 1
's household , and owed everything to
his 1
bounty .
Curtis 8
was supposed to be in some business downtown ; but
he 8
received a liberal allowance from
, and often drew upon
him 1
for outside assistance .
As
he 8
stood with
's hand in his ,
he 8
was necessarily brought near
Florence , who instinctively drew a little away , with a slight shudder indicating repugnance 2
.
Slight as it was ,
Curtis 8
detected it , and
his 8
face darkened .
John Linden 1
looked from one to the other .
" Yes , "
he 1
said , "
I 1
must not forget that
I 1
have
a nephew 8
and
a niece 2
.
You 12
are both dear to
me 1
, but
no one 13
can take the place of
. "
" But it is so long ago ,
uncle 1
, " said
Curtis 8
.
" It must be fourteen years . "
" It is fourteen years . "
" And
the boy 0
is long since dead ! "
" No , no ! " said
John Linden 1
, vehemently .
"
I 1
do not ,
I 1
will not , believe it .
He 0
still lives , and
I 1
live only in the hope of one day clasping
him 0
in
my 1
arms . "
" That is very improbable ,
uncle 1
, " said
Curtis 8
, in a tone of annoyance .
" There is n't one chance in a hundred that
still lives .
The grave has closed over
him 0
long since .
The sooner
you 1
make up
your 1
mind to accept the inevitable the better . "
The drawn features of
the old man 1
showed that the words had a depressing effect upon
his 1
mind , but
Florence 2
interrupted
with an indignant protest .
" How can
you 8
speak so ,
Curtis 8
? "
she 2
exclaimed .
" Leave
Uncle John 1
the hope that
he 1
has so long cherished .
I 2
have a presentiment that
Harvey 0
still lives . "
John Linden 1
's face brightened up "
You 2
, too , believe it possible ,
Florence 2
? "
he 1
said , eagerly .
" Yes ,
uncle 1
.
I 2
not only believe it possible , but probable .
How old would
Harvey 0
be if
he 0
still lived ? "
" Eighteen -- nearly a year older than
yourself 2
. "
" How strange !
I 2
always think of
him 0
as
a little boy 23
. "
" And
I 1
, too ,
Florence 2
.
He 0
rises before
me 1
in
his 0
little velvet suit , as
he 0
was when
I 1
last saw
him 0
, with
his 0
sweet , boyish face , in which
's looks were reflected . "
" Yet , if still living , " interrupted
Curtis 8
, harshly , "
he 0
is
a rough street boy 27
, perchance serving
his 0
time at
Blackwell 's Island 15
, and ,
a hardened young ruffian , whom it would be bitter mortification to recognize as
28 . "
" That 's the sorrowful part of it , " said
, in a voice of anguish .
" That is what
I 1
most dread . "
" Then , since even if
he 0
were living
you 1
would not care to recognize
him 0
, why not cease to think of
him 0
, or else regard
him 0
as dead ? "
"
Curtis Waring 8
, have
you 8
no heart ? " demanded
Florence 2
, indignantly .
" Indeed ,
Florence 2
,
you 2
ought to know , " said
Curtis 8
, sinking
his 8
voice into softly modulated accents .
"
I 2
know nothing of it , " said
Florence 2
, coldly , rising from
her 2
recumbent position , and drawing aloof from
Curtis 8
.
"
You 2
know that the dearest wish of
my 8
heart is to find favor in
your 2
eyes .
Uncle 1
,
you 1
know
my 8
wish , and approve of it , do
you 1
not ? "
" Yes ,
Curtis 8
;
you 8
and
Florence 2
are equally dear to
me 1
, and it is
my 1
hope that
you 12
may be united .
In that case , there will be no division of
my 1
fortune .
It will be left to
you 12
jointly . "
" Believe
me 8
,
sir 1
, " said
Curtis 8
, with faltering voice , feigning an emotion which
he 8
did not feel , " believe
me 8
, that
I 8
fully appreciate
your 1
goodness .
I 8
am sure
Florence 2
joins with
me 8
---- " "
Florence 2
can speak for
herself 2
, " said
, coldly .
"
needs no assurance from
me 2
.
He 1
is always kind , and
I 2
am always grateful . "
John Linden 1
seemed absorbed in thought .
"
I 1
do not doubt
your 2
affection , "
he 1
said ; " and
I 1
have shown it by making
you 12
in the event of
your 12
marriage ; but it is only fair to say that
my 1
property goes to
, if
he 0
still lives . "
" But ,
sir 1
, " protested
Curtis 8
, " is not that likely to create unnecessary trouble ?
It can never be known , and meanwhile ---- " "
You 8
and
Florence 2
will hold the property in trust . "
" Have
you 1
so specified in
your 1
will ? " asked
Curtis 8
.
"
I 1
have made two wills .
Both are in yonder secretary .
By the first the property is bequeathed to
you 8
and
Florence 2
.
By the second and later , it goes to
in the event of
his 0
recovery .
Of course ,
you 8
and
Florence 2
are not forgotten , but the bulk of the property goes to
Harvey 0
. "
"
I 8
sincerely wish
the boy 0
might be restored to
you 1
, " said
Curtis 8
; but
his 8
tone belied
his 8
words .
" Believe
me 8
, the loss of the property would affect
me 8
little , if
you 1
could be made happy by realizing
your 1
warmest desire ; but ,
uncle 1
,
I 8
think it only the part of
a friend 16
to point out to
you 1
, as
I 8
have already done , the baselessness of any such expectation . "
" It may be as
you 8
say ,
Curtis 8
, " said
, with a sigh .
" If
I 1
were thoroughly convinced of it ,
I 1
would destroy the later will , and leave
my 1
property absolutely to
you 8
and
Florence 2
. "
" No ,
uncle 1
, " said
Florence 2
, impulsively , " make no change ; let the will stand . "
Curtis 8
, screened from
his 8
uncle 's view , darted a glance of bitter indignation at
Florence 2
.
" Is
the girl 2
mad ? "
he 8
muttered to
himself 8
.
" Must
she 2
forever balk
me 8
? "
" Let it be so for the present , then , " said
Mr. Linden 1
, wearily .
"
Curtis 8
, will
you 8
ring the bell ?
I 1
am tired , and shall retire to
my 1
couch early . "
" Let
me 2
help
you 1
,
Uncle John 1
, " said
Florence 2
, eagerly .
" It is too much for
your 2
strength ,
.
I 1
am growing more and more helpless . "
"
I 8
, too , can help , " said
Curtis 8
.
John Linden 1
, supported on either side by
and
niece 2
, left
the room 9
, and was assisted to
.
Curtis 8
and
Florence 2
returned to
the library 9
.
"
Florence 2
, " said
, "
's intentions , as expressed to-night , make it desirable that there should be an understanding between
us 12
.
Take a seat beside
me 8
" -- leading
her 2
to a sofa -- " and let
us 12
talk this matter over . "
With a gesture of repulsion
Florence 2
declined the proffered seat , and remained standing .
" As
you 8
please , "
she 2
answered , coldly .
" Will
you 2
be seated ? "
" No ;
our 12
interview will be brief . "
" Then
I 8
will come to the point .
Uncle John 1
wishes to see
us 12
united . "
" It can never be ! " said
Florence 2
, decidedly .
Curtis 8
bit
his 8
lip in mortification , for
her 2
tone was cold and scornful .
Mingled with this mortification was genuine regret , for , so far as
he 8
was capable of loving
any one 18
,
he 8
loved
his 8
fair young cousin
2 .
"
You 2
profess to love
Uncle John 1
, and yet
you 2
would disappoint
his 1
cherished hope ! "
he 8
returned .
" Is it
his 1
cherished hope ? "
" There is no doubt about it .
He 1
has spoken to
me 8
more than once on the subject .
Feeling that
his 1
end is near ,
he 1
wishes to leave
you 2
in charge of
a protector 19
. "