D 
 
 /v: LAWYER 
 
*';&a«rt«s^W.V^*!BI¥£-:*S?SI«ii-/i6f«iffl»tSa!r,- 
 
FOILED 
 
 BY 
 
 A LA^VYER. 
 
 A STORY OF CHICAGO. 
 
 CHICAGO: 
 
 CLARK & LOXGLEV, PRINTERS. 
 
 18S5. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1885, by 
 
 KOBERT H. COWDREY, 
 In the OflSce of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
 All rights reser\ted. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. 
 
 Arthur Gains his first Victory — 9 
 
 II. 
 Bertha's Oath of Allegiance 18 
 
 III. 
 The Beginning of the End 37 
 
 IV. 
 Mrs. Graham Reveals her Plans 43 
 
 V. 
 Aye, that's the Key that Unlocks the Mystery - 55 
 
 VI. 
 You have Poisoned him 72 
 
 VII. 
 A villain for a Lawyer and a willing Client 92 
 
 VIII. 
 Your Daughter's Attorney, I believe 110 
 
 IX. 
 Diamond Cuts Diamond --- 137 
 
 X. 
 There is no Neutral Ground 143 
 
VI «. CONTENTS. 
 
 XI. 
 A bitter and relentless warfare - — 162 
 
 XII. 
 She is a woman — I can do nothing 175 
 
 XIII. 
 Routed and Dismayed 185 
 
 XIV. 
 My husband was a miser 198 
 
 XV. 
 I am cornered and at bay 216 
 
 XVI. 
 Greek meets Greek 226 
 
 XVII. 
 A bold scheme of robbery 238 
 
 XVIII. 
 The lie did its work well 261 
 
 XIX. 
 Far from being worldly wise 278 
 
 XX. 
 Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned 295 
 
 XXI. 
 What is the law good for 308 
 
 XXII. 
 Then you must take the consequences 320 
 
 XXIII. 
 Foiled 328 
 
PEEFACE. 
 
 "Were the author to use the exact words of the now 
 lamented Victor Hugo, when in a^ private letter referring 
 to ''Les Miserables," he wrote: ''My book was written 
 to clear up and combat prejudices in France, England, 
 and the whole world," he could not more clearly express 
 his own object in presenting "Foiled." 
 
 The foremost character is the plausible and unscru- 
 pulous Mrs. Graham, who by reason of her excellent judg- 
 ment of human nature and quick perception of weak points 
 in others, makes use of every advantage thus gained to 
 crush and ^lumiliate the mild and gentle Edith, who 
 finds that among all her relatives and friends, Mrs. 
 Wallingford is the only one who does not desert her to 
 aid Mrs. Graham. She fathoms the mysterious charm 
 that protects Mrs. Graham, and renders Edith much 
 valuable aid. Even Arthur is for a time completely under 
 Mrs. Graham's influence, but at last, almost by accident, 
 her true character is revealed to him, he then turns upon 
 
Viii PREFACE. 
 
 her, aud by means of the law, by which Mrs. Graham 
 has so cruelly oppressed Edith, he causes her complete 
 overthrow. 
 
 The faithless friends and Mr. Skinner, the wily, unscru- 
 pulous lawyer, all lend their aid to Mrs. Graham in her 
 efforts to oppress and rob Edith, while many otherwise 
 innocent persons, by their willing belief of all that Mrs. 
 Graham says are caused to aid her, and desert the object 
 of her hatred. 
 
 Of the fidelity to nature with which the author has 
 drawn the characters, tlje reader must be the judge. The 
 picture has been painted and the author steps back to 
 allow his readers to judge of the character of his work. 
 
 If their decision be that it fails in all except that it 
 will cause them to remember that "no just judge pro- 
 nounces a verdict without first hearing both sides," and 
 they be induced thereby to more closely follow this course, 
 he will be content, for it will have accomplished the 
 aim and object of the 
 
 ^UTHOK. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 AKTHUR GAINS HIS FIRST VICTORY. 
 
 " Father, will you send me to college ?' 
 
 Mr. Howard sat before the glowing grate, iu the com- 
 fortable sitting room of his residence, reading the evening 
 paper. His wife and two daughters, engaged with their 
 sewing and fancy work, were sitting in a little circle by 
 themselves. 
 
 Arthur, the only son, and pride of his mother's heart, 
 had just entered his nineteenth year, and though full of 
 the enthusiasm of youth, yet he always treated his mother 
 and sisters with the respect and attention of a true knight. 
 With a high sense of honor, which was largely due to the 
 wise counsel of his mother, he often displayed a knowledge 
 of true politeness that, had it not seemed intuitive with 
 him, would have appeared to be far in advance of his years. 
 In other respects Arthur Howard was not difEerent from 
 his schoolmates. 
 
 Fondly he had cherished the hope that some day he 
 might enter college ; these hopes he had confided to his 
 mother, meeting with her hearty approval and help. Be- 
 tween them it had been decided that he should, on this 
 evening, mention his plans to his father and ask his con- 
 
 9 
 
10 FOILED. 
 
 sent. He had taken a position facing him, and with one 
 arm resting upon the mantel, was watching the effect of 
 his words. 
 
 His mother, seemingly busied with her work, eagerly 
 awaited the reply that would blast forever the most cher- 
 ished hopes of her dear boy, or ripen them into their full 
 fruition. 
 
 Slowly the old gentleman lowered his paper, and looking 
 at his son, said : 
 
 " So you want to go to college, do you? And what, pray, 
 has put that notion into your head ? Are you not content 
 to begin as your father did ; or do you think that you 
 must go to college in order to ftecome a gentleman, and be 
 one of the drinking, smoking, and gambling set that learn 
 all the fashionable vices, and forget what little education 
 is given them in our public schools ? I dare say that you 
 want to become educated because you believe that only 
 gentlemen of this kind enter the higher walks of life : to 
 be educated that you may look upon honest labor as a dis- 
 grace; and finally return home to be supported in idleness 
 while you improve your time in perfecting the vices thus 
 learned. To college ? No ! I would much rather see you 
 enter the machine shop, or any other home of honest 
 labor, and there improve your mind while strengthening 
 your body. Thcvbest citizens, the most successful business 
 men, the men of wealth to-day, are those who have risen 
 from the ranks of labor, with bodies strong enough to bear 
 the strain and worry of business cares. In this country 
 we acknowledge and respect this class of men. They are 
 tlie ones to pattern after ; take their course, and if man- 
 
FOILED. 11 
 
 hood is desired by you, follow them. The noted forgers, 
 the embezzlers, and the men who make commercial honor a 
 rarity, are not recruited from this class." 
 
 Arthur listened anxiously, trusting that he might find 
 some slight encouragement to hope for aid ; but when his 
 father finished speaking, he saw there was but little hope 
 of his plans finding favor in his eyes. But his heart 
 had been so long set upon going to college, that, with all 
 the discouraging words his father had spoken, he found it 
 hard to believe that his cause was hojieless ; and so, in a 
 voice from which all the boyish enthusiasm had gone, he 
 said : 
 
 " But, father, I would study so hard, and try to avoid 
 the vices, if you would only let me go. " 
 
 " You have my answer," replied Mr. Howard, decisively, 
 " and it is no longer necessary to parley over it. Never, 
 by my consent or aid, shall a son of mine enter college." 
 
 Arthur could no longer remain in doubt. He now saw 
 his cherished hopes crushed at one fell blow, and that his 
 motives had been most sadly misjudged. He felt the cruel 
 injustice of his father's words; his pride and self-respect 
 rebelled ; and, as he stood before his father, his lips quiv- 
 ering with the intensity of his feelings, he said : 
 
 "If I cannot go with your aid, I will go without it; 
 and I will prove to you that at least one boy can enter col- 
 lege and still retain his manhood. " Then, turning toward 
 his mother, and seeing tears glistening in her eyes, his over- 
 wrought feelings gained the mastery, and dashing up to 
 his room he gave way to a flood of passionate tears. Within 
 him his emotions swayed and bent his form, as does the 
 
12 FOILED. 
 
 mountain storm the younger trees of the forest, only to 
 find them the deeper rooted at its next attack. So Arthur, 
 after the first outburst, found himself calm and calculat- 
 ing ; the schoolboy had given way to the resistless approach 
 of manhood. 
 
 The boy of to-day is the young man of to-morrow ; nor 
 does this change always take place by slow degrees. Some 
 casual event may start the backward child into full and 
 vigorous youth. 
 
 This change had taken place in Arthur. The words 
 uttered by his father had started him from the timid boy, 
 who shuddered at the thought of leaving home and going 
 out in the world to meet the strange faces and ways of his 
 college associates, to tlie young man who stood before his 
 father and declared his purpose to aid himself. The things 
 that had troubled him before, he now swept aside like the 
 shadows that they were, and turned boldly to the sterner 
 work before him. But this work was not so easily dis- 
 posed of ; and realizing this, he roused himself, almost in 
 anger at his tears, and deliberately surveyed the course he 
 had marked out. Gradually he felt his spirits revive. 
 Every move and thought was now bent upon one aim — 
 success. How could it be accomplished ? He thought of 
 many plans that might help him, but, one after another, 
 they were all cast aside. At last he remembered that he 
 had often heard his father speak of Mr. Reynolds and his 
 wonderful success in the large commercial interests in 
 which he was engaged in the great city of Chicago. " He is 
 a firm friend of father's," thought Arthur, ''and if I could 
 only enter his store I would at least be on the road to 
 success." 
 
FOILED. 13 
 
 With Arthur, to think was to act ; his impulsive nature 
 did not admit of his doing otherwise ; and as this plan 
 seemed full of promise, he at once drew his writing desk 
 upon his knee, and wrote a plain, boyish letter, in which 
 he stated his desire to attend college, and, as his father de- 
 clined to assist him, that he must find employment by 
 which he could pay his expenses, and desired to know if he 
 could be given a position in his store, with the privilege of 
 study and recitation at the college. 
 
 As he finished writing, he heard a knock at his door ; 
 and well knowing it to be his mother, whose sympathies he 
 knew were with him, he welcomed her in and laid before 
 her his plans, asking her advice. She, poor mother, know- 
 ing better how to smooth care away by caresses than by 
 giving advice on matters like these, could only say: "I 
 hope you will be successful." 
 
 Mr. Howard found it no easy matter to forget his con- 
 versation with Arthur. He had not foreseen the effect that 
 his words and manner would have upon him. He supposed 
 that it, like many another notion, would soon be forgotten 
 when once he had said no. But Arthur^s words had left 
 their impression, and he now felt that he had been need- 
 lessly harsh in his reply. 
 
 So, when Arthur again entered the room, Mr Howard 
 called him to his side, and then, seeing the letter in his 
 hand, asked : " To whom have you been writing ?" 
 
 In reply, Arthur simply handed him the letter, making 
 no further answer. 
 
 It was Mr. Howard's intention to simply open the con- 
 versation in this way, and then pour a little balm upon the 
 
14 FOILED. 
 
 wounded spirits of his son ; but when he saw the address 
 on Arthur's letter, he forgot his former intention in his 
 anxiety to know what the sending of the letter meant, and 
 looking up at Arthur, he asked : 
 
 ^' May I see what you have written ?" 
 
 " Certainly," replied Arthur, leaning forward and break- 
 ing the seal. 
 
 Mr. Howard's expression changed from one of curiosity 
 to one of juizzled concern as he read the letter ; and then, 
 having finished reading it, said : 
 
 "Arthur, do you know that I am very much inclined to 
 endorse this letter with my approval ? When you spoke to 
 me of going to college, I had in mind the average young 
 man of to-day, whose sole aim is to have a good time, live 
 fast, and come home with by no means the proper educa- 
 tion to fit him for the stern realities of life. I now find 
 that your aim is different ; and in so far as it is, you have 
 my best wishes. Any young man who enters college with 
 the purpose of gaining knowledge to be used and appreci- 
 ated as it must be by one who works his way through, will 
 be able to take care of himself afterward, and, good health 
 permitting, will make his mark among men." 
 
 Mr. Howard then wrote under Arthur's signature — 
 
 "I am in full sympathy with Arthur's plan. Any op- 
 portunity given him in furtherance of it will be appreciated 
 by yours. Very truly, Gilbert Howard." 
 
 Arthur then sealed his letter and mailed it. 
 
 Of this scene Mrs. Howard had not been an uninterested 
 spectator, and willingly listened as her husband turned 
 toward her and said : 
 
 " I was completely dumfounded when Arthur declared 
 
FOILED. 15 
 
 he would go. He has it in him to make a successful man. 
 Courage is on all hands recognized as an essential of high 
 character ; and I have noticed with pleasure that Arthur 
 is always able to say no, and stand by it, when he believes 
 he is right. No great genius was ever without some mix- 
 ture of madness, nor can anything grand or superior to 
 the voice of common mortals be spoken except by the 
 agitated soul ; and, if I mistake not, Arthur was con- 
 siderably agitated when he said — ' I will prove to you 
 that at least one boy can enter college and still retain his 
 manhood.' And the young- rascal means it, too ; for he 
 has already written a letter applying for a situation. 0, 
 how little we realize that our children may grow away from 
 us more and more, year by year, because we insist on being 
 guardians more than companions !" 
 
 Mrs. Howard noticed with joy what seemed to her as the 
 softening of her husband toward Arthur's desire to attend 
 college, and said, quietly: 
 
 ''You know he will go any way; why, then, would it 
 not be better to send him as a gentleman's son and in a 
 creditable way ?" 
 
 ''I would not do it for the world !" hastily interrupted 
 Mr. Howard. " Can you not see that it is the struggle 
 with the world that is to separate the wheat from the 
 chaff, — the bearing of hardships of his own choosing that 
 will toughen him so that he can successfully fight his way 
 through where others, reared as you suggest, will droop 
 and fall by the way ? No ! Let him do as he now intends, 
 and when he comes back, you will find that he has received 
 the experience he needs to make him a son that we can 
 well be proud of." 
 
16 FOILED. 
 
 "I trust that you are right, my dear/' replied Mrs. 
 Howard ; " but be careful that discouragement does not 
 follow too great a strain." 
 
 ''0, no fear of that !" responded Mr. Howard; ''care 
 never kills the young." 
 
 To Arthur, the few days following were filled with alter- 
 nating doubt and hope. One minute he would be urging 
 the postman to look once more, and see if he had not over- 
 looked his letter ; the next, he would be figuring just the 
 hour that his letter arrived, and the last possible moment 
 that it should take the answer to reach him. But, all 
 unconscious of its precious burden, the mail in due time 
 brought him an answer ; and when at last the long-looked- 
 for letter was in his hand, he hardly dared to open it, for 
 fear that it might bring him only disappointment ; but, 
 summoning all his courage, he opened it, and seeing the 
 word "• come," he rushed into the house, and throwing his 
 arms around his mother, cried : 
 
 ''It's all right, mother ; it's all right !" 
 
 ''What's all right, Arthur?" inquired Mrs. Howard, 
 with gentle, reproving quietness. " Have you heard from 
 Mr. Reynolds ?" 
 
 "Read that and see !" and Arthur, half beside himself 
 with joy, handed her the letter. 
 
 Mrs. Howard opened the letter and read the short but 
 welcome tidings : 
 
 "Yours at hand. In reply, will say, come as soon as 
 you please, and stay as long you please. 
 " Respectfully yours, 
 
 "Lawrence Reynolds." 
 
 "You don't seem to be pleased with the letter," said 
 
FOILED. 17 
 
 Arthur, as he noticed a shade of sadness where he had 
 expected only smiles of pleasure. 
 
 Mrs. Howard looked up at her boy, the tears glistening 
 in her eyes, as she quietly said : 
 
 "When you are gone, Arthur, I shall sadly miss you ; 
 but I am glad that you can go, for all that." 
 
 " 0, ril write you evei'y blessed day, and then the time 
 won't seem long," replied Arthur, as he danced about the 
 room. 
 
 This brought a smile to Mrs. Howard's face, and she again 
 assumed her motherly cares and began the preparations to 
 speed the jDarting guest, e'en though her heart said stay. 
 
 And so, with the aid of his sisters, short work was made 
 of getting him ready to start. His trunk was none too 
 large, but it contained all his possessions. When he was 
 ready his father gave him a few dollars with which to pay his 
 expenses until the first money he earned was paid him, his 
 mother adding her mite by slipping into his hand a small 
 gold coin, as she bid him good bye, at the same time hand- 
 ing him a note, saying: ''There, Arthur, is the address of 
 valued friends who live in the city, and I hope you will 
 call and see them." 
 
 Arthur carefully placed the note in his pocket, and was 
 soon whirling on to the city of his adoption. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 bertha's oath of allegiance. 
 
 Stewart Graham sat reading in his elegantly furnished 
 library, which as you enter impresses you with a sense of 
 genial whole-heartedness in all its surroundings, to no one 
 part of which could it be said to entirely belong. Every 
 piece of decoration partook of this character, and yet 
 seemed necessary to completeness. Some of the pieces of 
 furniture had filled an honored place in the homes of his 
 ancestors, many generations before ; yet the elegant carv- 
 ing or self-apparent handiwork of a master in art was suf- 
 ficient to give them an honored place in his home. The 
 works of the best known authors in literature, science and 
 art were found upon the shelves of his library, " where 
 were treasured up for his daily use and delectation riches 
 which increase by being consumed and jDleasures that never 
 cloy." The center of the handsome bay that occupied one 
 side of the room revealed an aquarium filled with gold fish, 
 on either side of which were living plants, whose healthy 
 ■growth gave evidence of the care bestowed upon them, 
 wTiile in the grate a cheerful fire burned and shed its 
 warmth throughout the room. A casual observer might 
 take Mr. Graham to be a man of forty-five, but a closer 
 
 18 
 
FOILED. 19 
 
 obseryation would reveal that he was nearer sixty. While 
 
 in his youth a man of good form, he was now approaching 
 
 that condition of portly habit so common to men of his 
 
 age, yet he retained his sprightly step and cheery voice. 
 
 " No chronic torture racked his aged limb, 
 For luxury and sloth had nourished none for him." 
 
 The best of his years he had spent in active business 
 
 life, the fruits of which he was now enjoying in ease and 
 
 comfort. Of him you could say, with Groldsmith : 
 
 " How blest is he who crowns in shades like these 
 A youth of labor with an age of ease." 
 
 Were you to call upon business, you would find that he 
 retained the crisp, decisive diction so common to commer- 
 cial men of his day, yet you would readily recognize in him 
 the perfect gentlemen ; if a man of the world, you would 
 feel perfectly at ease in his presence, and when your busi- 
 ness was at an end that it was time to take your leave. If 
 you met him socially and he grasped your hand, you would 
 recognize in him a friend and brother ; and though you 
 knew him many years, you might never hear him mention 
 his religious faith, yet you would never doubt that he was 
 one of God's noblemen. He believed with Cowper, that — 
 
 " Religion does not censure or exclude 
 Unnumbered pleasures harmlessly pursued." 
 
 With him your kindly acts were always remembered. Con- 
 fiding, almost to a fault, he trusts until deceived ; but 
 once deceived, he never trusts again. Such a man was 
 Stewart Graham. A few years before the opening of our 
 story he had lost the early partner of his joys, and had but 
 recently brought to his home his second wife. 
 
 Sitting beside him, in attire fitly becoming her sur- 
 
20 FOILED. 
 
 roundings, is tlie second Mrs. Graham. As she rises to 
 meet you, her commanding appearance rivets your atten- 
 tion. Her every motion reveals the perfected actress ; her 
 figure displays to excellent advantage the rich and elegant 
 costume she wears. Being of full habit, you would be in- 
 clined to call her stout, were it not that this appearance is 
 so well hidden by her height as not to offend the eye. Her 
 head is well supported by a neck a little too strong in 
 outline, the which, however, would escape your notice 
 were it not that the heavy, sensuous lips and cold, gray 
 eyes are too suggestive of a will and self-reliance that has 
 never been broken, and makes you despair of mercy at her 
 hands. In full, a woman that charms you, you know not 
 whether by fear or admiration. At the sound of her voice 
 the spell is broken, and you feel that no ordinary woman 
 stands before you. Every word she utters is well chosen 
 and falls with silvery accent upon your ears. The force 
 and bearing of every word is measured as she speaks it ; 
 and as the conversation becomes more interesting, you 
 feel the power of her influence upon you. Her words 
 are almost realized before she utters them ; and as she 
 unfolds the hidden mysteries of her mind, she carries 
 you along a willing captive to her thoughts and words. 
 Nor is this feeling transitory. You feel their power even 
 after you have left her presence. The hidden stores of her 
 knowledge, and the correctness of her judgment of human 
 nature, is a source of constant surprise ; and you leave her 
 presence fully impressed with the fact that you have met a 
 remarkable woman. 
 
 Near her sits Bertha Locke, Mrs. Graham's most cher- 
 
FOILED. 31 
 
 ished friend and companion. She is not possessed of a 
 handsome face^ and a slight stooping at the shonlders de- 
 tracts from what might otherwise have been a fair figure. 
 The poverty of her parents, who lived in the small village 
 of Exeter, made it necessary for her to support herself by 
 teaching in the village school, where then the now prosper- 
 ous Mrs. Graham was principal. The acquaintance thus 
 formed had ripened into a friendship that gave early prom- 
 ise of being lasting. Her hard and cheerless life had made 
 its impression on her disposition, and yet such was the 
 perfect mastery of Mrs. Graham over her that in her pres- 
 ence Bertha always displayed an exterior unbroken by 
 storms. In Mrs, Graham^s hands Bertha was but a willing- 
 tool. 
 
 The village of Exeter was situated on the shores of a 
 beautiful lake, which gave it such rare advantages for boat- 
 ing and fishing as to soon bring it into j^rominence as a 
 most inviting summer resort for the wealthy families of 
 the city. It was here that Stewart Graham first met his 
 second wife, while he was seeking rest and quiet ; and it 
 was not long after their marriage that a joressing invitation 
 was sent by Mrs. Graham to Bertha to visit her in her new 
 home. 
 
 Bertha, greatly desiring to perfect herself in drawing and 
 painting, willingly availed herself of the opportunity thus 
 afforded her. Once there, Mrs. Graham had no intention 
 that she should soon leave her house ; and when Mr. Gra- 
 ham expressed his surprise at her long-continued stay, 
 she informed him that she found her a very pleasant com- 
 panion and had invited her to remain until her studies had 
 
22 FOILED. 
 
 been completed, to which he made no objection, so that 
 Bertha soon became a recognized member of his family. 
 
 Mr. Graham had grown weary of reading, and, laying 
 his book aside, he asked : " Where is Edith to-night ?" 
 
 " I am sure I do not know,"' replied Mrs. Graham, '• but 
 suppose that she is in her room, or with the servants ; she 
 is in one or the other place most of her time.'' 
 
 " Will you call her in ? I should like to see her." 
 
 Mrs. Graham touched the bell, and said to the servant 
 answering : " Tell Miss Edith lier father desires to see 
 her." 
 
 "Did you want me, father?' A fair young girl, rosy 
 cheeked, with dark brown eyes, stood at the open door, a 
 shade of wistful uncertainty upon her fair face. 
 
 " Yes, daughter," replied Mr. Graham. " I thought, as 
 I was tired, that if you were not busy you could read to 
 me." 
 
 Edith quickly drew a chair near him, and placing her 
 feet upon the fender of the grate, read the heavy scientific 
 articles, one after the other, until Mrs. Graham, with a 
 beckoning nod to Bertha, quietly arose and left the room, 
 followed shortly afterward by Bertha. 
 
 When they were alone, Mr. Graham turned to Edith 
 and said : 
 
 "Put down the book, daughter, I want to talk with 
 you. I notice that you stay in your room a great deal of 
 late and I do not see you. Why is this ?" 
 
 For some little time Edith did not reply. Then, in a 
 low voice, her eyes fastened on the glowing coals, she said : 
 
 " I have tried to overcome my dislike for Mrs. Graham. 
 
FOILED. 23 
 
 It was a hard struggle; and, as you know, I ha\e had to 
 leave the room several times within the last few weeks or 
 break down in a crying spell, because of her remarks to 
 me ; and yet it is more the way in which she says it than 
 in what she says that makes her words cut so deep. I sup- 
 pose that I am too sensitive, and therefore always unpre- 
 pared to meet her cutting remarks. So I made a firm 
 resolve to overcome this sensitiveness, and I think I could 
 have succeeded at last, were it not that when she found 
 that I was beginning to disregard her manner, and that it 
 did not alfect me as before, the thought seemed to madden 
 lier, and she flew at me in a terrible rage, and of course I 
 broke down completely ; but I was determined I would not 
 leave the room, and I should not have done so were it not 
 that, after abusing me in the way she had, she hea})ed 
 abuse upon my dead mother, calling her a weak-minded 
 fool, that had neglected her duty in not properly bringing 
 me up, but leaving me upon her hands to be a shame and 
 disgrace to her. What more she said I do not know, for 
 this I felt I could not stand, and so in dismay I fled from 
 the room. She may ill treat me and I will try and stand 
 it for your sake. But when this woman, Avho is now reap- 
 ing the benefit of my mother's years of toil, enters the 
 home made desolate by her death in order that she may 
 cast odium upon her name, it is more than I can stand even 
 for you. No, no ! The memory of my mother is too 
 sacred. I concluded, therefore, that the best way was for 
 me to stay in my room ; once in a while, when too lone- 
 some, going down with the servants for a breathing spell.'* 
 Mr. Graham's spectacles had fallen to tlie floor, his cheeks 
 
24 FOILED. 
 
 were wet with tears, his face, covered with his hand, could 
 not be seen. He was bearing his cross with heroism. 
 Edith sat gazing fixedly into the fire, with a longing, wist- 
 ful look. No word escaped her lips ; yet who doubts that 
 her thoughts were of that mother, more needed now than 
 when first born-, — that mother by whose presence a child 
 would have been comforted, a home made hapjjy ! 
 
 0, what a picture ! Wealth and luxury abounding, on 
 every hand ease and comfort, yet the father and daughter 
 mourn in silence the departed mother and wife ! The 
 father^s thoughts return to the day when he first called her 
 wife, — their little home, — the pride of the day when 
 Edith was born, — the day of her death ; and now, the day 
 of her being reviled in his house and by his wife ! Do 
 you not say that he was a bravG man that held his peace 
 under these afflictions? The daughter struggling with that 
 inward cry of mamma ! mamma ! — the child's cry ; for we 
 are all children in our deepest affliction. 
 
 " They thus passed over the white sands and between the rocks, 
 silent as their sliadows." 
 
 At last Edith arose, and not wishing to disturb her 
 
 father's reveries, silently bent over him, kissed his brow 
 
 and retired to her room. Late into the night Stewart 
 
 Graham sat in the same unaltered position, where — 
 "With silence as their henodiction, God's angels came, 
 Where in the shadow of his great affliction his soul sat dumb." 
 Mrs. Graham had chosen the time while Edith was 
 reading to her father to have a talk with Bertha on a 
 subject that had long been the burden of her mind ; so 
 when she passed from the library into the sitting-room she 
 seated herself, and motioning Bertha to a seat by her side, 
 said : 
 
FOILED. 35 
 
 *' You are, no doubt, aware that when I married 'Sir. 
 Graham we were both too old to be deluded with the idea 
 that it was what is commonly called a love match, and you 
 can readily see that as a school teacher I had but little 
 prospect of making a fortune for myself ; so that when 
 Stewart Graham offered me his hand and fortune, the pic- 
 ture of his elegant home and surroundings, with ease and 
 comfort for the rest of my life, was too inviting for me to 
 refuse. I accepted his offer, not thnt it was the only one 
 at my disposal, but looking at them all in a business light, 
 and finding the advantage of wealth was on his side, I 
 married him. There was no question of love. I simply 
 married him for a home. Now, Bertha, I have made a 
 confidant of you in this matter, and I want you to look 
 about you and see the advantages of this position, — the social 
 standing, the power to rise to the height of one's greatest 
 ambition, to be able to sway society at the waving of your 
 hand, with the homes of our best families open to you, — 
 and with all this in mind, tell me, would you like to share 
 it ? " 
 
 "I need not long consider it," quickly replied Bertha ; 
 '' of course I would. I would feel that my aim in life was 
 accomplished were I only to approach it. You do not need 
 to tell me the advantages of your position, I know them 
 only too well. Have not I had to struggle for my daily 
 bread, and do I not know what the difference is between 
 that and the position you hold ? But why torture me with 
 such thoughts ? — they only worry me, they are too unreal, 
 too far removed. '' 
 
 ''Not too unreal if I offer them, are they ?" inquiringly 
 
26 FOILED. 
 
 answered Mrs. Graham, who eagerly watched her face to 
 see the effect of her words ; and though Bertha hesitated 
 a moment before she again replied, Mrs. Graham felt sure 
 her object was accomplished when she saw the look of 
 gloomy despair on Bertha^s face give way to one of uncer- 
 tainty and finally of ecstatic joy. 
 
 " No, — " doubtfully answered Bertha. 
 
 " Well, I do offer it ; do you accept ?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 " On any terms ?" 
 
 " Yes, on any terms," replied Bertha, firmly. 
 
 " Well, I must give you credit for more sense than most 
 women have," replied Mrs. Graham. " But my terms are 
 very easy : you must become the adopted daughter of Stew- 
 art Graham." 
 
 " I hardly understand you/' replied Bertha, lialf affrighted 
 at the boldness of Mrs. Graham's proposition. 
 
 " You must become the adopted daughter of Stewart 
 Graham ! " answered Mrs. Graham, decisively. 
 
 "■ But how can I ?" persisted Bertha. 
 
 "Leave that to me," said Mrs. Graham, confidently. 
 " When my plans are ready I will show you the way. Until 
 then, act well your part and all will be well." 
 
CHAPTER TIT. 
 
 THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 
 
 After riding all night, Arthur, early the next morning, 
 arrived at his destination. He had a general idea of the 
 direction ho shonld take, but found it necessary to make 
 some inquiries, and stepping up to -one of the men who 
 were loitering about a building that was just being erected, 
 he asked : 
 
 " Can you tell me where I can find the store of Rey- 
 nolds, Chalmers & Co. ? " 
 
 " Begorrah ! and I can't," replied the Irishman, for such 
 he proved to be. "And, faith, me lad, what street might it 
 be on ? " 
 
 Arthur gave him the address, when he quickly replied : 
 
 "Ah ! yis ; an' I'm goin' right by there. Come with me 
 and I'll show ye's where it is." 
 
 Artliur hesitated a moment, for he remembered that he 
 had often read of strangers in a great city being misled by 
 sharpers, who were ever on the alert to take advantage of 
 and rob them. The ready willingness of this man to 
 accompany him looked suspicious, and he determined he 
 would defeat him if such was his object, so he said: 
 " If you will tell me how I should go I am sure I can find 
 
 my way." 
 
 27 
 
28 FOILED. 
 
 " Shure," an' Fll not be after hurting ye's. Come 
 along, an ye's can read the sign, and if ye's loike it then 
 ye's can go in. " 
 
 This settled the matter with Arthur, and he willingly 
 followed his lead. 
 
 ''An' so ye's thought I wos wan of thim sharp fellers what 
 was a tryin' to rope ye's in, did yer ?" began his companion 
 as they rapidly walked along. 
 
 "Well, I hardly knew," replied Arthur, who now saw 
 that his hesitation was fully understood by his companion. 
 
 "Well, now, me lad, whin ye's come across wan of thim 
 fellers he want be drissed in clothes loike thim," — looking 
 deprecatingly down at his well worn clothes ; — but ye's will 
 think ye's hav cum acrost wan of the foinest gints in the 
 land. He'll be drissed to kill, and av as glib a tongue in 
 his head as iver ye's heard. But ye'r want to look sharp to 
 ye'r pockets while he's around." 
 
 "0, yes," replied Arthur, "I have heard of them." 
 
 "An ye's thought because I hed me wurkin' clothes on 
 that I was a lookin' for kids like ye ! Well, it only shows 
 that ye's don't know much about this town ! '' 
 
 Arthur felt chagrined at his mistake, and said, consol- 
 ingly : " But your clothes make no difference to me, for I 
 believe a man can wear good clothes and not be a gentle- 
 man ." 
 
 •'0, that's all right, me lad ! But, say, air ye's goin' to 
 wurk fur them folks where yer goin' ?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Arthur, with pardonable pride, " I have 
 a place there " 
 
 ' ' Well, good luck to ye's ! Now, here we are, and there's 
 
FOILED. 29 
 
 the sign ; be sure an' read it before ye's go in," and liis 
 Irish friend walked on, chuckling to himself at Arthur's 
 mistake. 
 
 Years afterward, when he remembered liow he had mis- 
 taken his friend for a city sharper, Arthur could not repress 
 a smile. 
 
 Mr. Eeynolds met Arthur very kindly, and after a few 
 minutes' conversation placed him in charge of the head of 
 the department to which he had been assigned Here he 
 rapidly acquired the necessary knowledge to make him 
 efl&cient in his work, and after making his arrangements 
 at the college, soon settled into a routine of labor that so 
 thoroughly occupied his time and thoughts that weeks 
 rolled into months without his appreciation of it, until the 
 winter had passed, and with it the completion of his first 
 course at college. He was now carrying on his studies 
 preparatory to the struggle that must come with his next 
 year's course, when he hoped, if possible, to graduate. 
 Unknown to Arthur, he had been carefully watched by Mr. 
 Reynolds, who quickly recognized the faithfulness with 
 which he performed his duties ; as a result of which, at 
 the close of his college term, he was given a position in Mr. 
 Reynold's office, where his work was much lighter but 
 required great care. He was thus occupied, on a pleasant 
 summer's day, when his attention was attracted by a hand- 
 some carriage stopping before the door, and, looking up 
 from his work, he was greatly surprised to see his father 
 and mother alight, and, escorted by a pleasant-faced gen- 
 tleman, make their way toward the office. 
 
 " Well, mother, you have surprised me this time, sure I" 
 exclaimed Arthur, as he met her at the door. 
 
30 FOILED. 
 
 ''We wanted to know how you were situated, and took 
 this way of finding out," replied Mrs. Howard; and then, 
 turning to the gentleman that accompanied them, she said: 
 ''Mr. Graham, this is my son Arthur; Arthur, this is Mr. 
 Graham, at whose house we are stopping." 
 
 "I feel that I know you pretty well already," replied 
 Mr, Graham, quietly, as he held Arthur's hand. " Your 
 mother has told me of your ambition, and I trust for her 
 sake you will succeed." 
 
 "Thank you," replied Arthur, "I intend to if it is 
 possible." 
 
 "And now, in accordance with our agreement," said 
 Mr. Graham, turning towards Mrs. Howard, " I will leave 
 you with Arthur and will call for you on my return." He 
 then entered his carriage and was rapidly driven away. 
 
 Mr. Howard had sought his old friend and Arthur's 
 employer, thus leaving him and his mother alpne. 
 
 " So that was Mr. Graham, was it ?" queried Arthur. 
 
 "Yes," replied Mrs. Howard, "and I find that you have 
 not followed my advice and called on them. I wonder you 
 have not felt the need of counsel, and that you were not 
 lonesome for want of home influences." 
 
 ' ' Had I known him as I feel I do now, I certainly should 
 have called," replied Arthur, earnestly ; " but when I found 
 the house and saw the elegant surroundings, I could not 
 muster sufficient courage to go in ; besides, my empty 
 pockets and my position gave me good reason to believe 
 that my company would be out of place." 
 
 " Were you rich or poor, it would have but little weight 
 with Stewart Graham," quietly replied Mrs. Howard. 
 
FOILED. 31 
 
 ■ "Well, then, he is different from many others," replied 
 Arthur, positively. " Money is what tells with most of 
 them." 
 
 " Not with the best of them, my son. But let me change 
 the subject long enough to say that we are all to take tea 
 at Mr. Graham's house this evening. Mr. Graham will 
 call for us in a few minutes, and you are to come as soon as 
 you can get away." 
 
 "Arthur," said Mr. Howard, joining them, "I am 
 pleased to hear from Mr. Reynolds that you have done so 
 well. He evidently takes quite an interest in you, and I 
 trust his friendship will not be misplaced." 
 
 "He never hinted to me that he was pleased," replied 
 Arthur ; " I couldn't tell whether I pleased him or not." 
 
 "No," replied Mr. Howard, earnestly, "he is a man of 
 few words, and neither lauds nor censure^ ; but he knows 
 what is going on, for all that." 
 
 " Well, I'm pleased to know that he is satisfied with 
 me," replied Arthur, with a grateful smile; "but some- 
 times a little praise would help amazingly." 
 
 " Here is Mr. Graham," said Mrs. Howard, as the car- 
 riage drew up to the door. " Now, Arthur, good bye, and 
 be sure and come." 
 
 Arthur followed them to the carriage, and when they 
 were seated, Mr. Graham turned to him and said : 
 . " Your mother has delivered you our invitation, has she 
 not ?" 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied Arthur. 
 
 " Well, you must be sure and come." 
 
 "I'll be there, sure," replied Arthur ; and as he stood 
 looking after them as they were being driven away, he 
 
32 FOILED. 
 
 thought — ''What a fine old gentleman he is ! One would 
 almost think his pleasure depended upon my coming, and 
 yet I know it was only for my sake that he said it ; whether 
 I went or not could make no difference to him/' 
 
 That evening as Arthur entered the spacious parlors of 
 Mr. Graham's residence, his eyes at one rapid glance took 
 ill the elegant surroundings, while his mother noticed with 
 pleasure the ease with which he bore himself while being 
 introduced to the two young ladies. 
 
 ''We are greatly pleased to have you with us," was Mrs. 
 Graham's courteous salutation; "and as your, father and 
 mother must spare you for a time, I will commit you to the 
 tender mercies of Edith and Bertha. It will be two 
 against one, I admit ; but you will no doubt be able to 
 defend yourself even against such odds." 
 
 Since it had first been announced to them that Arthur 
 was coming, Edith and Bertha awaited the time with some 
 curiosity. The glowing accounts of him that had been 
 given them by his mother, in her enthusiasm and love for 
 him, were sufficient to awaken in them a desire to sec what 
 he was in reality. Had Arthur known of this, ho would 
 indeed have been sore dismayed ; but, happily, he did not. 
 
 " Your mother pays me a high compliment, I assure 
 you," said Arthur, as he seated himself near the young 
 ladies; "but I fear she underestimates your accomplish- 
 ments." 
 
 "Or, possibly, appreciates yours," answered Bertha. 
 
 "0, Bertha I how unkind to suppose that any one could 
 appreciate his ability with only two minutes' conversation!"' 
 said Edith, laughingly. 
 
 "I believe," said Arthur, "that it is an acknowledged 
 
FOILED. 33 
 
 fact that there is a vast difference in the perceptive facul- 
 ties of different persons." 
 
 "Then, as you think us dull, we must ask for more 
 time," retorted Bertha. 
 
 "Were I to admit that you were dull, the which I do 
 not," replied Arthur, with a half malicious smile, "I still 
 think that two minutes would give you ample time, and I 
 would be fortunate indeed if you did not have some time 
 to spare, in which to find out much that I do not know." 
 
 "There, that's just like you men !" said Bertha, "always 
 pretending you do not know much ; but I dare say it would 
 be dangerous for others to tell you so." 
 
 "There are always two sides to a question," replied 
 Arthur, laughing, "and I prefer to take this side, that^s 
 all." 
 
 "Well, that was well turned," said Edith, her eyes 
 twinkling merrily ; "but tell us, is it not more easy to 
 make an argument on the side with which you believe ?" 
 
 " And is not that the reason I take this side ?" inquired 
 Arthur. 
 
 " 0, but that is begging the question ! " said Bertha. 
 "But come, let us adjourn to the tea table." 
 
 " Your father tells me that yovi are attending college," 
 said Mr. Graham to A^rthur, as they were all seated at the 
 table, " and that you are paying your way by working in 
 Mr. Eeynold's store, — don't you find that a pretty big 
 undertaking ? " 
 
 "I do," replied Arthur, "but not an unpleasant one. 
 It occupies my time and thoughts so completely as to make 
 the days pass very rapidly." 
 
 3 
 
34 FOILED. 
 
 " So we have been talking to a young man just from 
 college!"' interposed Edith ; "no doubt we have greatly- 
 shocked him with our ignorance." "* 
 
 ''0, these college boys don't know everything, Edith," 
 replied Mr. Howard. "Some of them think they do, but 
 they strike wide of the mark quite often." 
 
 " That is Avhat I have been trying to make Miss Edith 
 and Bertha understand," replied Arthur, laughingly. 
 
 ''Your trouble, no doubt, arose from the fact that you 
 had no faith in your arguments," answered Mr. Howard. 
 
 *• There !" said Edith, " that is just what we told him, 
 wasn't it Bertha ? " 
 
 A general laugh, at Arthur's expense, followed this sally 
 of Edith's. 
 
 *'I object," said Mrs. Graham. "When I turned Arthur 
 over to these two young ladies, I warned him that he must 
 be quick witted; he was not vanquished then, and it is not 
 fair to have all the recruits go to one side ; so, Arthur, I 
 will act as a rear guard to you." 
 
 " In that case, I capitulate at once," said Mr. Howard. 
 
 '■'I felt that my cause was just," said Arthur ; "but I 
 hardly hoped for so fair a champion." 
 
 '' Your aptness for flattery is remarkable," replied Mrs. 
 Gi'aham ; "did you inherit it ?" 
 
 "I gave you due notice that I had capitulated," inter- 
 posed Mr. Howard, "and the victor can well afford to be 
 merciful." 
 
 "But precipitous surrander leaves no renown," per- 
 sisted Mrs. Graham. 
 
 " I think, Mrs. Graham, you have reaped glory enough 
 
FOILED. 35 
 
 for one day/' said Mrs. Howard, quietly; "for in all the 
 years that I have known my husband, I hare never seen 
 him so abjectly penitent as he is now." 
 
 "Come, Edith," said Mr. Graham, "all the others have 
 laid down their arms ; you and Bertha had better do the 
 same, and let peace once more reign over our fair land." 
 
 "Edith and I still remain true," answered Bertha; 
 " though beaten, we are not conquered ! " 
 
 *' I believe that a woman never surrenders except after a 
 long siege," suggested Arthur. 
 
 The laughter that followed, completely routed the already 
 disorganized forces of Edith and Bertha, and as they left 
 the table, Mr. Graham turned to Mr. Howard and said : "I 
 am afraid you do not favor a college education." 
 
 " I have more objection to the education of our boys in 
 habits of idleness and vice that college associations give, 
 than to the education they get, or fail to get, from books," 
 replied Mr. Howard. 
 
 "I would most certainly send a son of mine to col- 
 lege," replied Mr. Graham. "The risk there would not 
 be more than that which he would meet in commercial life 
 — is that not so, Arthur ? " 
 
 " I don't know that I am able to judge correctly," replied 
 Arthur, doubtfully ; " but I should say that the young 
 men of both places are about the same. Some of the clerks 
 in our store are men that I would not like as companions 
 or trusted counselors ; others I cannot but respect and 
 would gladly follow. This is equally true of those I meet 
 in and about college. But there is one thing that makes 
 it easy for college boys to form bad habits, and that is, idle 
 
36 FOILED. 
 
 time. Outside of this, I can see no difference in the 
 temptations of college boys from those in other pursuits ; 
 but even this difference is partly overcome by the idle 
 hours between the close of business and late bedtime." 
 
 " Now, that is it exactly," continued Mr. Graham. 
 "Arthur has given you a statement of what he knows by 
 experience. The cause is the same in either case. If a 
 young man has not the m'oral courage to avoid these vices, 
 you may erect all the barriers around him that is possible, 
 and yet it will do no more to make him able to resist the 
 alluring influences of vice than keeping plants in a hot- 
 house fits them to stand the biting frost. It is, after all, 
 what is in the youth that determines what the man will 
 be." 
 
 " But you will admit that it is unwise to place even the 
 strongest plant in the greatest cold," persisted Mr. Howard. 
 
 "Not if the jjlant is toughened against its influence," 
 replied Mr. Graham, quickly; "for in the Arctic regions 
 we find the lichens growing as thriftily as these plants that 
 cause my wife so much care. No j Give me a young man 
 with deep-rooted, firmly fixed principles, who does right 
 because it is right, and I will trust to his coming out all 
 right in the end ! '' 
 
 "On that point I entirely agree with you," replied Mr. 
 Howard. " But how best to accomplish that end is what I 
 am desirous of finding out." 
 
 " That I am unable to tell you ; but I know of no better 
 way than to develop a sturdy self-reliance in their own 
 judgment of right and wrong, and then rely upon their 
 moral integrity to fulfill the promptings of that judgment. 
 
FOILED. ■ 37 
 
 I hardly need add that the time for this development is 
 from their earliest childhood until they leave home to go 
 ont into the world and battle against its temptations.'" 
 
 " But you will admit that there is a vast difference in 
 boys/"' replied Mr. Howard, confidently; ''and some 
 naturally so bad that we despair of ever finding a trace of 
 self-respect upon which to build this development of which 
 you speak?" 
 
 " I am forced to admit that such is the case," replied 
 Mr. Graham, sadly; ''but what a wonderful difference it 
 might have made with these same boys had their home sur- 
 roundings been of the character I have briefly outlined. I 
 would ask no better proof of the correctness of my views 
 than to have you search the early history of just such boys 
 and find what their home influence has been. Then turn 
 to the more pleasing jDicture, ■ and find what the home 
 influence was in the childhood of some of our best men.^' 
 
 "But it is often quoted," replied Mr. Howard, "that 
 the sons of ministers are sure to become worthless men — 
 how do you account for this ? " 
 
 "Granting that it is true," said Mr. Graham, "it only 
 serves to prove the correctness of what I have just said. 
 In the few cases where ministers' sons have disgraced their 
 fathers' calling, you can trace the cause directly to the 
 home influence." 
 
 " But certainly you do not claim that the home influence 
 in a minister's household can be other than good ? " re- 
 plied Mr. Howard, with a questioning look. 
 
 " I am compelled to say just that," replied Mr. Graham, 
 positively. " In many cases it is true that the surround- 
 
38 FOILED. 
 
 ings of a minister's family are as bad for the healthy growth 
 of its youth as is that of many a household where religion 
 is never thought of. The children are ruled with a rod 
 of iron ; every childish act made to conform to the rigid 
 rules of the father's own life ; the whole atmosphere of the 
 household is one of constant restraint, not only against evil, 
 but, I fear, against nature itself. The result is, that when 
 this unnatural restraint is thrown off, and the youth leaves 
 his father's control, the evil influences that surround him 
 have ten fold more attraction for him, and he has but little, 
 if any, moral stamina with which to resist. No, Mr. 
 Howard, we are both growing old, and should have only 
 encouragement for those who must take our place. We 
 know what the struggle is ; they have it yet to learn. Why, 
 then, should we not give them the benefit of our expe- 
 rience, and make their load that much lighter." 
 
 "I, too, liave learned these trials by experience," replied 
 Mr. Howard, musingly; "but what you have said has 
 never occurred to me so forcibly before." 
 
 " Men wonder at the greatness of this city," continued 
 Mr. Graham, " and yet, to a very large extent, it owes its 
 greatness, its dash and untiring energy, to the fact that our 
 young men are trusted and given a chance. JSTo city in the 
 world has so many young men at the head of large enter- 
 prises ; no city has brighter, sharper, or more active men, — 
 and all because they are given an opportunity to develop 
 the material that is in them. The result of this is seen in 
 the rapid strides this city has made. The world looked on 
 and predicted the early collapse of its mushroom growth : 
 but the never-tiring muscles and unbounded enthusiasm of 
 
FOILED. 39 
 
 these young men carried it at a bound where the world now 
 recognizes it to be firmly rooted. What the result of I'e- 
 struining our young men would have been, I must leave to 
 your imagination; but as for Arthur, I think you will be 
 safe in leaving him to take his own course. He has the 
 true metal in him, and you will see it developed in due 
 time/' 
 
 " I am pleased to hear you say so," replied Mr. Howard, 
 " and I must thank you for this friendly advice, for I now 
 feel more at rest concerning him than ever before." 
 
 "It's worth trying," replied Mr. Graham, laughing ; " it 
 can do no harm in any event," 
 
 Arthur had meanwhile been holding an animated and 
 pleasant conversation with Mrs. Graham, while his motiier 
 was being entertained by Edith and Bertha. 
 
 Mrs. Graham's courteous reception of Arthur, and her 
 championing of his cause at the table, had comjjletely won 
 his good opinion of her as a lady and pleasant companion ; 
 so when she again sought him, he eagerly accepted the 
 opportunity of showing his appreciation of her kind at- 
 tentions by entertaining her to the best of his ability, 
 though, from the difference in their ages, he anticipated but 
 little pleasure for himself. It was, therefore, with some 
 embarrassment that he suddenly realized that he had been 
 occniiying considerable time in relating his personal expe- 
 riences to Mrs. Graham, who was apparently a most inter- 
 ested listener. Eealizing his breach of etiquette, he blnsh- 
 ingly hesitated for a moment, when Mrs. Graham, gathering 
 up the broken thread of his conversation, deftly led him 
 towards subjects of more general interest. Arthur readily 
 
40 FOILED. 
 
 followed, and found the change from witness to listener much 
 more to his liking. But Mrs. Graham's object had been 
 accomplished : she had, without his appreciating the fact, 
 purposely led him to speak of himself until she had 
 obtained a thorough insight into his character and capa- 
 bilities, and having accomplished her purpose, she brought 
 about the lull in their conversation that brought so forcibly 
 to his attention the fact that he had for some time been 
 talking of himself. 
 
 "^ I must really beg your pardon for staying so long," 
 said Arthur, looking at his watch; "but I have so 
 thoroughly enjoyed myself that I did not realize it was so 
 late." 
 
 " You need not hurry, for I have likewise been well enter- 
 tained," replied Mrs. Graham, kindly. 
 
 " You are very kind ; but if I do not spare you I must 
 at least take pity on my father and mother, for, as you 
 know, they are not accustomed to being up so late," 
 replied Arthur, with a sly glance at his mother. 
 
 " In that case we cannot say nay ; but we shall see you 
 again, shall we not?" 
 
 "I should be most happy to comply, Mrs. Graham," 
 said Arthur, his whole impulsive nature filled with grati- 
 tude at the remembrance of her many kindnesses. 
 
 ''Then let it be soon," replied Mrs. Graham, earnestly. 
 
 "And let me add my endorsement of that, too," added 
 Mr. Graham, as he bid Arthur good-night. 
 
 "And we shall be ready to renew our combat," said 
 Bertha, as she extended him her hand. 
 
 "And you ?" said Arthur, turning to Edith, "will you 
 fight, too ? " 
 
FOILED. 41 
 
 *'At a moment's notice/' replied Edith, laughing. 
 
 When Arthur was left alone with his father and mother, 
 at the door, he said: " I have enjoyed this evening much 
 more than I expected." 
 
 " Yes," laughingly replied his father, "1 noticed that you 
 and the young ladies seemed very much occupied." 
 
 " Not in that way," replied Arthur. " It was because 1 
 was hungry for something else than the bustle of business 
 and business men. This great city throbs with commercial 
 life ; the great arteries of trade pulsate with never-tiring 
 energy. The young men from all parts of our great country 
 are drawn here to give their life's work and energy, — to 
 cast their lot within her borders with the hope of realizing 
 their ambitions, only to stand in the chill night air without 
 the walls of these palaces of luxury, listening to the strains 
 of sweet music that carries their thoughts to loved and 
 lov ng ones left at home, — to lose themselves in thoughts 
 of happy boyhood days, while wondering if fickle fortune 
 will ever favor them. To them the doors of these palaces 
 are never opened, though the Uase man and the roiie may 
 find ready access to their inner mysteries. It is this I 
 meant when I said I enjoyed myself to-night. I could 
 have been content to have sat in the shade of these walls 
 without a word. The change was what was needed ; and 
 one family like Mr. Graham's has the power for much good 
 among us young men. The more's the pity there are not. 
 more of them. It is the absence of home surroundings 
 that drives so many of the college boys and, I dare say, the 
 clerks, too, to seek recreation and enjoyment in the billiard 
 halls and gaming hells. After these young men have 
 
42 FOILED. 
 
 become habitual visitors at these places, society points the 
 finger of scorn at them and says — ' See the cliiiracter of 
 these men ! is not that sufficient reason for our not 
 recognizing them ? ' Our churches make no allowance for 
 their temptations : their. creed is of rigid iron to the young 
 men without power or station, while to the men of wealth 
 and power it is of most flexible steel. The ministers 
 choose their words with greatest care, that they may 
 not offend the wealthy men of their congregations. With 
 them thus uncared for, what can you expect will be their 
 lives as men ! I tell you that society is on a wrong founda- 
 tion. The man who steals many thousands from his 
 employer is spoken of as in financial difficulty ; but society 
 does not close its doors upon him. The Jean Valjean who 
 takes a loaf of bread from the baker's window to feed his 
 starving children is a thief, and society brands him as such 
 forevermore. The man and wife who find enjoyment in 
 their little home are beneath society's notice ; while the 
 flashily dressed dolls of fashion, no matter how their posi- 
 tion is obtained, are leaders, and all others but poor competi- 
 tors in the unsatisfying race. Thank heaven ! I have 
 neither the means or time to follow after such jileasures, 
 and by the time I have, I hope that I will have learned 
 that they do n(^t satisfy." 
 
 Arthur was rapidly approaching the condition of home- 
 sickness so common to those of his age, and his mother's 
 'exclamation of " Poor boy ! " did not tend to help matters ; 
 so, hastily bidding them good-bye, he rushed down the 
 steps on his way home, where in the night's sleep that 
 followed he lost his thoughts and awakened only to the 
 memory of the plet'sant experiences of the night before. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MRS. GRAHAM REVEALS HER PLA]SrS. 
 
 The appearance of Arthur in the household of Mr. Gra- 
 ham had solved the most difficult part of the problem of 
 Mrs. Graham in regard to Bertha, and calling her to a seat 
 by her side, she said : 
 
 '^ Now, Bertha, I am prepared to tell you more of my 
 plans. It has puzzled me a great deal to find a reason for 
 proposing your adoption to Mr. Graham. This I have now 
 found, and my plan is to have Edith marry Arthur 
 Howard." 
 
 The face of Bertha grew deathly pale as she listened to 
 Mrs. Graham, who had closely watched her while she was 
 speaking and quickly noticed the change. In a moment 
 the truth flashed across her mind, then, with a smile of 
 unutterable scorn, she asked : 
 
 " Can it be that you have been pierced so soon ? Well, 
 more's the chance for my plan succeeding with Edith ; 
 and I can assure you, if I am any judge, that you have no 
 cause for hope with Arthur. At present he has no thought 
 of love for either you or Edith ; but he will follow fast 
 enough when I lead him, and you must give up all these 
 foolish notions and work to that end, for in this way alone 
 
 43 
 
44 FOILED. 
 
 can we succeed. After they are married, the house will be 
 quiet and her father lonesome ; then you must talk of leav- 
 ing us, and I will propose to Mr. Graham that we adopt 
 you as our daughter, to make company for us ; this done, 
 and you will be entitled to one-third of his estate and 
 Edith will get that much less ; this you will divide with 
 me, and still have enough to make you independent for the 
 rest of your life." 
 
 " This will take a long time," suggested Bertha, wearily. 
 
 '''Tis true," replied Mrs. Graham, "but why need we 
 hurry ? Mr. Graham will live several years yet, and that 
 will give us ample time, while in the meantime you will 
 live here and enjoy the same benefits as if it was already 
 accomplished. Do we understand each other. Bertha ? " 
 
 " I think we do,^^ replied Bertha, who exhibited but little 
 enthusiasm in the matter. 
 
 Whatever Bertha's feelings toward Arthur had been, they 
 were now changed to deepest hatred. Mrs. Graham knew 
 human nature only too well when she intimated to Bertha 
 that Arthur spurned her, and her first impulse was to 
 openly rebel ; but her sense of dependence upon Mrs. Gra- 
 ham quickly checked these feelings, while her bitter 
 thoughts, as she chafed at the position in which she found 
 heiself, made her moody and silent for many days, during 
 which her friendship for Edith was seriously strained, but 
 she was not yet prepared to break with her ; and thus, in a 
 turmoil of doubt between her fears and hatred, Bertha be- 
 came a puzzle to Edith and Arthur, who, encouraged by the 
 urgent invitations of Mr. Graham and his wife, soon found 
 himself a regular visitor at their home, it being customary 
 
FOILED. 45 
 
 with him to attend the Sunday evening service at the church 
 in which Mrs. G-raham was a leading spirit. As might nat- 
 urally be expected, this church was in the most aristocratic 
 portion of the city, the congregation made up of the most 
 fashionable residents and supplemented with a choir of the 
 most noted singers. Nothing less would have suited the 
 refined taste of Mrs. Graham, who was at the head of all 
 its entertainments and missionary work, while in all things 
 pertaining to the church she was the all in all ; and it was 
 through her influence that Mr. Graham became an officer 
 in the church, her idea, as she expressed it to Bertha, being 
 that no harm could come to her by reason of the powerful 
 position thus held. 
 
 Fate could not have more auspiciously opened the way 
 for the success of her plans concerning Arthur than did 
 the natural course of events. To Arthur, her home 
 and its surroundings was the Mecca toward which all 
 his thoughts turned when, tired and overburdened with 
 care, he sought this haven of rest and peace ; and like a 
 weary traveler who lies ]irone upon the earth, and seeing 
 only the wide expanse of blue untroubled heavens above 
 him, feels a sense of peace and restfulness stealing over 
 him, too indolently blissful to ask the wherefore or why,, 
 he felt himself at ease surrounded by friends willing and 
 ever ready to welcome him and counsel and advise ; and 
 though he often wondered at his good fortune, he felt con- 
 tent to know that it was, without inquiring why. Thus by 
 degrees Mrs. Graham was binding him by cords of friend- 
 ship and gratitude in a bond that appealed to his every 
 sense of manhood and justice, and, as Mrs. Graham Avell 
 
46 FOILED. 
 
 knew, with Arthur these could not be easily broken. As 
 time passed she felt that she held him completely in her 
 power, ever ready and willing to serve, while, without real- 
 izing it, he was being thrown more and more into Edith's 
 society, where, blind and intoxicated with pleasure, he 
 followed so readily that Mrs. Graham often wondered if she 
 lead at all, until, conscious of her power, she sought an 
 opportunity to sj)eak with him, and ushering him into the 
 parlor, said, with a knowing smile: 
 
 ''Edith and Bertha have gone out for a short time, but 
 sit down and I will entertain you as best I can until Edith 
 returns.'' 
 
 Arthur quickly caught the meaning of her words, and a , 
 flash of worried pain shot across his brow as he thought — 
 " Have I, then, shown Edith such noticeable attention as to 
 cause remark ? " He sat silent for a moment, and then, 
 as if waking from a blissful dream, while a sense of 
 his humiliation closed about him, he said : 
 
 " Mrs. Graham, I have always visited here with a full 
 sense of the honor you do me by admitting me to your 
 family circle — I may say, as one of it. I have been cheered 
 and comforted to struggle on by the fresh courage I have 
 here gained. I have spoken of my hopes and aspirations, 
 my doubts and fears. This has been the home of my relax- 
 ation, and in its quiet and seclusion I have been frank and 
 open. But during all these pleasant hours I have never 
 forgotten the difference in our station. If, then, I have 
 overstepped the bounds of propriety in my attentions to 
 Edith, I can only say that no one regrets it more than I, 
 and my apology must be that it was unintentional." 
 
FOILED. 47 
 
 Mrs. Graham saw that her meaning had not heen under- 
 stood, and that Arthur would now be more cautious than 
 ever, unless before she loft him he thoroughly understood 
 her desires ; so, with a light, easy laugh, she said : 
 
 " Your fears, Arthur, are entirely unwarranted. I know 
 full well that to the young the society of those near their 
 own age is far more agreeable than that of those their sen- 
 iors. Beside this, I have watched your actions while here, 
 and I can truly say that they have been entirely satisfactory 
 to both Mr. Graham and myself. We feel that you have 
 a, high sense of honor, and are entirely willing to leave to 
 you the guidance of your course." 
 
 " If he does not understand my meaning now,*' thought 
 Mrs. Graham, " it is clearly his own fault." 
 
 The return of Edith and Bertha at this moment inter- 
 rupted their conversation, and hastily rising, Mrs. Graham 
 iad only time to say: " I may want to speak to you again 
 on this subject." Then entering the hall, she told Edith 
 that Arthur was waiting for her in the parlor, and as Edith 
 •disappeared from sight she took Bertha's arm and led her 
 away in the opposite direction. 
 
 Arthur had been greatly annoyed by his conversation 
 with Mrs. Graham, and Edith's entrance was a welcome 
 relief. 
 
 "We were not certain that you would come," began 
 Edith, "and so thought we would not wait on an uncer- 
 tainty — or on you, either. But tell me how it happens that 
 you have so greatly offended Bertha ? " 
 
 " I was not aware that I had done so," replied Arthur, 
 with no little astonishment. 
 
48 FOILED. 
 
 " Well, something has occurred/' said Edith, positively, 
 " for she feels very bitterly toward you." 
 
 "How did you find that out," inquired Arthur, earn- 
 estly ; "what did she say ?" 
 
 "0, nothing in particular," replied Edith; "but I 
 thought you knew the cause, and only asked in the hope that 
 I might be able to set you right." 
 
 "For that reason," replied Arthur, earnestly, "I ask 
 you to tell mo what she said." 
 
 " 0, she said very little about the matter," replied 
 Edith, evasively, " but her manner indicated that she 
 hated even the mentioning of your name ; and in speaking 
 of you she said you would never graduate ; you thought 
 you were awful smart, but you had not brains enough to 
 pass even a creditable examination." 
 
 "Well, if that was all," replied Arthur, laughing, "I 
 ought not to complain, for I half believe it -myself. But it 
 is not very consoling, for all that." 
 
 "Well, I do not believe it, nor do you, either," replied 
 Edith, with some warmth ; "you must and will graduate." 
 
 "Well, a few more weeks will tell," replied Arthur, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 "Yes, a few more weeks and we shall know. And now 
 I want to tell you of a surprise I have in store for you," 
 said Edith, exultingly. "I am expecting a cousin to 
 visit me, and I have found out that she is also a cousin of 
 yours." 
 
 "Then you and I must be cousins," replied Arthur, 
 quickly, as he looked up at Edith, inquiringly. 
 
 "0, no ; that docs not follow at all. Your uncle. 
 
FOILED. 49 
 
 Ralph Gerald, many years ago married my aunt Lucy, and 
 now lives in a small village in the East. Their daughter 
 Florence is. my cousin, but you cannot claim me as your 
 cousin on so slight a pretext as that," and Edith laughed 
 heartily at his mystification. 
 
 "Well, then, I suppose we will have to call her the con- 
 necting link," said Arthur, demurely. 
 
 " 0, I have no objection to that," archly replied Edith. 
 
 '' Well, I can assure you that I shall await her coming 
 with considerable interest," replied Arthur, laughing. 
 
 "And desert us entirely, I dare say," replied Edith, 
 gayly. "But come, there is the tea bell, and we must 
 go," and Edith, with the freedom and innocence of a sis- 
 ter, took his arm as he led her to the table. 
 
 As he entered the room with Edith, and his eyes met 
 Mrs. Graham's, he recalled her conversation, and with ill- 
 concealed confusion hastily seated Edith, determined to 
 make amends by being more attentive to Bertha. 
 
 " So you and Edith have been out for a walk ? " began 
 Arthur, as he turned toward Bertha. 
 
 As if in doubt, Bertha looked first at Edith and then at 
 Arthur, and curtly answered — "Yes, sir!" then turning 
 to Mrs. Graham she resumed an apparently interrupted 
 conversation. 
 
 Edith, all unconscious of these occurrences, maintained 
 her usual flow of conversation, and Arthur was forced, even 
 against his resolve, to continue to pay his addresses to her. 
 
 " Fm having some queer experiences," thought Arthur, 
 " and what Edith said about Bertha seems to be true, but 
 I know not why ; and even Mrs. Graham seems unusually 
 
 4 
 
50 FOILED. 
 
 attentive to Bertha's conversation. I wisli Mr. Graham were 
 here, for then I could at least divide my attentions to Edith." 
 And so with his roving thoughts he made but half-hearted 
 replies to Edith, while for the first time her companionship 
 did not seem as agreeable as formerly ; and as they led the 
 way on their return from the table, Arthur boldly entered 
 the sitting-room, determined to bring about a more general 
 conversation ; but to his surprise, Mrs. Graliam and Bertha 
 passed the open door and made their way to the parlor, 
 where, seating themselves, they continued their conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 *' Your mother and Bertha seem to be very mtich occupied 
 this evening," said Arthur, inquii'ingly, turning toward 
 Edith. 
 
 " 0, I dare say Bertha has some interesting story she is 
 telling," said Edith, carelessly. 
 
 "But Mrs. Graham seems to be doing most of the talk- 
 ing," said Arthur, pointedly. 
 
 '•'Well, then, I don't know what it is," replied Edith, 
 noticing Arthur's abstracted manner, and to whom his visit 
 seemed more constrained than ever before. 
 
 In doubt as to Mrs. Graham's feelings, and puzzled by 
 the change that had taken place, Arthur decided to take 
 his leave, and determine what his future course should be 
 before he called again. As he arose to leave, Mrs. Gra- 
 ham's watchful eyes detected his intention, and she quickly 
 stepped to his side, saying — 
 
 "You are not going, are you, Arthur ?" 
 
 "Yes, I think I had better be going," replied Arthur, 
 quietly. 
 
FOILED. 51 
 
 This did not suit Mrs. Graham's plans, and she inquired, 
 with some surprise: ''What is the cause for your hurry, 
 Arthur ; liave you not been pleasantly entertained ? " and 
 she shot an angry glance at Edith. 
 
 " 0, yes," replied Arthur, with a reassuring smile, 
 *' I have been very pleasantly entertained, but I must 
 leave you now," and stepping into the parlor where 
 Bertha sat, with no apparent intention of noticing him, he 
 said, as he extended his hand — " Well, Bertha, I shall 
 have to bid you good-night." 
 
 " Good-night," replied Bertha, without lifting her eyes 
 from the book in which she seemed to be most deeply 
 interested. 
 
 Her manner vividly brought to Arthur^s mind the words 
 of Edith, and quickly determining to know its cause, he 
 asked : 
 
 "What have I done to offend you. Bertha ? " 
 
 " Nothing that I know of," replied Bertha, flushing 
 slightly. 
 
 " But you are displeased at something," said Arthur, 
 confidently ; " will you not tell me what it is ? " 
 
 "I cannot," said Bertha, desperately. 
 
 " We can at least part as friends," said Arthur, earnestly, 
 as he again extended his hand. 
 
 Bertha silently took his hand, and Arthur could not but 
 notice its trembling ; but he little knew the tumult that 
 was raging in Bertha's mind. 
 
 "It is strange," said Mrs. Graham, passionately, as 
 Arthur left her alone with Edith, "that you cannot behave 
 like a lady and make it pleasant for Arthur during the 
 short time he visits here." 
 
52 FOILED. 
 
 Edith had been greatly puzzled by Arthur's actions, and 
 now Mrs. Graham's reproof confirmed her belief that in 
 some manner she had unwittingly oif ended him, and, all 
 unconscious of Mrs. Graham's object, she doubtfully 
 inquired : 
 
 "But how have I offended him, Mrs. Graham ?" 
 
 This was a puzzling question, but Arthur's entrance at 
 this moment saved the necessity of a rej)ly, and turning to 
 him with a gracious smile, Mrs. Graham said: 
 
 " I trust, Arthur, that you will soon come again, and we 
 will try and make it pleasant for you. Good-night ! " and 
 Mrs. Graham cordially extended her hand. Then, turn- 
 ing to Edifh, she asked, with a half command — " Will you 
 be kind enough to see Arthur to the door ?" 
 
 When out of her hearing, Edith turned to Arthur and 
 said, anxiously: 
 
 '^Arthur, I am afraid I have not treated you as you de- 
 serve, but it was only carelessness and entirely uninten- 
 tional ; may I expect your forgiveness ? " 
 
 " Forgiveness for what ?" inquired Arthur in astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 '^ Well— I hardly know," replied Edith, doubtfully, 
 "unless it be for my manner." 
 
 "I wouldn't forgive you if you changed your manner," 
 replied Arthur, impulsively ; " it could not be for the better. 
 And now I must bid you good bye for some time,*as I 
 shall not soon see you again ; but when I do, I will have 
 good news for you or I will have to confess that I have not 
 'brains enough to pass even a creditable examination.' " 
 
 "I have no fear of the result," replied Edith, confi- 
 
FOILED. 53 
 
 dently ; " but promise me that you will come as soon as 
 you can." 
 
 \' I will," replied Arthur. " Good-night ! " 
 
 "Ah, Bertha," said Mrs. Graham, as with a satisfied 
 smile she returned to the parlor, "if Edith will only give 
 Arthur some little encouragement I feel sure that our plans 
 will succeed. He is a splendid fellow," continued Mrs. 
 Graham, all unmindful of Bertha's feelings, "and will 
 make Edith a better husband than she deserves — though I 
 was not thinking of that when I planned it," — and Mrs. 
 Graham laughed pleasantly at the thought of her success ; 
 "and the best of it is, that I have no trouble with him, he 
 does just what I want him to and in the most pleasing way, 
 while he seems to know what I desire before I have time to 
 tell him." 
 
 " I believe you are half in love with him yourself," said 
 Bertha, with a mixture of sadness and hatred in her 
 voice. 
 
 " Xo, Bertha," replied Mrs. Graham, pensively, "I 
 have no weakness for sickly sentiment like that. I was 
 moulded too matter of fact for that ; but — Well, what do 
 you want now ? " said Mrs. Graham, petulantly, as 
 Edith appeared at the door. 
 
 " I came to ask you if you could tell me in what way I 
 have offended Arthur ? " began Edith, hesitatingly. 
 
 "If you were not an idiot you could see for yourself,'" 
 said Mrs. Graham, angered at her boldness in asking, the 
 question. 
 
 " I asked in the hope that I might be able to avoid it in 
 the future," replied Edith, sadly. "I cannot willingly 
 offend Arthur, and do not see how I have." 
 
54 FOILED. 
 
 "If you can make up your mind to appreciate Arthur 
 and understand that he thinks more of you than he would 
 of a sister, you would have no trouble," replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, significantly, though somewhat mollified by the rev- 
 elation Edith had unwittingly made. 
 
 "I will try," replied Edith, half mournfully, as she 
 silently left the room. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 AYE, that's the KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE MYSTERY 1 
 
 Time hung heavily on Edith's hands when Arthur's 
 accustomed time for coming passed without liis being 
 present, and at these times she often found her thoughts 
 turning toward him in her anxiety for his success ; and 
 Mrs. Graham, feeling that it was to her advantage to 
 encourage her in these thoughts, often turned the conver- 
 sation in that direction. 
 
 " It has been a long time since Arthur has been with us,'' 
 began Mrs. Graham one evening as they were all gathered 
 in the library. 
 
 "Yes," replied Mr. Graham, "he is no doubt busily 
 engaged with his books about these times." 
 
 "It must be no easy matter for him to keep up in his 
 studies while attending to his other duties," continued Mrs, 
 Graham. 
 
 "It is a wonder that he can do so at all," said Mr. 
 Graham, earnestly. 
 
 " Ho certainly exhibits some fine points of character," 
 suggested Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "Yes," replied Mr. Graham, "but I fear he may break 
 down under the load. I noticed the last time I saw him 
 that he looked worried and very pale." 
 
 55 
 
56 FOILED. 
 
 "If he does succeed/' interposed Edith, "it will be by 
 his own exertions." 
 
 "■ Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, "Arthur is one of a thou- 
 sand and deserves to be encouraged." 
 
 "That is true/' replied Mr. Graham, thoughtfully; 
 ^'and if under all these disadvantages Arthur Howard is 
 successful, I will loan him the money to start in business 
 for himself. With his pluck and energy and my years of 
 experience I feel sure he could soon make a good showing." 
 
 Mrs. Graham looked at Bertha with a knowing smile, 
 while Bertha, comprehending its full meaning, remained 
 moody and silent. 
 
 "Twill hold you to that promise," said Edith, "fori 
 know he will succeed." 
 
 "All right, daughter," said Mr. Graham, pleasantly ; "if 
 lie succeeds I will pay the forfeit." 
 
 It was but a few days after Mr. Graham's promise that 
 Arthur entered the house, his face flushed with success, and 
 rapidly recounted his experiences 
 
 "I have but a moment to stay," continued Arthur, all out 
 of breath, "but I wanted you all to know the good news : 
 I have passed my examination successfully, and will grad- 
 uate!" 
 
 " We are pleased to know that it is over and your work 
 well done," said Mrs. Graham, kindly. 
 
 "You stood at the head of your class, I suppose ?" said 
 Bertha, sarcastically. 
 
 " No, I was below the average," replied Arthur, as he 
 quickly recognized the hidden sting. "But I was well 
 pleased to get through at all." 
 
FOILED. 57 
 
 ^'0!" replied Bertha, significantly. 
 
 As he hastened away, Edith followed him to the door, 
 and placing her hand upon his arm detained him long 
 enough to say — "Father has promised to start you in business 
 for yourself, and I will see that the promise is fulfilled. 
 Good-bye ! " 
 
 His college work finished, Arthur once more resumed 
 his customary visits at Mr. Graham's ; and it was not long 
 afterward that Mr. Graham offered him his aid in starting 
 in business. This Arthur eagerly accepted, and in a short 
 time had settled down to a business life that gave every 
 promise of being satisfactory to both Mr. Graham and 
 himself. 
 
 It would have been impossible for either Edith or Arthur 
 to have named the time when they first became interested in 
 each other. Arthur's enthusiastic ways, coupled with his 
 robust youth, had early interested her, while his trials had 
 intensified her desire for his success. She had thus 
 been drawn toward him by easy stages, the progress of 
 which she did not realize. Arthur looked upon her as the 
 daughter of his most valued friend, and enjoyed the time 
 spent in her company, realizing in her his grandest thoughts 
 of woman. Their two lives were thus unknowingly drift- 
 ing down the torrent that knows no returning tide. 
 
 This had been noticed by Mrs. Graham, and at her first 
 opportunity she called Arthur to her side, and, recalling 
 her former conversation, said, with a knowing smile : 
 
 " Great changes have occurred since our last conversation 
 on this subject — eh, Arthur ? " 
 
 "Yes, and I fully appreciate your aid towards their accom- 
 plishment," replied Arthur, gratefully. 
 
58 FOILED. 
 
 '' I know you do," replied Mrs. Graham, confidently, 
 ''and our closer relations gives me courage to speak of 
 another subject that deeply interests us both. With my 
 love for Edith, I cannot bear to see her affections becoming 
 deeper and deeper entangled with each succeeding day 
 without giving you warning of it. I fully recognize that 
 this is a delicate matter, Arthur, but I trust that my great 
 love for you both will be sufficient excuse for my speaking 
 so plainly." 
 
 Edith's entrance at this moment relieved Arthur from 
 the necessity of replying, but under the circumstances her 
 presence was equally embarrassing; and when Mrs. G-ra- 
 hani soon after left them alone, he found it no easy matter 
 to entertain her. Mrs. Graham's strange words had been 
 so unexpected and startling in their revelations, that he 
 could not overcome the feeling of depression that they had 
 created. Edith quickly recognized his changed manner 
 and moody silence, and laying her hand gently onliis, she 
 said : 
 
 "Arthur, something troubles you ; what is it ?" 
 
 " I cannot tell you, Edith ; I hardly know what it is my- 
 self." 
 
 •'Have I offended you in anyway?" inquired Edith, 
 
 anxiously. 
 
 "No, it is myself that offends me : I am perplexed and 
 at unrest with myself." Then rising, he silently prepared 
 to take his leave, while Edith followed him to the door, 
 trusting that before he left he would give her some word of 
 explanation ; but he only extended his hand, and said, half 
 mournfully— "Well, Edith, good-bye!" 
 
FOILED. 59 
 
 ''Why, Arthur/' said Edith, with a low, startled cry, 
 "you say good-l)ye as if forever ! " 
 
 "And that is what I intend, Edith," said Arthur, 
 firmly. "I feel that I must do so, though much against 
 my desires ; but it may set my mind at rest." 
 
 Edith held his hand, and detaining him, said : 
 
 " Can you not tell rae why you are at unrest ?" 
 
 Arthur hesitated a moment, and then, looking up at 
 her, said : 
 
 " It is the difference in our station. I love you, Edith, 
 firmly and truly ; hut your position and mine are so widely 
 apart that I despair of ever being more to you than a 
 friend, and it will be better for us both if we do not meet 
 again — at least, not soon." 
 
 "And why ?" questioned Edith, with wonderful calm- 
 ness. . 
 
 "Why ?" repeated Arthur, in astonishment; "and do 
 you ask why ? Do you think I can so far forget the obli- 
 gations 1 am under to you and yours as to ask you to 
 leave a home like this and cast your lot with me ? No, 
 no ! it can not be I " 
 
 "A woman that would not, would hardly be worthy of 
 the name of wife," answered Edith, upon whom Arthur's 
 agitation had the effect of more clearly bringing out her 
 more noble traits. 
 
 "And could you go with me to a home of toil and com- 
 parative poverty without regretting it ? " inquired Arthur, 
 wonderingly. 
 
 " I could ! " replied Edith, firmly. " My mother did it, 
 and so could I." 
 
60 FOILED. 
 
 " Well, that much of our plan is accomplished ! " began 
 Mrs. Graham, exultingly, when next she saw Bertha after 
 Edith's announcement of her engagement to Arthur. 
 "^Now I will take the reins and have them married in short 
 order. 
 
 ''I think your last talk with Arthur must have made an 
 impression/' said Bertha. 
 
 "Well, it was plain English, and I guess he finally un- 
 derstood it," replied Mrs. Graham with evident satisfac- 
 tion. But she never knew how near her plans came of fail- 
 ing. 
 
 ''Hush ! there comes Edith," whispered Bertha. 
 
 "Well?" said Mrs. Graham, inquiringly, as Edith 
 entered the room and thereby interruj)ted their conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 "I came to ask if you had finished reading this?" said 
 Edith, laying her hand upon a book that was on the center 
 table, close by Mrs. Graham's arm. 
 
 "No, I have not," curtly answered Mrs. Graham, "but 
 of course I can wait." 
 
 " I will not take it if you desire to read it," replied 
 Edith, quietly. 
 
 " I should think you could better employ your time than 
 by moping over such books as that," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 tartly. 
 
 "I would willingly do so if I knew there was anything 
 to do," said Edith, quietly. 
 
 * • If you kept your eyes open you could find plenty to 
 do," replied Mrs. Graham, contemptuously. " But it takes 
 more time to find you and get you started than to do it 
 myself." 
 
FOILED. 61 
 
 " Then give me some regular work and I will see that it 
 is done every day/' said Edith, determined, if possible, to 
 please her, 
 
 " 0, no," replied Mrs. Graham, languidly, '' I will con- 
 tinue to do it myself and save you the exertion." 
 
 ''But," persisted Edith, "it would be a pleasure to me," 
 
 "No !" said Mrs. G-raham, angrily. " I have always been 
 forced to do the drudgery while you played lady. You 
 know nothing, and can do nothing. I am tired of seeing 
 you around, and will be only too well pleased when you are 
 married and away." 
 
 In her rage Mrs. Graham's voice had gotten into its 
 highest key, her passions plainly showed themselves upon 
 her face, when, looking up, she saw Mr. Graham standing 
 transfixed in the doorway. Mr. Graham loved peace above 
 all things, and was willing to make almost any sacrifice to 
 obtain it ; but he could not fail to fully com]3rehend the 
 scene presented to his sight as he entered the door ; and 
 when Mrs. Graham had finished, he said, quietly, but with 
 a gentle firmness that could not be misunderstood : 
 
 "We shall have Edith with us but a few days at most, 
 and I desire that those days be made as pleasant for her as 
 possible." 
 
 In his presence, Mrs. Graham was more careful of her 
 actions toward Edith after Mr. Graham's suggestion to 
 her, and Edith fully appreciated it ; but she was only too 
 well pleased when the time arrived for her to leave her old 
 home and go with Arthur. 
 
 Mrs. Graham made elaborate preparations for the wed- 
 ding, but it was noticeable that the guests represented but 
 
62 FOILED. 
 
 a small proportion of Edith^s companions or of the friends 
 of her mother ; the new faces were of Mrs. Graham's 
 choosing, and Edith had but little to say in regard to the 
 preparations. At last the appointed hour arrived for " Mrs. 
 Graham's receiotion," as Edith in after years was wont 
 to call it, and Arthur and Edith were married and away. 
 They had already decided upon a house that just suited 
 them ; and soon after their marriage settled down to the 
 comforts of home life, Edith busying herself with her 
 household cares during the day, and when Arthur returned 
 in the evening they found great pleasure in recalling the 
 times gone by, never to return again. 
 
 On one of these occasions Artliur turned to Edith and 
 laughingly said : 
 
 ''You don't seem greatly downcast, Edith, because of 
 leaving home and coming to this hovel." 
 
 ''Hovel ! Why, Arthur !" said Edith in surprise. " It is 
 a palace compared to my former home. It gives peace and 
 happiness, and that is more than I have ever enjoyed since 
 the coming of father's second wife. The old saying, 'A 
 mother's a mother all the days of her lifg, and a father's a 
 father till he get's a new wife,' proved true in this case, 
 and Mrs. Graham's sarcasm and venom often made my life 
 a burden." 
 
 " There ! there ! Edith, you ought not to feel that way 
 toward Mrs. Graham," replied Arthur, hastily. "Let by- 
 gones be bygones. For my part, I never saw anything in Mrs. 
 Graham that was not of the most ladylike character, and 
 I am sure she is much easier to get along with than Bertha. 
 A more puzzling case than she I never found. "Why she 
 
FOILED. 63 
 
 should have acted so strange I cannot understand. Then, 
 too, one minute she is as ]ilcasant as a summer's day ; the 
 next, a biting frost. I can only account for our misun- 
 derstanding on the ground of incompatibility." 
 
 ''That was an awful big word, Arthur; did you learn 
 that at college ?" said Edith, laughing. 
 
 " Well, big or little, Edith, I have made up my mind 
 that if she persists in sitting in the room when we are 
 there I shall quickly take my leave, for I cannot stand her 
 exasperating ways," replied Arthur, determinedly. 
 
 " I know one thing, Arthur, and that is that father does 
 not like hei- actions toward you," replied Edith, consolingly. 
 
 Arthur had from the first the ntmost confidence in Mrs. 
 Graham's sincerity. 'Tis true her talks to him and schem- 
 ing in regard to Edith had somewhat broken his confidence 
 in her, but so jilausible were her reasons for all she did that 
 he spurned the thought of ever questioning her motives ; 
 and so, when Edith told him of her experience, he 
 attributed it to a misunderstanding on the part of both, 
 and decided to do all he could to discourage Edith in her 
 dislike toward his tried and true friend. It was with this 
 object in view that he often persuaded Edith, though much 
 against her desires, to visit her old home with him ; but 
 Bertha's actions had grown to be so marked that even he 
 sometimes faltered in his resolve. It was on one of these 
 occasions that Arthur found her so exasperating that he 
 hastily withdrew, his cause for so doing being readily under- 
 stood by Mr. Graham, who, as he returned to the room 
 after bidding Arthur and Edith good-night, said: 
 
 "I am afraid. Bertha, that your remarks hurt Arthur's 
 feelings." 
 
64 FOILED. 
 
 " 0, pshaw ! " laughingly replied Mrs. Graham. '' Bertha 
 only spoke in general terms and meant nothing by what 
 she said." 
 
 But when Bertha went to her room, Mrs. Graham fol- 
 lowed her, and closing the door, stood fixedly looking 
 at her until Bertha cowered under her gaze. Then her 
 rage burst its bounds. 
 
 *'Are you a fool ?" demanded Mrs. Graham, passion- 
 ately. "Have you not the discretion of a servant girl ? 
 Your conduct is simply unbearable ! I had intended to 
 speak to Mr. Graham to-night of our plans ; now, because 
 of your folly, it will have to be delayed for weeks, and I 
 may be unsuccessful then. In the meantime, who knows 
 what may happen ! Mr. Graham seldom reproves ; but 
 depend upon it, when he does his words do not express the 
 half he feels." 
 
 Bertha's long experience with Mrs. Graham had taught 
 her that she was in no mood to receive her replies, and she 
 wisely held her peace. And she judged aright ; for after 
 her first outburst Mrs. Graham modulated her voice, and 
 with un entreating look at Bertha, said : 
 
 " Why will you not help me'? — or, if you will not lielp, 
 can you not at least keep you hands off and let me manage 
 this matter ? If you cannot be kind to Arthur, you can at 
 least treat him decently until our aim has been accom- 
 plished." 
 
 "You taught me to hate him," replied Bertha, bitterly, 
 "and now censure me because that hatred has grown." 
 
 "Aye, you are an apt scholar in that line !" sneeringly 
 replied Mrs. Graham. "Be as apt in learning discretion 
 
FOILED. 65 
 
 and all may yet be well. If you do not, you leave this 
 house a beggar ! " 
 
 Bertha's eyes involuntarily followed her as she silently 
 left the room, and not until the door was closed between 
 them did she attempt to move. Then, sinking into a chair, 
 she sobbed — ''Would that I had known the price ere I 
 consented. The onl}^ one I ever cared for is now as far 
 removed as earth from heaven. Was it for this that I gave 
 up all, only to find myself bound in an intrigue that leaver 
 me no escape ! " 
 
 Mrs. Graham saw that all her plans were liable to fail if 
 this warfare continued, and feeling certain of her hold on 
 Bertha, she determined to write to Arthur and place the 
 matter in such a light that all would once more be pleasant. 
 So the next morning, when Arthur opened his mail, he 
 found her letter, and with some curiosity opened it. His 
 astonishment may well be imagined as he read : 
 
 " My dear Arthur : 
 
 "I have noticed with much uneasiness the growing^ 
 dislike you have for Bertha. I have talked with Mr. 
 Graham about this matter several times, and last evening, 
 when you left in such haste, he spoke to me about ity 
 and begged me to hush it up as best I could, for he is so' 
 ashamed when these scenes occur that I find it troubles himi 
 for days afterward. He also says that he never saw a person 
 in all his life so far as Bertha is from assuming rights that 
 do not belong to her. We would be dreadfully ashamed to 
 have it known that this feeling existed. 
 
 "As to her making herself at home here, she was invited 
 to come, and on the express condition that she must make 
 herself at home and not expect to be treated as company, 
 or even waited upon as such ; and it was on this under- 
 
 5 
 
'66 FOILED. 
 
 standing that she came as and to be one of the family. 
 Notwithstanding this, when I saw the way Mr. Graham 
 felt I begged of him to turn her away or let me do so, and 
 try to have an end of the matter. But he says he will not, 
 without some better cause ; that if it was not this it would 
 be something else, for we know the jealousy and prejudice 
 on Edith's part that causes all this trouble. So I am in a 
 strait between two. I want to jilease you, but cauimt 
 hear to do anything so contrary to Mr. Graham's feelings. 
 I can bear anything myself, but for his sake I do with 
 that things might be pleasant. I write this that you may 
 know how matters stand. 
 
 "I want to have another opportunity of talking with you 
 as soon as possible. Meantime I am yours, with many 
 regrets for anything unpleasant, but with much love, 
 always, Sakah J. Geaham. 
 
 "P. S. Please burn this as soon as read. S. J. G." 
 
 " It has then come to this I " muttered Arthur, as he fin- 
 ished reading the letter. " Had it been told me, I would not 
 have believed it. Am not I the one that has been wronged ? 
 If Mr. Graham can show me where I have wronged Bertha I 
 will willingly apologize, but I know he cannot. "Well, I'll 
 hand him this letter and demand his reasons for saying what 
 he has ; that will put him to the test." 
 
 When Mr. Graham entered Arthur's office his cheery 
 good morning did not sound as welcome as usual to Arthur, 
 who, in reply, handed him the letter, asking him to read it. 
 
 Arthur took a position where he could watch the ex- 
 pression of his face, and saw the unconcern with which 
 he opened the letter, — the look of curiosity as he read the 
 first lines, then the deathlike paleness that came over him 
 as he finished reading it. 
 
FOILED. 67 
 
 As Arthur watched these changes, all his heat and iiassion 
 deserted him, while in their place came only pity for his 
 old and well-tried friend, yet he knew not the cause. 
 
 Mr. Graham's hands trembled as he replaced the letter, 
 and lianding it to Arthur, with quivering lips, said : 
 
 "Arthur, destroy it, and don't tell any one of it, not even 
 Editli." 
 
 "Is it true ?" demanded Arthur, hoarsely. 
 
 '* No!" faintly answered Mr. Graham, with a groan — -"^it 
 is not ! " 
 
 Can it be, thought Arthur, that this woman would delib- 
 erately do an act like this, knowing that Avhat she wrote 
 was false ! I cannot i;nderstand why she should resort 
 to such desperate measures! She must have known 
 that I could easily hand it to Mr. Graham. But — aye ! 
 that's the key that unlocks the mystery ! She felt that she 
 was safe from that, and had I not asked Mr. Graham for 
 his side of tlie story she would have been safe. Ah, shrewd, 
 designing woman that she is ! She well knew that this is 
 not often done. I'll now make it my duty to study her 
 until I know her thoroughly. 
 
 This subject was never afterward referred to by them, 
 yet Mr. Graham seemed now more readily to consent that 
 the visiting between them should be mostly on his part ; 
 and as Mrs. Graham never failed to attend the weekly meet- 
 ings of her sewing society, he took this opportunity to 
 visit his children, as he was pleased to call Edith and 
 Arthur. At these times his thouglits and conversation 
 were often of the days when he and Edith's mother were 
 starting in life under similar circumstances, and, as Edith 
 
68 FOILED. 
 
 often remarked to Arthur, he seemed to live over again the 
 happy days of his early married life. These visits had con- 
 tinued for sometime, when One day Mrs. Graham was com- 
 pelled to return home, owing to a slight indisposition, and 
 coming into the house at the usual dinner hour was greatly 
 surprised to find that no preparations had been made for 
 the noonday meal. On finding the cause, and that this 
 had been Mr. Graham's custom for some little time, her 
 rage was unbounded ; and, like a caged tigress, she paced 
 the floor during the hours of her waiting for his return. 
 
 All unconscious of what was m store for him, Mr. Gra- 
 ham entered the room, where he was met by his now infu-" 
 riated wife. 
 
 '' So you have been down to Ediths, have you ?" began 
 Mrs. Graham, with flashing eyes. " It seems that every 
 time I step out of the house you must run down there, as 
 if it were the only place you cared to stay, and your home 
 and wife were disagreeable to you." 
 
 " I thought you were going to stay at the sewing society, 
 as usual," replied Mr. Graham, soothingly, "and as it is 
 more pleasant to have company than to eat alone, I 
 thought I would visit the children." 
 
 ''0, you did !" said Mrs. Graham, with a sneer, "and 
 I am to take this as notice to me to give up the sewing 
 society and stay at home to be company for you ? Well, I 
 knew when I married you that I should have to be your 
 slave, but I hardly thought it would come to this ! " And 
 she swept past him out of the room. 
 
 Mr. Graham's heart often yearned for another visit to 
 Edith's, but this was his last ; and as he was deprived of 
 
FOILED. 69 
 
 her society more and more, he grew to miss her presence in 
 her old home and be very lonesome because of her absence. 
 More than a year had passed since Edith's marriage, and 
 yet Mrs. Graham had found no favorable opportunity to 
 ask Mr. Graham to adopt Bertha ; and as one time seemed 
 to be no more favorable than another, she had at last grown 
 so desperate as to determine that she would wait no longer. 
 So one evening, after she had made her conversation a little 
 more pleasing than usual, she said to Mr. Graham : 
 " Do you know that Bertha intends leaving us soon ? " 
 "I had not heard of it," replied Mr. Graham, in sur- 
 prise. " I thought she was a permanent member of our 
 household." 
 
 ''I sincerely wish she were, Stewart, for I am heart-sick 
 at the thought of her leaving. The house will be veiy 
 lonesome without her." 
 
 /'If it gives you pleasure, she is welcome to remain in 
 our house as long as she desires," replied Mr. Graham, 
 earnestly. '' Can you not prevail upon her to remain ? " 
 " Stewart," said Mrs. Graham, impressively, " if we were 
 to adopt her as our child w^e could keep her and have a 
 daughter to comfort us in our old age." 
 
 Mr. Graham for a moment looked his wife full in the 
 face, as if he doubted that he lieard correctly, and then 
 said, slowly : 
 
 "While I am not sure that I want her to stay, I am sure 
 she can never be a daughter of mine. I have but one 
 daughter, and as for Bertha's taking her place, it is impos- 
 sible." 
 
 He rarely spoke so positively to her, and Mrs. Graham 
 
70 FOILED. 
 
 fully realized that her plans had failed ; but her nerve and 
 self-reliance did not desert her, as, in a voice that showed 
 no signs of her defeat, she replied : 
 
 '' I have no feeling in the matter ; I simply made the 
 suggestion for you to accept or reject, as you saw fit." 
 
 ''I trust the subject will not be referred to again, — to 
 me it is not a pleasant one," replied Mr. Graham, as he 
 arose and left the room. 
 
 Mrs. Graham sat absorbed with her thoughts. She was 
 inclined to take her defeat philosophically, but found it 
 hard to submit after her long and persistent efforts. As she 
 sat thus meditating, the door opened and Bertha entered 
 the room. Looking up, Mrs, Graham said : 
 
 "Well, Bertha, I have spoken to Mr, Graham and he 
 has rejected the proposal so i)ositively as to leave no doubt 
 of his meaning. I am sorry, but you have yourself to 
 thank that it is so. Your actions toward Arthur were 
 alone sufficient to make Mr, Graham dislike you, and I 
 have some fear that he knows of that letter I wrote to 
 Arthur." 
 
 "'Now that it is settled," replied Bertha, " I feel a sense 
 of relief more than disappointment. The position it j^laced 
 me in was all but pleasant, and many times I have bitterly 
 repented that I ever consented, Mrs, Graham, it was a 
 scheme that no honorable woman ought to propose or 
 entertain. Thank God ! I have not so strong a love of 
 money as to make me willingly sell my soul to obtain it. 
 After I consented, I saw no way by which I could retract ; 
 but now I am pleased to know that I am free." 
 
 " You are a fool !" said Mrs. Graham, in disgust, " You 
 
FOILED. 71 
 
 talk more like a babbling babe than the woman I supposed 
 you were." 
 
 ''Don't let us quarrel over this matter, Mrs Graham," 
 said Bertha, appealingly. '' We have been friends too long 
 for that; and while you had hope, I stood by you to the 
 end." 
 
 " Yes, so you did, Bertha," said Mrs. Graham, half 
 remorsefully, "and I give you credit for your help. But 
 your will power all flies to the wind in our defeat. I have 
 no use for that kind of material — 'tis only fit for show, to 
 be admired by the idle throng ; but show your courage 
 and I will again be your friend." 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 YOU HAVE POISONED HIM ! 
 
 ''Arthur, have you noticed that father has not been here 
 for several days ? " said Edith one evening, as he entered 
 the house. 
 
 " I do, Edith, now that you speak of it ; but what makes 
 you ask '<"' 
 
 "1 am afraid he is sick, Arthur, or he would have been 
 here before this." 
 
 '' 0, no ; it is more probable that he has been engaged 
 in other ways and has not had the time to visit us," replied 
 Arthur, reassuringly. 
 
 ''But, Arthur, I have had a feeling of great uneasiness 
 all day." 
 
 "A slight attack of the blues, that's all," interrupted 
 Arthur, laughing. "Why, if he were sick we would hear 
 of it at once. What more natural than that they should 
 inform us if such were the case." 
 
 " It would seem so, Arthur; but I would feel more at 
 ease if we were to call and find out for ourselves." 
 
 "Well, we can do that," replied Arthur, who saw that 
 the impression had taken deep hold upon Edith. 
 
 Bertha received them as they entered, and to Edith's 
 
FOILED. 73 
 
 questioning, said: ''Your father has not been well for 
 several days, but he is resting easier now, and we trust he 
 will be lip in a short time." 
 
 " But why have I not been informed of this ? " demanded 
 Edith. 
 
 "I cannot say," replied Bertha. "Mrs. G-raham is with 
 him now and could answer you better than I. But, Edith, 
 I think you need not bo alarmed, for his physician says all 
 he needs is rest and quiet and he will soon recover." 
 
 ''Then I had better not disturb him to-night," said 
 Edith, inquiringly. 
 
 "I might ask Mrs. Graham and see what she thinks," 
 suggested Bertha. 
 
 "Do, please." 
 
 And as Bertha disappeared, Edith turned to Arthur, 
 saying : 
 
 "I do not understand why we were not notified." 
 
 " It does seem strange, Edith ; but then I suppose they 
 were all busy and had other matters to think of." 
 
 "This does not look like it," said Edith, holding up a 
 piece of hand-painting that was lying on the table. 
 
 " But that may be Bertha's work." 
 
 "No, Arthur, it is Mrs. G-raham's and has but recently 
 been laid aside ; there is Bertha's embroidery over there." 
 
 "But, Edith, how do you know this was so recently laid 
 aside ? " 
 
 " Can't you see that the paint has not had time to dry ? 
 Bertha is evidently teaching her to paint this fancy work 
 while she works at her embroidery." 
 
 "Mrs. Graham says it would be as well not to disturb your 
 father now," said Bertha as she entered. 
 
74 FOILED. 
 
 "Then I will come in the morning," said Edith, "and 
 shall expect to see him then." And as they left the house 
 she said : "I feel as if I was a stranger in that house now. 
 I could not help but notice that there was a barrier through 
 which I could not pass. Bertha seems to be free to enter 
 where I cannot.'' 
 
 "I must confess it had that appearance," said Arthur, 
 forced to admit its truth. " But you can go in the morn- 
 ing and sec him then." 
 
 Mr. Graham, after struggling for some days against his 
 sickness, found himself at last unable to leave liis bed. To 
 a man of his age this was a serious matter, atid feeling that 
 it was best to guard against even possibilities, he said to 
 his wife : 
 
 "I wish you would ask my lawyer, Mr. Bl(.)od, to come 
 and see me ; I wish to make some changes in my will." 
 
 " 0, you must not worry with that now," replied Mrs. 
 Graham. " You will be well again in a few days and can 
 attend to it then." 
 
 "I hope I shall, but I fear, not," replied Mr. Graham, 
 despondingly. 
 
 "The best way to regain your health is to leave off wor- 
 rying about such matters as these and think of more cheer- 
 ful subjects," said Mrs. Graham, tartly. 
 
 "If Mr. Graham gives you any message to take to his 
 lawyer,'" began Mrs. Graham, entering the room where 
 Bertha sat, "before going consult me. He has a foolish 
 notion that he must change some of the provisions of his 
 will. I^ow, tliat will was drawn when lie was in health, 
 and I am fully satisfied with it. I saw it drawn, and it 
 
FOILED. 75 
 
 leaves me one-third of his estate, and absolute dictator of 
 the amount Edith can have each year, and gives me full 
 control of his entire estate, to sell or lease as much as in 
 my judgment may seem proper. If now he should make 
 changes, I know not what their effect might be, and I must 
 be careful to prevent his undoing that which he really 
 desires to accomplish; so you do as I request, Bertha, for 
 his sake and mine." 
 
 " I have no desire to do otherwise," replied Bertha. 
 
 " I have been thinking over the matter," began Mr. Gra- 
 ham, as his wife again entered the room, " and I think you 
 had better ask Mr. Blood to come." 
 
 "I thought you had given up this matter until you once 
 more regained your health," replied Mrs. Graham, with 
 much apparent solicitude. 
 
 " I feel that my end is approaching, and that I shall 
 never again be well," replied Mr. Graham, looking appeal- 
 ingly at his wife, with the hope that she might accede to 
 his request. 
 
 " You must be more courageous," said Mrs. Graham, 
 bursting into tears; "determine that you will live and half 
 
 \the battle is won. This done, and y,ou will the more 
 ^(uickly recover." 
 
 "Well, I will wait until the doctor comes, and if he says 
 there is hope I will try to believe him for your sake," said 
 Mr. Graham wearily. 
 
 When good-natured Dr. Hammond entered the house he 
 was quickly met by Mrs. Graham, who, ushering him into 
 the parlor, said : 
 
 "I wish to see you before you go to Mr. Graham." 
 
76 FOILED. 
 
 '' Your husband is not worse, is lie ?" hastily inquired 
 the old doctor. 
 
 "No, I think uot,^' replied Mrs. Graham, thoughtfully; 
 but he has given up all hope of recovery, and I think that 
 alone would be sufficient to make the result doubtful. I 
 have talked to him of it, and he has finally consented that 
 if you will assure him that he can recover he will try and 
 believe it. Now, why can you not do so, and thereby give 
 him more strength than all your medicines can ?" 
 
 "Well, Mrs. G-raham, I certainly can do that, for you 
 know that while there is life there is hope,— sometimes 
 very little, 'tis true, and this is one of those cases." 
 
 " Do you then think there is but little hope of his recov- 
 ery ? " inquired Mrs. Graham, the ready tears springing to 
 her eyes. 
 
 " It can do no harm to tell you the truth, Mrs. Graham, 
 especially as you have the rare good judgment to exhibit 
 no alarm in his presence. I regard this case as almost 
 hopeless ; his age is against him, and beside this, the dis- 
 ease is almost always fatal." 
 
 "How long do you think he can live ?" inquired Mrs. 
 Graham, eagerly. 
 
 "0, he may live a week, but more probably only three 
 or four days." 
 
 Mrs. Graham's tears prevented her making any reply, 
 .and Dr. Hammond quietly stepped to the bedside of his 
 patient. 
 
 "Is it you, Doctor?" said Mr. Graliam, opening his 
 eyes. 
 
 "Yes," i-eplied the doctor, with a friendly smile," and 
 
FOILED 77 
 
 well pleased to see you looking so much better. Your color 
 is more natural, and your pulse beats stronger and more 
 full than when I left you yesterday." 
 
 " Do you, then, think that I will get well ? " And Mr. 
 Graham's eyes showed the anxiety with which he awaited 
 the reply. 
 
 " Why, my dear sir," said Dr. Hammond, with a good- 
 natured smile, " you must have no other thought than 
 that. ' Faint heart never won fair lady,' you know, and 
 you must determine that you will ; that is the best medi- 
 cine I can prescribe for you." 
 
 " I hope it will be so," replied Mr. G-raham, doubtfully ; 
 " but something tells me it cannot be. But, Doctor, 
 promise me that you will give me warning while my mind 
 is clear ; I must change my will before I die." 
 
 The old doctor stood irresolute a moment, and then 
 said, quietly : " Preparations of that kind can be made at 
 one time as well as another, by the sick or by those in full 
 health, and I would recommend you to attend to it soon, 
 so that it will be off your mind." 
 
 As he passed out, he stopped by the chair where Mrs. 
 Graham sat with covered eyes, and said : 
 
 "I have recommended Mr. Graham to make the desired 
 changes in his will." 
 
 Like a flash, she stood erect before him. "And who 
 gave you the authority to do thjit ? " demanded Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, Then, instantly realizing her mistake,' she added: 
 
 "'Do you not know that it will kill him ?" 
 
 "As his medical adviser I take the responsibility," replied 
 Dr. Hammond, curtly. 
 
78 FOILED. 
 
 "And to your superior judgment, I submit/' said Mrs. 
 ■Graham, as with cold dignity she bowed her acquiescence. 
 
 *' I must see Mr. Blood at once," said Mr. G-raham, 
 wearily, as his wife again entered the room. " The doctor 
 says it will be best to do so and have it off my mind." 
 
 "What important business have you with Mr. Blood 
 that makes you risk your life to see him ?" inquired Mrs. 
 Graham, provoked at his persistence. 
 
 "I must make some changes in my will/' replied Mr. 
 Graham, almost inaudibly. 
 
 " I thought you had a will already," persisted Mrs. Gra- 
 ham. 
 
 " So I have," replied Mr. Graham, with an evident ef- 
 fort ; " but I must make some changes. You know Edith 
 was not of age and was unmarried when that was drawn." 
 
 " I think it is so foolish for you to worry and fret over 
 such matters," replied Mrs. Graham, reproachfully, "when 
 you can just as well leave them until you are stronger." 
 
 " By sending for Mr. Blood at once you will save me 
 much unnecessary worry — will you do it ?" said Mr. Gra- 
 ham, desperately. 
 
 " Why certainly, if you desire it," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 placidly. 
 
 Mrs. Graham sat in her parlor for some time, trying to 
 clearly see her way. At last she arose and entered the sick 
 man's room. 
 
 " Have you sent for Mr. Blood?" anxiously inquired Mr. 
 Graham. 
 
 "Certainly, and he will no doubt be here before evening," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, quietly. 
 
FOILED. 79 
 
 But the hours dragged slowly on, and evening came and 
 went, and yet Mr. Blood did not appear. 
 
 The next morning Mr. Graham was perceptibly worse, 
 and calling Mrs. Graham to him, said : 
 
 " Please send another message to Mr. Blood and tell him 
 that I must see him at once." 
 
 Mrs. Graham seemingly complied, and a short time af- 
 terward returned with the reply that Mr. Blood was out of 
 the city, and would not return for several days. 
 
 Mr. Graham closed his eyes with a groan. 
 
 " Would it not be better to give up this notion, my dear ?" 
 said Mrs. Graham, persuasively. " It is certainly making 
 you worse. Will you not do it for my sake ?" 
 
 " I cannot ; I must attend to it, even though it kills 
 me,^' and Mr. Graham turned his face to the wall, filled ' 
 with anxiety and doubt. 
 
 True to her promise, Edith called and asked for admis- 
 sion to her father's room. 
 
 "He is too sick to be seen by any one," was Mrs. Gra- 
 ham's decisive answer ; " and you have stayed away as if 
 you had no regard for him." 
 
 " I did not know that he was sick," said Edith, piteously. 
 ''If you had sent me word I would have come at once." 
 
 '' 0, certainly, lay all the blame for your misdeeds on 
 m(\," replied Mrs. Graham, with a sneer. 
 
 "But can I not see him," said Edith, imploringly, " if 
 for no more than a moment ?" 
 
 '"Most assuredly not," replied Mrs. Graham, determin- 
 edly. '' Dr. Hammond has left strict orders that no one 
 must visit him." 
 
80 FOILED. 
 
 Edith felt sick at heart, and with it all, her conscience 
 troubled her that she had delayed so long. 
 
 Mrs. Graham was flitting in and out of the sick room, 
 now to call a servant, then again to obtain some necessary- 
 article, each time carefully closing the door behind her, 
 and with it Edith's hopes. 
 
 Edith waited patiently as the time passed heavily by, 
 hoping that some fortunate circumstance might give her an 
 excuse for entering her father's room ; but no opportunity 
 was given her. It could not hurt him for me to see him a 
 minute, she thought, and had summoned all her courage to 
 again make her request, when, with more excitement than 
 was usual with her, Mrs. Graham suddenly opened the door, 
 and, quickly passing through the room, disappeared. In her 
 haste she left the door slightly ajar. 
 
 This was Edith's opportunity, and lightly stepping to 
 the door she saw her father was awake, but 0, so pale ! The 
 sight nerved her to the act, and opening the door she en- 
 tered ; and as her father recognized her, his countenance 
 lit up with a faint smile of pleasure, as he said : 
 
 ''Isthat you, Edith ?" 
 
 " Yes, father." 
 
 " Tell my lawyer, Mr. Blood, or his clerk, to come at 
 once ; I must see him. Don't forget." 
 
 Edith knew that Mrs. Graham stood in the doorway. 
 Though she had not seen her, she felt her presence, and 
 was violently trembling. 
 
 As she stood there, Mrs. Graham seemed a perfected 
 picture of baffled cunning and intense surprise ; and as 
 Edith attempted to leave the room, she slowly made way 
 
FOILED. 81 
 
 for her, her eyes meanwhile searching her through and 
 through. 
 
 " 0, don't look at me that way ! " cried Edith, now thor- 
 oughly terrified. " Why don't you speak." 
 
 "Words cannot express my feelings — go!" and with 
 flashing eyes and a wave of her hand Mrs. Graham turned 
 and entered her husband's room, leaving Edith nearly 
 breathless with affright. 
 
 Weak and trembling, Edith hastily left the house and 
 made her way to the office of Mr. Blood, where, sinking 
 into a proffered seat, she asked : 
 
 " Is Mr. Blood in ?" 
 
 ''He is." 
 
 " Please tell him that Stewart Graham's daughter must 
 see him at once." 
 
 In answer to the summons, Mr. Blood quickly made his 
 appearance. 
 
 " You are Mr. Graham's lawyer, are you not?" began 
 Edith, not entirely recovered from the effects of her af- 
 fright. 
 
 "I am," replied Mr. Blood, pleasantly. 
 
 " He is very sick and must see you at once," said Edithy 
 in one breath. " When can you go ?" 
 
 " In that case I shall go now," replied Mr. Blood, earn- 
 estly. "Your father and I have known each other too 
 long for me to hesitate when he calls." 
 
 Edith had returned home but a few moments when, to 
 her surprise, Mr. Blood knocked for admittance, 
 
 " Mrs. Howard," he began, " are you sure you under- 
 stood your father's wishes ?" 
 
 6 
 
82 FOILED. 
 
 " I am certain the message I gave you was the same he 
 gave me. What makes you doubt it ?" inquired Edith in 
 surprise. 
 
 "I hardly know," replied Mr. Blood, with a puzzled 
 look; "but when I told Mrs. Graham that I had been 
 sent for she seemed greatly astonished, and was very posi- 
 tive that I was not needed. I insisted that Mr. Graham 
 had sent for me, and she as positively assured me that if 
 such were the case she would have known of it. I could 
 arrive at no other conclusion than that you were mistaken, 
 so I thought best to see you."' 
 
 '' Mr. Blood, my father wants you !" said Edith, posi- 
 tively. " I am as sure of that as I am that I am here. 
 His words were : ' Tell my lawyer, Mr. Blood, or his clerk, 
 to come at once. Don't forget !' " 
 
 "Then I shall go back and see him," said Mr. Blood, 
 resolutely. 
 
 "Bertha, did you go for Mr. Blood, after all I said?" 
 inquired Mrs. Graham after she had closed the door upon 
 the attorney. 
 
 "No, most assuredly not," replied Bertha, in some sur- 
 prise. 
 
 " Then it was Edith," said Mrs. Graham, indignantly. 
 
 "Very likely," replied Bertha; "for she is the only 
 one who knew that he was wanted." 
 
 As Mr. Blood again entered the house he had so recently 
 left, he said. 
 
 " Mrs. Graham, I am forced to believe that your husband 
 desires to see me ; will you do me the favor to ask him?" 
 
 "He is sleeping now," replied Mrs. Graham, i>leasantly, 
 " and I do not like to disturb him." 
 
POILED. 83 
 
 ''Very well ; please notify me when he wakens ; I will 
 sit here until I can see him. " And Mr. Blood leaned back 
 in a comfortable chair, prepared for a siege. 
 
 His assurance had taken from Mrs. Grraham her most 
 trusty weapon — her coolness ; she was now nervous and 
 excited, and at a loss for an answer, she retired from the 
 room. 
 
 One long hour Mr. Blood sat in his chair, his thoughts 
 occupied with his afternoon's queer experiences. At the 
 end of that time he believed he understood the case ; so 
 when Mrs. Graham entered and announced that her hus- 
 band was awake and would see him, he silently bowed his 
 acknowledgement and followed her to Mr. G-raham's bed- 
 side, where Mr. Graham's smile of recognition quickly as- 
 sured him that he was no unlocked for intruder; so with- 
 out wasting words he turned to the business in hand 
 with a — 
 
 ''Well, Mr. Graham, what can I do for you ?" 
 
 " My dear," said Mr. Graham, turning to his wife, "will 
 you leave me with Mr. Blood for a short time ?" 
 
 " Certainly," replied Mrs. Graham, retiring, but leaving 
 the door slightly ajar. 
 
 "Now, Mr. Blood, please close the door and then we 
 will talk," began Mr. Graham. 
 
 Mr. Blood stepped to the door and carefully closed it. 
 
 "I have intended for some time to make some changes 
 in — please close that door, Mr. Blood." 
 
 Mr. Blood placed his shoulder against the door until he 
 heard the catch snap as it found its place, and with a sat- 
 isfied air returned to his seat. 
 
84 FOILED. 
 
 *' I have intended — Mr. Blood, you may close that door 
 and lock it/' said Mr. Graham, firmly. 
 
 Mr. Blood, with grim satisfaction, turned the key and 
 thereby secured the unruly door, 
 
 "These changes," continued Mr. Graham, " 1 will briefly 
 outline to you, and you can put them in proper shape and 
 I will sign them." 
 
 Mr. Blood rapidly wrote out the required changes, and 
 with Dr. Hammond as witness, concluded his business and 
 departed. 
 
 " I have left Mr. Graham a powerful opiate," said Dr. 
 Hammond, as he left the bedside and advanced toward Mrs. 
 Graham. "I find I can be of no benefit to him now, ex- 
 cept to make his last hours easier. Be careful to give only 
 the ten drops each time, and I will call again in the early 
 morning. By the way, Mrs. Graham, I must ask you to 
 take more rest. You must let some one else watch with 
 Mr, Graham while you seek needed quiet and repose." 
 
 " I do not dare to run the risk," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 earnestly. 
 
 "Someone must take your place," said Dr. Hammond, 
 firmly. "Who will it be ?" 
 
 "Arthur would, if notified," replied Mrs. Graham, sub- 
 missively. 
 
 "I will see him, Mrs, Graham, and have him come to- 
 night," 
 
 So Arthur, after receiving full directions and many warn- 
 ings in regard to the dose of the powerful opiate, was sta- 
 tioned as the midnight watcher. He had never before had 
 so painful a task assigned him as this of watching the agony 
 
FOILED. 85 
 
 of his beloved friend while he stood by without the power 
 to aid ; and it was with a sense of relief that he saw 
 Mrs. Grrahani enter in the early morning, and after hold- 
 ing a whispered conversation with her relating to the 
 events that had occurred during the hours he had watched 
 with Mr. Graham, he stepped to the door, when he was 
 startled by a smothered cry of alarm, and quickly turn- 
 ing, saw Mrs. G-raham, apparently greatly agitated, 
 holding a small vial between the light and her eyes. 
 
 '' What is the matter ?" questioned Arthur, in alarm. 
 
 " Have you given Mr. Graham all of this ?" said Mrs. 
 Graham, indicating the empty portion of the vial. 
 
 " Yes — no — let me see !" Then taking the vial, Arthur 
 said, with much astonishment, "JSTo, I have not — Mrs. 
 Graham, this bottle had more in it than this when last I 
 had it." 
 
 " What would the world say, Arthur, were they to 
 know of this — this — carelessness, to say the least," inquired 
 Mrs. Graham, looking fixedly at him. 
 
 "1 care not what they would say," replied Arthur, in- 
 dignantly. " I gave the medicine exactly as it was or- 
 dered." 
 
 " To say the least, it i:)laces you in a very disagreeable 
 position. Persons would naturally think you an interested 
 person, if they should hear that you had given Mr. Gra- 
 ham a fatal dose," and Mrs. Graham moved toward her 
 sleeping husband, and leaned over him, the more forcibly 
 to impress Arthur with her words. As she did so, Arthur's 
 quick eyes detected a glistening something on the carpet 
 where she had stood. Stooping down, he placed his hand 
 
86 FOILED. 
 
 upon it, and finding it was moist he quickly detected that 
 it was a part of the contents of the vial. 
 
 " There is where a part of it has gone, Mrs. Graham, 
 and by your carelessness or intent, — I cannot now deter- 
 mine which," said Arthur, indignantly. 
 
 The look of baffled rage which Mrs. G-raham turned 
 upon him was to Arthur unexplainable, but he little knew 
 the many hours during which she had sought an oppor- 
 tunity to gain a hold upon him; and now, when he was left 
 to administer this powerful medicine to Mr. Graham, she 
 felt that the time had arrived when she could place him in 
 her power, and through his fear of exposure, control him 
 in case he desired to deviate from her commands. 
 
 Carefully she had calculated upon the results of Mr. 
 Graham's death, and but one thing alone remained in 
 doubt, this was the question of Arthur's course, but with 
 this hold upon him she felt that she would be secure. 
 Fully determined upon her course she entered the room, 
 and as Arthur turned to leave, she hastily emptied a por- 
 tion of the medicine upon the carpet, and then stepping 
 upon it, arrested his attention by her low cry of alarm. 
 But Arthur's quick conception of her designs, and the 
 firmness with which he met her charges and indignantly 
 repelled them, made her falter in her ]3urpose, and quickly 
 stepping to his side, she said: 
 
 '*■ Let me have the vial, Arthur.''' 
 
 "No," replied Arthur, firmly, " I will keep possession 
 of it until Dr. Hammond comes." 
 
 " 0, pshaw !" said Mrs. Graham, with a careless laugh, 
 ''you need not take it so much to heart as that, Arthur. I 
 
FOILED. 87 
 
 may have been careless, and probably was ; and when I 
 noticed how much was gone I was naturally much sur- 
 prised." 
 
 " It^s too serious a matter to me to be so lightly disposed 
 of," replied Arthur, indignantly. " I must settle the 
 question so positively that you will never dare to mention 
 it again, then you may have the vial." 
 
 ''Now, Arthur, please don't be foolish," said Mrs. 
 Gi-raham, appeal ingly. " Remember that these things are 
 often productive of much scandal, and we cannot aUord 
 that." 
 
 " Why did you not think of that before you accused mo 
 of poisoning Mr. Graham ?" demanded Arthur. 
 
 "Arthur, I never made such a charge ! I had no 
 thought of it !" replied Mrs. Graham, indignantly. 
 
 " Well, I will keep the vial,^' and true to his word, Arthur 
 kept close watch upon it until Dr. Hammond came. 
 
 " Doctor," said Arthur, when at last he made his appear- 
 ance, "Mrs. Graham fears her husband has receiveu a fatal 
 dose of this medicine — can you relieve her mind ?" 
 
 " How many doses have been given from this vial, Mrs. 
 Graham ? " 
 
 "I do not know," replied Mrs. Graham, hastily; "I 
 have given only three." 
 
 "And I gave three," said Arthur. 
 
 " That would make pretty large doses," replied the doc- 
 tor, after a moment's thought, "but not necessarily fatal." 
 
 Arthur began to feel easier. 
 
 " But if all but one were as you directed, and tlie rest 
 given in one dose — how then ? " questioned Mrs. Graham. 
 
88 FOILED. 
 
 " In that case I should not like to be responsible for the 
 consequences," said Dr. Hammond, anxiously. 
 
 "But is not this the same?" asked Arthur, stooping 
 down and running his hand over the carpet. 
 
 '' I think that is where it has gone, Mrs. Graham ; but 
 here is a better assurance than all these," said the doctor, 
 gently grasping Mr. Graham's wrist, while Arthur waited 
 anxiously for his reply. 
 
 "His pulse indicates that he has received no more than 
 I wished him to," said Dr. Hammond, as he gently released 
 his hold upon Mr. Graham's arm. " 'Tis true, his breath- 
 ing is heavy and labored, but not more so than I would 
 expect from the dose I ordered." 
 
 Tears sprang to. Arthur's eyes as Dr. Hammond turned 
 to him and said : 
 
 "You did your duty fully and need have no fears." 
 
 " 0, he did splendidly!" quickly interposed Mrs. Gra- 
 ham. "I was only afraid that he might have made a 
 mistake while half asleep." 
 
 "It was a serious charge, Mrs. Graham, to make against 
 any one, particularly one who stands in the relation to you 
 that Arthur does " said Dr. Hammond, reproachfully. 
 
 Arthur's presence gave Edith courage to again make an 
 attempt to see her father, so entering her old home, she 
 asked : 
 
 " Can I not be of some help to you ? " 
 
 " If you came to work, you can," savagely replied Mrs. 
 Graham ; "but we have no desire for visitors." 
 
 Edith bit her lips to keep back the tears, and after a 
 moment's hesitation, said : 
 
FOILED. 89 
 
 " I can at least sit by his side and watch while he sleeps 
 — may I do that ? " 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, scornfully. " We are all 
 worn out, and as that is about all you seem fit for, you 
 might as well do that as to sit idly by." 
 
 Edith lightly stepped into the room, and drawing Arthur 
 to one side, said : 
 
 " Don't go while I am here." 
 
 "All right," replied Arthur, as he placed a chair for her, 
 taking which she felt a sense of security and quiet happi- 
 ness in the thought that she could once more be near him 
 she loved. 
 
 The irresistible onward march of death was fast closing 
 about Mr. Graham, who was now unconscious and nearing 
 his end. 
 
 "I think you had better call in the friends, Arthur," 
 said Dr. Hammond, solemnly, 
 
 Arthur quickly followed his suggestion, and in a moment 
 returned, closely followed by Mrs. Graham, leaning on the 
 arm of Webster Graham, her husband's only brother, and 
 closely following them, Edith's Aunt Harriet, the only 
 sister of Edith's mother. A mournful circle they presented 
 as they stood, silently, watching the doctor, who at last said, 
 resignedly : 
 
 " It is over ! " 
 
 A long, piercing wail startled the assembled friends, as 
 Mrs. Graham sank into a vacant chair and broke into vio- 
 lent hysterical sobs. Aunt Hattie and Uncle Webster 
 quickly came to her relief, and as they supported her into the 
 other room, Arthur caught the look of disgust with which 
 Dr. Hammond's eyes followed her. 
 
90 FOILED. 
 
 "It was overdone/' thought Arthur; "her wailings 
 were too loud and strong/' Then turning to Edith, he 
 became alarmed at her appearance : sitting bolt upright, 
 her face deathly pale, she was staring fixedly at the dead ; 
 her eyes showed no signs of weeping. 
 
 "Edith I Edith I" said Arthur, shaking her violently — 
 "you must come away." 
 
 "Yes," replied Edith, vacantly, as she mechanically took 
 his proffered arm. 
 
 By the time they reached the sitting-room, whither the 
 others had preceded them, they found Mrs. Graham once 
 more composed, and calmly talking over the arrangements 
 for the funeral. 
 
 "Some of the neighbors have called to see you, Mrs. 
 Graham," said the servant, entering at this moment, 
 
 Mrs. Graham at once resumed her lamentations, and her 
 cries were loud and long. 
 
 "Show them in," said Aunt Hattie, kindly. 
 
 "Edith, let us be going," whispered Arthur, upon whom 
 Mrs. Graham's actions reacted violently. 
 
 "In a moment," replied Edith, who, after quietly press- 
 ing the hands of her old friends, withdrew with Arthur. 
 
 "I can never bear these howling death-bed scenes," began 
 Arthur, as they left the house. " It always looks like effect 
 more than sorrow." 
 
 " We should not judge too harshly," replied Edith, 
 reprovingly. 
 
 "Well, I could but contrast her wailings with her acts 
 during his life," said Arthur, bitterly. 
 
 " Yes, but let us change the subject, Arthur ; it is not a 
 pleasant one." 
 
FOILED. 91 
 
 Mrs. Grraham readily assumed the direction of all the 
 preparations for the funeral, assigning Edith and Arthur to 
 the same carriage with herself and Bertha. 
 
 Edith's stoical composure had been a constant check upon 
 Mrs. Graham's demonstrative exhibitions of grief, and she 
 felt a bitter resentment toward her because of it ; and as 
 they were returning home, and Bertha's conversation 
 turned upon the grief of many of the friends present, 
 Mrs. Graham said, wbile looking fixedly at Edith : 
 
 ''Yes, even strangers have hearts, and show their sorrow, 
 while others can lose even their best friends and care noth- 
 ing. I cannot understand such dispositions ; they must be 
 completely given over to selfishness." 
 
 Arthur's blood fairly boiled as he recognized the venom 
 of her words, and would have replied, had not the place 
 and circumstances forbid. He had now seen Mrs. Graham 
 long enough, and studied her character so thoroughly as to 
 fully realize that she was a woman of exceeding strength 
 and resources, and that it was no easy matter for the casual 
 observer to resist her plausibility or comprehend her true 
 character. It was well for both Edith and himself that he 
 had these opportunities, and had improved them until he 
 understood her every plan and move. The education thus 
 attained was soon to be most severely tested. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A VILLAIN FOR A LAWYER AKD A WILLING CLIENT. 
 
 Early the next morning Mrs. Graham entered the office 
 of Mr. Blood, saying : 
 
 '' Tell Mr. Blood that Stewart Graham's widow desires to 
 see him." 
 
 Mr. Blood had formed a great dislike for Mrs. Graham, 
 and her presence was distasteful to him ; yet the vision of 
 large fees for settling her estate quickly arose before him 
 and decided his course, and offering her a seat, he said : 
 
 " Did you desire to see me on business ? " 
 
 "Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, the tears springing to her 
 eyes, " on sad business. You are the custodian of Mr. 
 Graham's will, and must realize the disagreeable position 
 I am placed in when I tell you that I do not know its con- 
 tents, and can neither pay my servants or buy the necessities 
 of life without the feeling that I may make myself liable to 
 the law." 
 
 " 0, there is no danger of that, Mrs. Graham ; you can 
 go on just as usual and the law will not hurt you in the 
 least." 
 
 "But I would feel easier," persisted Mrs. Graham, if I 
 
 92 
 
FOILED. 93 
 
 knew what the changes were that you so recently made. 
 Can you not let me see the will ? " 
 
 '* 0, no ; that would not do at all ! '* said Mr. Blood, 
 quietly. " I must deliver it to the court and to no one 
 else." 
 
 ''Well, you can at least tell me how I stand," said Mrs. 
 Graham, desj^erately. 
 
 "1 can, in a general way," replied Mr. Blood, hesitat- 
 ingly. 
 
 ''Well, in a general way." 
 
 " Mr. Graham gives you a third of his estate, to be yours 
 forever, and to descend to your heirs at your death," began 
 Mr. Blood. 
 
 " The law would give me that much," said Mrs. Graham, 
 scornfully ; "but what becomes of the other two-thirds — to 
 whom does it go ? " 
 
 " His daughter Edith receives one-third, like yourself ; 
 no more, no less." 
 
 "And the remaining portion — what becomes of that?" 
 inquired Mrs. Graham anxiously. 
 
 " The remaining portion is divided between his brother 
 Webster, his sister, Lucy Gerald, and her children, in pro- 
 portion as set forth in his will. " 
 
 "And who has charge of the estate?" persisted Mrs. 
 Graham. 
 
 " You are executrix^ and Webster Graham is associated 
 with you to guard the interests of the daughter. You two 
 have sole charge of the estate, and with the advice of myself 
 will find it an easy matter to settle it in a manner entirely 
 satisfactory to all. I will start the proceedings in a few 
 
94 FOILED. 
 
 days, and then letters of administration will be issued to 
 you and Mr. G-raham, and after that I will counsel with 
 3^ou as to your future course." 
 
 ''Thank you," said Mrs. Graham, haughtily; ''I shall 
 need your services no farther than to have you enter the 
 will for probate. I feel perfectly able to take charge of the 
 matter, and will do so." 
 
 Mr. Blood for a moment was dumfounded to think that 
 he had been so easily deluded by this cunning woman, who, 
 when she had obtained the coveted information, spurned 
 his aid and crushed his hopes. 
 
 ''As you see fit, madam," replied Mr. Blood, indignantly; 
 "but as Stewart Graham's trusted friend and adviser, I 
 warn you that the danger is great if you pursue this 
 course." 
 
 " I will take the responsibility of that and relieve you 
 from all anxiety on that account," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 haughtily as she retired. 
 
 Mr. Blood's earnest words had somewhat unsettled her 
 purpose, and though her iron will brooked no opposition, 
 she had the rare good judgment to first be sure of her posi- 
 tion and then stand by it to the bitter end ; so she deter- 
 mined to counsel with some of her friends, and as they all 
 advised against her purj^ose of settling the estate unaided, 
 she consented to act upon the suggestion of Mr. Fletcher 
 and employ an attorney whom he recommended. 
 
 Mr. Skinner, as he sat in his office, gave every indication 
 of needing just such clients as Mrs. Graham. Small of 
 stature and spare in build, with low, receding forehead 
 and small black eyes, he fully met the description given of 
 
FOILED. 95 
 
 him by his fellow lawyers, as a man of no marked ability, 
 but whose low cunning might well be feared. With 
 unkempt hair, and clothes that plainly showed the constant 
 wear of many months, he jiresented the appearance of a 
 shabby-genteel man who might have seen better days. 
 
 ''Are you Mr. Skinner?" asked Mrs. Graham, as she 
 stood irresolutely in the doorway, her eyes meanwhile 
 surveying his surroundings. 
 
 *'Yes, madam," answered Mr. Skinner, hastily rising 
 and proffering her a chair ; " I am at your service." 
 
 " You were recommended to me by Mr. Fletcher as a 
 lawyer who fully understood probate business, and whose 
 charges were very moderate," said Mrs. Graham, as with 
 an effort she concealed her disgust. 
 
 ''0, yes," replied Mr. Skinner, quickly; "I know Mr. 
 Fletcher — he is my landlord." 
 
 ''Humph ! " thought Mrs. Graham ; "it's likely he was 
 recommended to me in order to helj) him pay his rent ; but 
 he may be just the man I want for all that. I'll see." 
 
 "As to probate business," continued Mr. Skinner, "I 
 have made a specialty of that for some years." 
 
 " I have in charge the estate of Stewart Graham — " 
 
 " That is a big estate ; lots of money there, I am told," 
 interrupted Mr. Skinner. 
 
 Mrs. Graham ignored the low-bred interruption, and 
 continued: " While I have no authority to retain a lawyer, 
 as yet, still I thought best to see you and obtain your terms 
 and then decide." 
 
 " It would bo impossible to set a price on such a case," 
 replied Mr. Skinner, hastily, " but I can assure you that 
 my fee would not b-: hirge." 
 
96 FOILED. 
 
 " But that is indefinite, and I must kno"w the exact 
 amount ; otherwise, I will go elsewhere," said Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, determinedly. 
 
 "Ah! " thought Mr. Skinner, this woman is a sharp one : 
 " I must make a low price and get the business, and then 
 make the pickings fill the balance." 
 
 ''For the regular probate work I will charge you forty 
 dollars," replied Mr. Skinner, after momentarily consider- 
 ing the matter ; ''but any wock outside of that I will have 
 to charge extra for." 
 
 "These extra charges must not exceed this proportion," 
 said Mrs. G-raham, firmly. 
 
 " 0, certainly not ! " replied Mr. Skinner, reassuringly. 
 
 "Well, I think the price will be acceptable ; but I can- 
 not decide until I see my brother-in-law and talk with him. 
 But I think you can consider it just the same as settled," 
 said Mrs. Graham, evidently well pleased with her bar- 
 gain. 
 
 "Where is the will ?" inquired Mr. Skinner. 
 
 "It is in Mr. Blood's possession, — at least I suppose it 
 is," said Mrs. Graham, doubtfully. 
 
 "Very likely," replied Mr. Skinner. "And shall I send 
 him word to file it in court so that we can proceed ? — of 
 course on th« supposition that I am retained ; if I am not, 
 there will be no charge." Better get started, and then I 
 am sure of being employed, thought Mr. Skinner. 
 
 Mrs. Graham stood irresolute. 
 
 "You have read the will, I suppose?" queried Mr. 
 Skinner. 
 
 "What makes you ask ?" hastily replied Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "0, it is unimportant," quickly answered Mr. Skinner. 
 
FOILED. 97 
 
 ''It was your privilege if you chose to do so. You said, 
 I believe, that this brother-in-law lived in another State." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "It would be an easy matter to have him declared ineli- 
 gible," suggested Mr. Skinner, watching the effect upon his 
 client, who made no reply. "It would only be necessary 
 to bring it to the attention of the court and he would be 
 com])elled to reject him, as he would be beyond his juris- 
 diction." 
 
 The tempter was at work, and Mrs. Graham sat absorbed 
 with her thoughts. It was with her only a question of 
 policy. 
 
 This is a peculiar woman, thought Mr. Skinner, as he sat 
 watching her while waiting for her reply. She is not of 
 the common herd. A conscientiously honest woman would 
 reject it with scorn ; a foolishly dishonest one would eagerly 
 accept the proposition. She is a puzzle to me now, but I 
 shall soon learn her ways. 
 
 " You will readily recognize that this matter can be 
 more expeditiously handled where there are but few to con- 
 sult," continued Mr. Skinner, "and, necessarily, at less 
 expense. " 
 
 " I think I had better look over the matter before I 
 decide," said Mrs. Graham, thoughtfully. 
 
 " It will do no harm to give it your attention," replied 
 Mr. Skinner, with a meaning look, as he opened the door ; 
 then, closing it after her, he said, half audibly: "Well, 
 I did not miss my mark when I made that shot." 
 
 On her way home, Mrs. Graham stopped at Arthur's 
 store, and finding him in, said : 
 7 
 
98 FOILED. 
 
 " You may continue to attend to Mr. Graham's business 
 as you have done during his sickness, but I shall expect 
 you to make an accounting to me each week until I receive 
 my letters of administration, after which time I will attend 
 to all these matters myself. I have to depend upon you now ; 
 but after that time I will take full charge, and be account- 
 able to my God and the judge and to no other living man," 
 and Mrs. Graham straightened herself, haughtily, as she 
 thought of the power she would then possess. 
 
 "Do you mean that Edith shall be kept in ignorance 
 of what is being done ?" said Arthur, more astonished by 
 her manner than her words. 
 
 "The collection of the accounts and rents is a small 
 matter, and I feel perfectly able to attend to all such little 
 matters as these," replied Mrs. Graham, looking fixedly at 
 her questioner : " and it will not be necessary for Edith to 
 interfere, and it would be useless if she did." 
 
 " But she is entitled to a portion of her father's prop- 
 erty, is she not ?" persisted Arthur. 
 
 "I suppose she is," replied Mrs. Graham, with a sneer, 
 "but that makes no difference, for I will attend to that ; 
 and if she expects to get anything from this estate, take 
 warning in time and don't interfere." 
 
 "Very well," replied Arthur, apparently resigned to his 
 fate. "When you are ready, tell me so, and I will make a 
 final accounting and close the matter as far as I am con- 
 cerned." 
 
 "Edith," began Arthur, when he returned home after 
 his interview with Mrs. Graham, " I am convinced by iny 
 experience with Mrs. Graham to-day that we will have no 
 
FOILED. 99 
 
 easy road to travel in our dealings with her. The change 
 that has taken place in her is startling. She is bold and 
 defiant, and has given me due warning that we must not 
 interfere and that she will make no accounting ; and had 
 she spoken the words, she could not have more clearly im- 
 pressed me with the feeling that she now realizes the time 
 has come for which she has waited these many years ; and, 
 occupied as I am with my business cares, I have no time 
 to watch what she is doing, and would feel that we were 
 completely in her power were it not that we can employ 
 a lawyer to watch her proceedings in court and have him 
 report to us." 
 
 "And is she the executrix of my father's will ?" inquired 
 Edith. 
 
 " It would seem so, from what she says." 
 
 " Then we can expect no mercy from her. You must 
 see Mr. Blood at once, Arthur, and ask him what we can 
 do." 
 
 •' But, Edith, employing lawyers is an expensive luxury." 
 said Arthur uneasily. 
 
 " I feel that I would rather waste money in defense, 
 Arthur, than be robbed of it without resistance ; and would 
 it not be the wisest course to find out what we can do, even 
 if we cannot afford to force it to be done." 
 
 ''I am agreed," replied Arthur. " I will see Mr. Blood 
 at once." 
 
 " 0, how my thoughts have wronged you, Arthur," said 
 Edith, smiling through her i?ears. '^ I have often trembled 
 when I looked forward to this time, and now your con- 
 stancy stands out clear and distinct against the dark back- 
 ground of my distrust." 
 
100 FOILED. 
 
 "What do you mean, Edith?" interposed Arthur, in 
 surprise. 
 
 ''I mean that I have noticed with alarm the influence 
 that Mrs. Graham has seemed to have upon you, and have 
 trembled for its result in case father should die. 0, 
 Arthur ! I have been tormented by this woman as no one 
 can understand unless they were to pass through the same 
 experience; and when I saw her efforts to chain you as her 
 slave crowned, as I thought, with success, my heart failed 
 me; and when you have defended her actions and censured 
 mine, I have often jDraycd for death. I hoped when 
 I was married that I would be free ; but her baneful in- 
 fluence seemed to follow even here, and not until now have 
 I felt its curse removed." 
 
 " I have done wrong !" said Arthur, hoarsely. 
 
 *' No, not you; it is I!" replied Edith, quickly. "I 
 have cruelly misjudged you." 
 
 " But not without reason, Edith," quickly replied 
 Arthur, " and I must now tell you a story that I hoped 
 never to reveal. I was deceived by Mrs. Graham for many 
 months, during which time I would have struck down any 
 man who would say what I now tell you. During this 
 time, and while I was completely under her influence, I 
 would not have believed my own mother had she questioned 
 Mrs. Graham's sincerity. The disagreements between you 
 and Mrs. Graham I blamed you both for, but I desired that 
 father Graham's life should be as pleasant as possible ; and 
 as 1 felt that I could not control lier, my only hope was to 
 check this feeling in you, and thereby disarm her. This I 
 often did, though many times I felt its injustice to you. 
 
FOILED. 101 
 
 During all this time I was Mrs. Graham's firm friend. But 
 when the quarrel between Bertha and I resulted in my leav- 
 ing the house so hastily, Mrs. Graham sent me a letter, the 
 statements in which roused my indignation to such a pitch 
 that I was ready to quarrel with your father ; and when 
 next he entered my store I handed him her letter, intend- 
 ing to demand of him a retraction or his proofs. Before 
 he finished reading, I saw that I had made a grave mistake. 
 After reading it, he returned the letter tome, with a death- 
 like pallor on his face, and, in a voice hardly audible, asked 
 me to burn it. I demanded if its contents were true, and, 
 with a groan that I remember to this day, he admitted that 
 they were not. Edith, I did not burn that letter, and for 
 his sake I have never sj)oken of it to you. But if it can 
 repair the injury I have done, you are welcome to it. The 
 rest is soon told. I saw that instead of the person I 
 believed her to be, she was only a designing and unscru- 
 pulous woman, and from that tmie until now I have made 
 it my duty to know her thoroughly. That duty has been 
 fulfilled. After my confidence in her was once broken, 
 her iiattery and intrigues fell harmless at my feet. Since 
 then I have quietly defeated several of her plans, and this, 
 too, without her knowing that it was intentional. Now 
 every day sees us drifting farther and farther apart, and I 
 feel that I can never again think of her as a friend. 0, 
 but I must have been blind indeed! But, Edith, I did not 
 know the pain I was causing you.'' 
 
 " I don't feel it now, Arthur. " 
 
 "No," said Arthur, choking with emotion, ''^and never 
 shall again I "' 
 
102 FOILED. 
 
 Arthur then hastened to Mr. Blood^s office, and after 
 briefly stating Mrs. Graham's conversation, and that she 
 had informed him that she was to be the executrix of 
 her husband's will, said: 
 
 ''My wife was Mr. Graham's only child. She would 
 have been content to let the law take its course, not 
 knowing or even thinking that it would not protect her, 
 had it not been that Mrs. Graham took such great pains to 
 impress upon my mind that when she had her letters of 
 administration she would allow no interference from out- 
 side, and, as she expressed it, ' be accountable only to her 
 God and the judge, and to no other living man.'" 
 
 Mr. Blood leaned back in his chair and laughed loud and 
 long. " But did she really say that, Arthur ? It sounds 
 so tragic, you know ; more stagey than real." 
 
 ''That is exactly what she said, Mr. Blood; and what 
 puzzles me is, how she knows so positively that she will be 
 the executrix, when the will has not yet been opened." 
 
 "0, I can easily explain that, Arthur, for Mr. Graham 
 was hardly in his grave before she was down here making 
 inquiries as to how well she was provided for in the will ; 
 and not satisfied with having her curiosity appeased in that 
 direction, she questioned me until she found out all the 
 will contained." 
 
 " Has she reason, then, for saying that she will not be 
 accountable for her acts ?" inquired Arthur, anxiousN. 
 
 "Not that I know of, Arthur ; not from anything that 
 is in the will." 
 
 " But how is it, Mr. Blood, that she is so well informed 
 in regard to probate law? I find that she is perfectly con- 
 
' FOILED. 103 
 
 fident of her position being correct, and that she knows 
 every step to take ; and she talks so easily of this or that 
 channel being the safest course, while I must admit that 
 I know nothing about such matters. This is something 
 uncommon among women, is it not T' 
 
 ''It certainly is," said Mr. Blood, with a conscious 
 smile. 
 
 " Where does she get her education in this matter ?" in- 
 quired Arthur, in j^erplexity. 
 
 " I should say it has been her life's study," began Mr. 
 Blood, again becoming serious. "I am an old man, and 
 yet in all my life I have never known a woman with the 
 peculiar talents that Mrs. Graham possesses ; and from 
 what I know of her, I should say that without a doubt she 
 married Edith's father for his money, has planned to pos- 
 sess it, and will hesitate at nothing until she succeeds. I 
 have seen more of her character than I care to tell you. 
 She is a woman of iron will, plausible in speech, quick to 
 see an advantage, and unscrupulous in using it. At bay, 
 a wild cat, that claws at your vitals and dies with only one 
 hopS — that of vengeance. And it will be no easy matter 
 to obtain justice from her. You can ouly do so by taking 
 advantage of her weakest point, which, if I am not mis- 
 taken, will show itself by her grasping more than she can 
 retain. — her will power being so great as to override her 
 otherwise excellent judgment." 
 
 " Bat will not the law and the judge make her comply 
 with the exact word and spirit of the will ?"' inquired 
 Arthur. 
 
 " I am forced to admit that we have not arrived so near 
 
104 FOILED. 
 
 the millenium as that ; and when we do, like Othello, ' my 
 occupation will be gone. ' No, Arthur, the law only pro- 
 tects those who protect themselves ; or, in the words of 
 Sydney, ' God helps those who help themselves. ' " 
 
 ''Well," said Arthur, dejectedly, "I shall talk with 
 Edith and decide what we will do." 
 
 "Wait one moment, Artliur ; I cannot let you go with- 
 out some consolation. Mrs. Graham is not the sole dicta- 
 tor. Mr. Graham's brother Webster is an executor and 
 equal in power with Mrs. Graham. It was for the pur- 
 pose of protecting Edith that her father placed him there, 
 and if you are smart you will take time by the forelock 
 and make him understand this. If you wait too long, you 
 lose even this advantage. Eemember that !" 
 
 "Well, we are in for it," said Arthur, upon his return. 
 
 " What did he say ?" eagerly inquired Edith. 
 
 "He said the law lielped those who helped themselves ; 
 that we would not get justice at Mrs. Graham's hands, if 
 he judged her character correctly." 
 
 " Well, I know her well enough to say tliat he has," said 
 Edith, positively. 
 
 "I am afraid he has, Edith. But uncle Webster is execu- 
 tor with her and has equal power, so Mr. Blood says, and 
 advises us to see him as soon as possible and find out if he 
 will protect your interest. " 
 
 "1 am afraid it is too late now, Arthur, for it is proba- 
 ble that by this time Mrs. Graham has him completely in 
 her power. He is an older man than father was, and a 
 woman with her powers of persuasion can easily influence 
 him ; but it can do no harm to see him." 
 
FOILED. 105 
 
 "Has it occurred to you how difficult it will be for us 
 to see him alone T' inquired Arthur. 
 
 '' No, not until now," replied Edith ; " but I can arrange 
 that. I will send him a note and ask him to visit us ; 
 then, when he is here, we can soon see how he feels." 
 
 " I doubt if Mrs. Graham allows him to come ; or, if 
 she does, she will accompany him," said Arthur, confident 
 of his knowledge of her intentions. 
 
 " She may not, Arthur, but I will write theiiote and then 
 we can see." 
 
 After leaving Arthur's store Mrs. Graham returned 
 home, and as she entered the room where Webster Graham 
 sat reading, said : 
 
 "I believe we have found just the man we want to di- 
 rect us in the probate business. Mr. Fletcher recom- 
 mended him, and while out I thought I would call and ask 
 his price." 
 
 "And how much was it ?" asked Webster, quickly, to 
 whom this was a^ matter of the first importance. 
 
 '•'Only forty dollars," replied Mrs. Graham, compla- 
 cently. 
 
 " AYhat ! forty dollars for all the work ?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, " and I drove a i)retty close 
 bargain, did I not ?" 
 
 " I am pretty clever at that business myself," re])lied 
 Webster, confidently, "but you have done better than I 
 could," and he chuckled to- himself, while Mrs. Graham 
 rose several degrees in his estimation. 
 
 " I feel the need of saving all the expense that is possi- 
 ble, and would liked to have engaged him, but I thought 
 
106 FOILED. 
 
 best to first ask your advice," said Mrs. Graham, as if she 
 felt her dependence upon him, 
 
 " And you say he is a good lawyer ?'" inquired Webster. 
 
 " One of the best m the city ; and, withal> he is honest." 
 
 " You had better employ him," said Webster, as if he 
 felt the matter rested entirely upon his decision. " I am 
 entirely satisfied with your judgment in matters of this 
 kind, and will only ask that you will give me as little work 
 as possible ; for I have my cares at home, and you know 
 that I am not as young as I used to be." 
 
 To the plodding farmer, accustomed to the honest coun- 
 try folk, this woman seemed a wonderful being, possessed 
 of remarkable aptness for business ; and when she told him 
 of her success with Mr. Skinner, he was, as he expressed 
 himself, only too well pleased to be relieved of the cares 
 and place them in other hands. 
 
 " There is another thing I desire to speak of," continued 
 Mrs. Graham, '^and that is, the importance of unity of 
 action. You can readily see that the business can be 
 more rapidly transacted when we are of one mind than 
 when we take opposite views; and in case of any opposition 
 from Edith, or any of the others, if we stand firmly together 
 to protect the interests of all, it will be so much easier for 
 us both." 
 
 " Yes, of course ; I can see the truth of that, and I agree 
 with you entirely," replied Webster, quickly. " You will 
 be near the lawyer and can get his advice, then write me 
 what you have decided upon as being best under all the 
 circumstances, and I will agree to it." 
 
 *' Well, I am pleased to find you a man of such excellent 
 
FOILED. 107 
 
 judgment, and, withal, so easy to get along with," said Mrs. 
 Graham, with secret exultation. "Under the trying cir- 
 cumstances of losing my dear husband," — and tears filled 
 lier eyes and choking sobs for a moment stopped her utter- 
 ance — "I — I should have found it hard indeed if I could 
 not have found one to assist me." 
 
 ''How is Edith ?" inquired Webster, abruptly, his utter- 
 ance a little thick from sympathy. 
 
 " 0, she seems to be enjoying lierself as usual. Her chief 
 desire seems to be to get hold of her poor father's money; 
 and at the funeral her eyes were not even wet. She acted 
 more as though she enjoyed the excitement than otherwise." 
 
 "0, you should not say that !" replied Webster, depre- 
 catingly. ''Edith may be a little queer, but I tliink she 
 loved her father." 
 
 "0, I think so, too ! But she has changed greatly since 
 her marriage. Her love for money has grown very strong, 
 and, as I said, she seems very anxious to get hold of the 
 money for which her father worked so hard that he is now 
 in his grave and I am left without a protector ! " And Mrs. 
 Graham again gave way to her emotions. 
 
 "I think I had better go and see Edith ; I will be back 
 soon," said Webster, whose emotions at the sight of Mrs. 
 Graham's grief were hard to control. 
 
 "0, don't go !" quickly answered Mrs. Graham. ''' Tea 
 is just ready and I want your company." 
 
 "Well, I can go some other time," rej^lied Webster, 
 resignedly, as he again seated himself. 
 
 When Webster Graham retired in the early evening, as 
 was his custom, Mrs. Graham said : 
 
108 FOILED. 
 
 •' Now, Bertha, I want your advice. You know that in 
 the will Mr. Graham has been made an executor with me. 
 Now, I want you to tell me if you think the relatives would 
 have as much confidence in the estate being well managed 
 without him as an executor as with him ? — in other 
 words, could I alone do as much without raising suspicions 
 on their part as could be done by us jointly ?^' 
 
 ''I should think not," thoughtfully replied Bertha. 
 ''They have great confidence in Uncle Webster, as they 
 call him, and his acts would almost certainly be acceptable 
 to them." 
 
 " But suppose I were to write to them frequently. Bertha, 
 and keep them well informed — would not that do equally 
 well ? " 
 
 "It would help very materially, Mrs. Graham, but I 
 doubt if it would give them the same confidence that they 
 would have if they knew he was working with you ; and as 
 he is a childish old man, I should say you ought to find but 
 little difficulty in moulding his opinions to suit you." 
 
 "That is my plan in case I give up the other," said Mrs. 
 Graham, confidently; "but I must see Mr. Skinner before 
 I decide positively." 
 
 The next morning found the members of Mrs. Graham's 
 household assembled at the breakfast table. 
 
 " I shall be going down town this morning," began Mrs. 
 Graham, "would you like to accompany me, Webster ?" 
 
 " Just going shopping ?" queried Webster. 
 
 "Yes ; there are a few errands that I must attend to," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, indifferently. 
 
 "No, I guess I had better stay at home and read the 
 
FOILED. 109 
 
 paper, and this afternoon we can go and see Edith," was 
 the reply. 
 
 This just suited Mrs, Graham, and feeling perfectly 
 secure, she started on her way to lawyer Skinner's. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 YOUR daughter's ATTORNEY, I BELIEVE. 
 
 "Aha ! I knew she would come," said Mr. Skinner, as 
 ho saw the widow alight from her carriage at his door. " I 
 have seen too much of the world to believe that my words 
 would not bear fruit. I knew her anxiety would increase 
 until she knew more." 
 
 " Good morning, Mrs. Graham." 
 
 " I came to ask your advice," began Mrs. Graham, uncer- 
 emoniously, as she took the proffered seat. My brother-in- 
 law, who is made executor by the will, would undoubtedly 
 give confidence to the relatives who are legatees, and any 
 action by the executors while he acted as one would undoubt- 
 edly go unquestioned by them. Is not this a sufficient 
 reason for allowing him to remain ? " 
 
 "lb is an excellent reason, Mrs. Graham, and would be 
 sufficient to decide the matter were it not that he might 
 seriously interfere with your desires if he so chose ; while 
 with him out of the way you are absolutely free to do as 
 you choose, always, of course, keeping within the limits of 
 the law, which you will find easy enough by following my 
 advice. The courts in matters of this kind allow great 
 latitude to the executors, as so many things are constantly 
 
 110 
 
FOILED. Ill 
 
 arising that no iron-bound rules can be made to apply 
 to." 
 
 "I would feel more easy about it if he could not know 
 that we were the ones that raised the objection to his act- 
 ing," said Mrs. Graham, nearly won over. 
 
 **0, that is easily arranged," said Mr. Skinner, confi- 
 dently. "I have only to call Judge Winter's attention to 
 the fact that he is not a resident of this State and he will 
 do the rest ; this I can do in private and no one be the 
 wiser." 
 
 ''I think that will be the better plan," said Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, quietly. 
 
 "Decidedly!" replied Mr. Skinner. ''And have you 
 determined that I shall act as your attorney V 
 
 "Yes, as the attorney for the estate," replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, cautiously. 
 
 " 0, yes ; the estate pays for it, of course. And when 
 would you like to have me begin ? " inquired Mr. Skinner ; 
 " would day after to-morrow suit you ? " 
 
 " That will do." 
 
 " In that case we had better proceed at once to get the 
 will into court and have the letters of administration 
 issued to you, appraisers a})pointed to fix upon the value of 
 the personal property, and set off the widow's award. 
 You understand what the widow's award is, do you not ?'" 
 and Mr. Skinner looked searchingly at his client to see the 
 effect of his words. 
 
 " I am not certain that I do," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 " Well, it is an amount that is given to the widow for 
 her support. 
 
112 FOILED. 
 
 " Not all that she gets, is it?" 
 
 " 0, no ; it is in addition to what the will gives you." 
 
 " Then, in ease the will gives me an equal third, would 
 I get more than either of the other thirds ? " inquired 
 Mrs. Graham, expectantly. 
 
 "Yes, to the extent of your widow's award." 
 
 "Is that the law ?" 
 
 " That is the law, and it is very strong on that point," 
 replied Mr. Skinner, confidently. 
 
 " How much is the widow's award ? " inquired Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, thoughtfully. 
 
 " That is decided by the appraisers." 
 
 "And can they make it as large as they desire ? " 
 
 "I can fix it so that you will be satisfied," replied Mr. 
 Skinner, confidently. " You had better name two of your 
 friends that you can depend upon to do as you desire, and 
 I will put in my clerk as the other one, and he will fix the 
 amount so high as to satisfy you ; the judge will accept them 
 and you will get your award." 
 
 Mrs. Graham began to fesl easy once more. The world 
 was moving in the right direction, and as she started for 
 home she felt that a good day's work had been accom- 
 plished. 
 
 •"Here is a letter for you, Mr. Graham," said the servant, 
 entering the room where he sat reading. 
 
 Mr. Graham opened the letter, and reading Edith's 
 urgent invitation, resolved that he would go at once and 
 make her the visit he had long intended to make but never 
 accomplished. So, telling Bertha where he was going, he 
 started for Edith's, where he sat for some time before Edith 
 had the courage to ask him the questions she desired. 
 
FOILED. 113 
 
 '' TJucle/' began Edith at last, "father has made you 
 the executor of his will, has he not ? " 
 
 "1 believe he has, Edith." 
 
 "Well — well — I have an imj^ortant question to ask 
 you," said Edith, at a loss to know just what the question 
 was. 
 
 Aha ! thought Webster, so what Mrs. Graham said was 
 true. Edith has sent for me in order that she may know 
 how soon she can get her father's money. I must correct 
 this spirit in her — it is not right. 
 
 "If you are executor of father's will," began Edith 
 again, "you will protect my interests against Mrs. Gra- 
 ham if she attempts to obtain what belongs to me, will you 
 not ? " 
 
 " Edith, it pains me to see you make such an exhibition 
 of greed," began uncle Webster, yielding to his sense 
 of duty. "Mrs. Graham and I will protect your interests, 
 and I trust you will be saving of your father's money when 
 it comes." 
 
 "I shall have to be if I must rely upon what I get from 
 her," said Edith, pointedly. 
 
 "Edith ! Edith ! I do not like to hear you speak so of 
 Mrs. Graham!" said Webster, reprovingly. "A better 
 woman could not have been placed in her position. She i& 
 careful, saving and shrewd in her management of the 
 affairs of your father's estate." 
 
 " She usurps the place of a woman as far her superior as 
 the angels are to mortals," said Edith, bitterly; "and you 
 do my mother no credit when you say a better woman could 
 not be in her position. A better woman has been there, 
 
 8 
 
114 FOILED. 
 
 and had she lived I would not now be vainly supplicating 
 jon for protection." 
 
 '' I respect the memory of your mother, Edith, but that 
 should be no cause for your slanders upon Mrs. Graham," 
 rei')lied uncle Webster, sadly. 
 
 " I do not slander her; I am telling you only the truth. 
 But here comes Arthur ; he can explain what we desi:e 
 better than I," and Edith. ushered Arthur into the room, 
 while uncle Webster's face showed his determination to re- 
 sist them both. 
 
 "1 was just telling uncle what we desired, Arthur," said 
 Judith as he entered, ''and we seem to have misunderstood 
 each other. Can you not explain it so that he can more 
 perfectly understand it ? " 
 
 '* It is a very simple matter," replied Arthur; "all we 
 want is that you should know that you were made an execu- 
 tor for the purpose of protecting Edith^s interest in her 
 father's estate, and if you will do so." 
 
 " Edith needs no protection," replied uncle Webster, 
 *' and if she did the law would be sufficient. Both Mrs. 
 Graham and myself desire nothing more than that she shall 
 get all that her father leaves her, and use it well when she 
 gets it." 
 
 ''The law is a poor protector, uncle Webster; and 
 excuse me if I again ask you if 3'ou will protect Edith's 
 interests against Mrs. Grahaui ? " 
 
 " It is an insult to Mrs. Graham to ask such a question," 
 replied Webster, angrily, "and I shall leave it unanswered. 
 I am very sorry that your minds are so occupied with the 
 thought of getting this money. It does not look well to 
 be so grasping," 
 
FOILED, 115 
 
 *' When you know Mrs. Graham as thoroughly as I do/' 
 replied Arthur, earnestly, ''you will more fully realize that 
 our course has been dictated by ordinary prudence, rather 
 than by greed. You must admit that Edith is entitled to 
 what her father left her, whether she does or does not make 
 an effort to obtain it. This is a self-evident proposition, 
 and if she has cause to believe that Mrs. Graham mtends 
 to keep it from her, the fact that she desires you to do your 
 duty does not admit of being construed into an appearance 
 of unseemly haste or greed. You have, as I understand 
 it, refused to comply with her request, and we can only 
 construe your silence on this point to mean that you are so 
 thoroughly impressed with Mrs. Graham's apparent honesty 
 that you are ready to accept her every act without ques- 
 tioning it. That you are wrong in this impression is 
 fully proven by father Graham's placing you in this j^osi- 
 tion to defend his daughter against all possibility of Mrs. 
 Graham's defeating his will. Whether he was correct or 
 not in his judgment of your ability to withstand her allur- 
 ing smiles, and firmly do your duty, remains to be seen." 
 
 " I intend to do my duty," replied Webster, " but I shall 
 have to see some better proofs than your suspicions before 
 I can willingly distrust Mrs. Graham." 
 
 It is too late, thought Arthur ; he belongs to the other 
 side. 
 
 Mrs. Graham was not a little surprised when she returned 
 home to find that uncle Webster had gone to see Edith, 
 and re-entering her carriage she ordered that it be driven 
 there at once. 
 
 "Ah, good morning, Edith," said Mrs. Graham, as with 
 
116 FOILED. 
 
 her most pleasing smile she entered the room ; "and you, 
 Arthur, I am pleased to see you again ; it has been a long 
 time since I have seen you all. Are you both well ? " 
 
 "Very well, thank you," replied Arthur, as suave in his 
 manner as was Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "We have not seen you at the house lately; have you so 
 readily forgotten your old friends ? " continued Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, with every appearance of friendliness. 
 
 "I have been rather busy, and when I return at night I 
 find our home and Edith's company so agreeable I cannot 
 bear to break away," replied Arthur, gravely. 
 
 "0, yes ; that is always the way with young folks," re- 
 plied Mrs. Graham, with a half -suppressed sigh ; " but 
 they soon settle down to the humdrum of actual fact." 
 
 "That may be, but we have not arrived at that point 
 yet," replied Arthur, quietly. 
 
 "No, I suppose not. But, by the way, I have Just 
 returned from the lawyers," said Mrs. Graham, turning to 
 the others, "and he suggests that it is time to begin set- 
 tling the estate. I believe that everything necessary has 
 been done, and we are now ready to probate the will." 
 
 Ah, thought Arthur, this is what she has had on her 
 mind all the time, and now speaks of it as if it had just 
 occurred to her. 
 
 "There is one thing I should like to have done first," 
 said Edith, quietly. 
 
 "And what is that ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, turning 
 sharply, upon her. 
 
 " I should like to have the will read. I believe it is 
 customarj'," said Edith, doubtfully. 
 
FOILED. 117 
 
 **0, certainly," said Mrs. Graham, with a sneer, "if 
 you have so much curiosity in such matters. Thank 
 heaven ! I have not." 
 
 Her manner exasiDcrated Arthur to the highest pitch, 
 and smarting under the cruel wrongs he now knew she had 
 inflicted upon Edith for so many years, he turned upon her 
 in righteous indignation, and said ; 
 
 ''No, you have no curiosity now, because you sought 
 and found how well you were provided for by the will just 
 as soon as your husband was in his grave I There, un- 
 cle Webster, is a sample of indecent haste that is worthy 
 of your attention ! " 
 
 "Who told you that ?" demanded Mrs. Graham, angrily. 
 
 "'No matter who told me," replied Arthur, fiercely. 
 " Deny it and I will produce the proof." 
 
 Tears were her only consolation, and between her chok- 
 ing sobs she said : 
 
 ''And must I — be insulted in this manner — now that I — 
 have no protector ? " 
 
 "I have no desire to insult you," replied Arthur, "but 
 toward Edith your actions are simply unbearable, and must 
 cease." 
 
 Edith, as was her custom when Mrs. Graham was near 
 her, was trembling in her chair, while Webster sat by, an 
 interested but docile spectator. 
 
 Finding that her tears did not accomplish their object, 
 Mrs. Graham quickly brushed them aside, and rising, said 
 to Webster : "We had better be going." Then turning to 
 Arthur, she said, plaintively : "I do not desire to quarrel 
 with you." 
 
118 FOILED. 
 
 "Then be just to Edith and the greatest cause will be 
 removed," replied Arthur, decisively. 
 
 "It is my desire to do so,^' replied Mrs. Graham, impres- 
 sively, as she took her leave. 
 
 "I wonder what is in store for us now? "said Edith, 
 after they had gone. 
 
 *^I do not know," replied Arthur, determinedly, "but I 
 will meet them wherever they choose and as best I can. 
 They have the advantage of position, but we have right on 
 our side and must trust to that." 
 
 "I found," said Mrs. Graham, when she and Webster 
 were seated in her carriage, "that I had a little time to 
 spare, and concluded we had better close the bargain with 
 Mr. Skinner at once, so I called on him and told him we 
 had concluded to accept his proposition — was that as you 
 desired ?" 
 
 "Yes, that is perfectly satisfactory to me," replied Web- 
 ster. "We talked it over and that was what we decided 
 upon, I think." 
 
 " That is as I understood it," replied Mrs. Graham, "and 
 as he was anxious to begin, I consented that he should have 
 the will brought into court, and day after to-morrow we 
 are to appear." 
 
 " I am pleased to know it is to be so soon, for I feel that I 
 must get back home," replied Webster, with a sigh of relief. 
 
 "Then what I did suits you ?" 
 
 "Yes, perfectly." 
 
 "Well, I am rejoiced at that, Webster, for I was a little 
 timid about giving my consent without you were present." 
 
 " I have perfect confidence in your judgment," replied 
 
FOILED. 119 
 
 Webster, reassuringly ; ''but I fear Arthur and Edith intend 
 to make us trouble." 
 
 - " 0, pshaw ! What can he do ? " replied Mrs. Graham, 
 with evident disgust. 
 
 "That is true. A.t best, he could only worry us." 
 
 ■' I'll risk his worrying me while we have the law and 
 power on our side, for if we were to delay giving Edith her 
 money only a short time they would be only too glad to 
 abandon any notions they may now have of making trouble. 
 0, no ; I fear no opposition from that source," said Mrs. 
 Graham, confident of her position. 
 
 "I think we hold the reins," said Webster, chuckling, 
 '' and, as you say, need fear no trouble from them. But from 
 Arthur's actions I feared he might be inclined to make 
 trouble ; I did not like the way he spoke to you wlien we 
 were there." 
 
 "0, well, I don't mind those things as I used to," said 
 Mrs. Graham, resignedly; "I have grown accustomed to 
 
 them." • 
 
 "It shows a very bad disposition, to say the least," con- 
 tinued Webster. 
 
 "Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, "but I have seen so much 
 of it that I do not mind it now." 
 
 The next morning Arthur received word from Mr. Blood 
 that he had been called upon to file the will in court. 
 
 " What shall we do about it ?" said Arthur, after Edith 
 had finished reading the note. 
 
 "I would advise you to see Mr. Blood, and have him 
 watch them," replied Edith, earnestly. 
 
 Arthur placed the note in his pocket and started for Mr. 
 Blood's office. Entering, he said : 
 
120 FOILED. 
 
 ''Mr. Blood, we have decided to have you watch this 
 matter for my wife. I feel an uneasiness that I cannot 
 explain. The more I think about it, the more I believe this 
 to be the proper course." 
 
 "All right," replied Mr. Blood. "I will enter her 
 appearance, and hereafter they can take no step without 
 first notifying me." 
 
 ''That is what I want," said Arthur, earnestly; "for 
 Mrs. G-raham's words — ' I will be accountable to no other 
 living man' — ring in my ears yet, and it seems to me that 
 if you have to be notified each time she attempts to do 
 anything, she comes pretty close to being accountable to 
 Edith. But why was she so anxious to impress me with the 
 idea that she would not be accountable ? " 
 
 "It is very plain to me that she intended to carry this 
 business with a high hand," replied Mr. Blood, "and this 
 was her warning to you not to interfere." 
 
 "Well, you attend to it, Mr. Blood, and we will see what 
 her warning amounts to," said Arthur, greatly relieved by 
 his assurances. 
 
 Mrs. Graham was somewhat in doubt as to how Webster 
 would act in regard to her award, and as she felt that any 
 mention of it by her would only tend to arouse his suspi- 
 cions in regard to it, she wisely decided that it would be 
 best for him to first hear of it in the bustle and excitement 
 of their preparations to enter court. She therefore deci- 
 ded to go with him, on the appointed day, to Mr. Skinner's 
 oJB&ce in time to have the matter settled before the opening 
 of the court ; so entering, she said : 
 
 "Mr. Skinner, this is Webster Graham, the executor of 
 
FOILED. 123 
 
 my husband's will, and you had best explain to him as you 
 have to me the formal proceedings we shall have to go 
 through." 
 
 " They are, in brief," replied Mr. Skinner, in a bustling, 
 off-hand manner, " the filing of the will in court, proof 
 of heirship of the daughter, appointing of appraisers to 
 place a value upon the personal property, the allowance of 
 the widow's award, and issuing of letters of administration 
 to yourself and Mrs. Graham. These are merely the mat- 
 ters of routine business that will occur, and will hardly 
 need your presence except for advice as to whom the ap- 
 praisers should be ; the other matters I can handle with 
 very little trouble." 
 
 " He knows best," suggested Mrs. Graham, " and we 
 had better leave these matters to him, had we not, Web- 
 ster ?" 
 
 "Undoubtedly, undoubtedly," replied the now thor- 
 oughly dazed old gentleman, to whom the disposal of these 
 weighty matters in so unceremonious a manner, by Mr. 
 Skinner, raised him in his estimation just in proportion as 
 their importance diminished in his. 
 
 "I think I understand you," said Mr. Skinner, with a 
 knowing look at Mrs. Graham, "and we had better go 
 over to the court room now, so that we will be ready when 
 court opens." 
 
 "■ He seems to thoroughly understand his business," said 
 Mrs. Graham, as she and Webster were seated in the court 
 room watching Mr. Skinner in his preparations. 
 
 " Yes, he is a pretty sharp one," replied Webster. 
 
 "And the picture of honesty," suggested Mrs. Graham. 
 
122 FOILED. 
 
 ''0, he is honest enough, no doubt ; but we must look 
 out for his charges," replied Webster, ever on the alert to 
 save the pennies while the thousands were slipping out of 
 his reach unnoticed. 
 
 " 0, that is all arranged/' replied Mrs. Graham, confi- 
 dently ; "he cannot charge us more than the forty dol- 
 lars. " 
 
 " Is the will of Stewart Graham in court ?" asked Judge 
 Winters from the bench. 
 
 ''It is, your Honor," replied Mr. Skinner. 
 
 ''Are the executors present ?" 
 
 "They are; and here is the proof of heirship of the 
 daughter and the other documents relating to the case." 
 
 " You have examined them, I suppose ?" 
 
 "I have." 
 
 " Then let them be shown to the attorney representing the 
 daughter." 
 
 Mrs. Graham looked at Uncle Webster in utter astonish- 
 ment. Up to this point the proceedings had been to her 
 liking, but now an unlooked-for element had crept in and 
 placed her position in uncertainty. 
 
 " What does this mean?" demanded Mrs. Graham of Mr. 
 Skinner, as Mr. Blood quietly advanced and took up the 
 papers. 
 
 "Your daughter's attorney, I believe," said Mr. Skin- 
 ner, composedly. 
 
 "She's not my daughter!" said Mrs. Graham, indig- 
 nantly. "What business has she to interfere? Why 
 don't you demand those papers from Mr. Blood ? He has no 
 right to them." 
 
FOILED. 133 
 
 " Yes, as the daughter's attorney he is entitled to exam- 
 ine all the papers and object to them if he desires ; and I 
 fear that is what he is going to do in regard to the 
 award. " 
 
 Mrs. Graham flushed with indignation, and 'found it 
 hard to keej) her seat ; but when Mr. Blood, after finish- 
 ing his perusal of the papers, arose, she was all attention 
 to catch his every word. 
 
 " Your Honor," began Mr. Blood, ''I am somewhat sur- 
 prised at the contents of some of these papers, esjoecially 
 as they are presented in connection with this will, with the 
 provisions of which they are in direct opposition ; and if 
 the widow respects the will of her deceased husband, or if 
 she desires to be just, she cannot make these claims upon 
 this estate. This is true as relates to the exact wording of 
 the will. As to the wishes of Mr. Graham, I can say 
 that I drew this will, and I know that it was to avoid just 
 such claims as this that he, after giving her one-third of his 
 estate, inserted the clause — ' in lieu of all dower rights or 
 other claims which she may have in and to my estate '■ — and 
 unless wiser counsels prevail and this claim is withdrawn, 
 I, as the attorney for the daughter, shall advise her to re- 
 sist so unjust a claim to the full extent of the law." 
 
 Had a thunderbolt shot into their midst it could not 
 have more unsettled the three against whom it was directed. 
 
 Mr. Skinner was for the moment nonplussed and ill at 
 ease ; he could not find words for a reply. 
 
 Mrs. Graham and Webster both felt that Mr. Blood was 
 the cause of all the trouble- — "Webster, because he inno- 
 cently believed the law would only permit what was right 
 
124 FOILED. 
 
 to be done ; Mrs. Graham, because she knew that without 
 Mr. Blood, Edith would not have known of it until too 
 late. 
 
 " There is no doubt in the mind of the court," said 
 Judge Winters, rising, ''that the testator desired his widow 
 to receive only the amount that he gives her in his will ; 
 but if, against his expressed wishes, the widow demands 
 her award, I can see no way to prevent it. Knowing this, if 
 the widow desires to take this award, and under these cir- 
 cumstances, I must set it off to her " 
 
 "We would be pleased to have you appoint the apprais- 
 ers, and the executors suggest that these be the persons 
 selected," said Mr. Skinner, who had now regained his 
 composure, and he handed Judge Winters the names of the 
 three whom they had decided upon. 
 
 " If they are not objected to," said Judge Winters," I will 
 appoint these three to act as the appraisers of the personal 
 property, and to decide upon the amount of the widow's 
 award. " 
 
 "They are satisfactory to me," replied Mr. Blood ; I 
 know two of them very well ; but the third one — who is 
 he?" 
 
 "He is my clerk," replied Mr. Skinner. 
 
 "Well, I can't say that I approve of that," said Mr. 
 Blood, doubtfully ; "however, the other two will keep him 
 straight." 
 
 "We would like the letters of administration to be 
 issued to the executors," continued Mr. Skinner. 
 
 " It has come to my notice that the testator's brother is 
 not a resident of this State," said Judge Winters, " and if 
 
FOILED. 125 
 
 such is the case^ he cannot act as an executor of this will." 
 
 "That is too bad I" said Mrs. Graham^ turning to Web- 
 ster ; *' I shall miss you so much ! " 
 
 " I feel greatly relieved," whisi^ered Webster, '' and you 
 can carry it on just as well without me." 
 
 "Your Honor," said Mr. Blood, rising hastily, "if you 
 will allow me to argue a case after the decision is made 
 against me, I would like to say that Mr. Graham placed his 
 brother in this position for a purpose : that purpose was to 
 defend the daughter, and others interested, against any 
 acts of his widow that might be detrimental to them. 
 Whether this was, or was not, a wise act on his part, would 
 seem to be fully answered by her acts here ; and if I thought 
 that I could by any means induce your Honor to reconsider 
 your decision, I would be well pleased to lay the whole case 
 before you, for I deem it a most important matter that 
 Webster Graham be accepted as an executor." 
 
 When Mrs. Graham and her attorney had plotted the 
 overthrow of Webster they had not foreseen the effect that 
 Mr. Blood's presence would have, and her whispered words 
 of condolence to Webster when it was announced that he 
 could not be accepted as an executor was all in conformity 
 to a pre-arranged plan; but now, almost without her know- 
 ledge of the source, she was being worried by Arthur through 
 Mr. Blood^s "earnest advocacy of Webster's cause, which 
 forced the conspirators to either show their friendship or 
 openly oppose him. 
 
 " I should very much like to see Webster Graham an 
 executor, and would urge that he be accepted, were it not 
 for the fact that the court has given his opinion adversely. 
 
126 FOILED. 
 
 and there is now no appeal," said Mr. Skinner, under 
 the i^romptings of Mrs. Graham. 
 
 '' If I were certain that he would be i^resent when needed, 
 I would consent to his acting as an executor, as there now 
 seems to be no opposing voice," said Judge Winters, looking 
 inquiringly at Mr. Skinner. 
 
 Mrs. Graham scowled darkly at Mr. Blood as she realized 
 that he had again defeated their plans.- 
 
 *'*He says he would like to be excused, but if it is decided 
 as best that he be accepted, he will be here as often as neces- 
 sary," replied Mr. Skinner, reluctantly. 
 
 ''Webster Graham will act as one of the executors," said 
 Judge Winters. " Is that all, Mr. Skinner ?" 
 
 ''That is all." 
 
 " Call the next case," said Judge Winters, as the execu- 
 tors arose to leave. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DIAMOXD CUTS DIAMON"D. 
 
 Arthur was busily engaged, and all unconscious of these 
 scenes, when, to his surprise, Mrs. Graham suddenly 
 appeared before him, and in breathless excitement, asked : 
 
 ''What does all this mean, Arthur ? Why have you done 
 
 this r 
 
 Not quite as ignorant as he seemed, for he quickly 
 surmised that she had unexpectedly encountered Mr. 
 Blood, he asked : 
 
 ''To what do you refer ?" 
 
 "Why this man — this lawyer that has been shadowing 
 us all the afternoon in the court room." 
 
 " 0, you must mean Mr. Blood," said Arthur, quietly. 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Blood," replied Mrs. Graham, impetuously. 
 
 "0, we had him there just to watch the proceedings, 
 and report to us," said Arthur, indifferently. You see, 
 Mrs. Graham, this was our only recourse after you decided 
 that you would be accountable to ' no living man.' " 
 
 " But what is the necessity for his being present ? " 
 demanded Mrs. Graham. " Why do you incur this expense ? 
 Mr. Skinner is your attorney as much as ours. Now, 
 Arthur, will you not discharge this man and stop this 
 fighting against the law ? " 
 
 127 
 
128 FOILED. 
 
 *' The fact that his presence makes you uneasy and that 
 you insist upon his discharge is the best reason I can give 
 you why we should retain him," replied Arthur, with a quiet 
 smile. 
 
 "You need have no fears that we would or could harm 
 you, Arthur," said Mrs. Graham, earnestly; *'and if we 
 desired to, the law would prevent us from doing so." 
 
 *^And you need have no fears that Mr. Blood can harm 
 you, Mrs. Graham, for if you do right he cannot interfere ; 
 but if you desire to do that which is wrong, then, most 
 assuredly, we need him, and shall keep him where he can 
 prevent it, even against your wishes." 
 
 ''Then you will not discharge him and stop all this 
 trouble ?" demanded Mrs. Graham, exciteilly. 
 
 " I can see no good reason for doing so," replied Arthur^ 
 firmly. 
 
 " You may see hereafter why you should have done so," 
 replied MrSo Graham^ as, baffled and ill at ease, she returned 
 to her carriage, where timid Webster Graham sat anxiously 
 awaiting her return. « 
 
 ''What did he say ?" began Webster, as Mrs. Graham 
 took her scat beside him. 
 
 "0, he is determined in his course," replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, in a voice that showed no emotion, "and will not 
 discharge his lawyer, even though I pointed out to him the 
 certainty that his course must result in trouble and expense 
 to him." 
 
 Webster made no reply, and but little more was said as they 
 journeyed homeward. Mrs. Graham felt she was on dan- 
 gerous ground. If Webster should share Arthur's views, 
 
\ 
 
 FOILED. 129 
 
 and it should come to his notice that she had made the 
 attempt to have Judge Winters reject him, it would be a 
 serious matter for the success of her plans ; and if the rela- 
 tives should hear of it, what view would they take of her 
 course in demanding more than the will gave her ? She' 
 could but confess to herself the probability that they would 
 agree with Arthur, for it v/as to their interest to do so ; 
 for if she had been defeated in her attempt to obtain her 
 award, they, of course, would have been the gainers as well 
 as Edith. How best to approach Webster so as to gain hini 
 over to her side, was the problem that kept her thoughts' 
 busy until they reached home. But her keen judgment 
 and plausible arguments did not forsake her now ; and 
 when she alighted from her carriage her plans were made, 
 and she ready for the herculean task of convincing Web- 
 ster, against his own interest and with all the facts against 
 her, that she was in the right. 
 
 '' Because Edith is not satisfied with her father's will 
 and has determined to fight against it, it seems unjust that' 
 the estate must bear the expense of their foolishness," 
 began Mrs. Graham, as she laid aside her wrappings and 
 returned to the room where Webster was sitting. 
 
 This was a matter that had not as yet been considered by 
 him, and, as his answer proved, the suggestion of it did 
 Mrs. Graham credit for her judgment. 
 
 ''If Arthur and Edith think they are going to have a 
 circus, and the estate pay the bills, they are sadly mistaken. 
 I have seen too much of law in my time to be easily fooled 
 by children now,'' replied Webster, determinedly. 
 
 "0, I do not mean that they expect their lawyer will be 
 
 9 
 
130 FOILED. 
 
 paid by the estate ; but in their efforts to break the will they 
 will not only have to spend their own money, but will cause 
 the estate to spend large sums in defending the will 
 against their efforts to break it." 
 
 " They will never succeed in that, let me tell you, or my 
 name is not Webster Graham." 
 
 Well, I am sure of him, thought Mrs. Graham, — now 
 for the others. 
 
 " I was thinking that if Arthur was to gain the confidence 
 of his uncle Ralph's family by a plausible story, ' they 
 might believe him, and, not rightly understanding tlie 
 ca?o, be induced by him to oppose us." 
 
 '•0, he would have no influence with them ; why he is 
 only a boy," replied Webster with a sneer. 
 
 "That is very true. But suppose that Mr. Blood should 
 dictate a letter for him, could he not make falsehood ap- 
 jiear like the truth to them ? And would it not be much 
 better for us to inform them exactly how the case is, than 
 to run this risk ?" 
 
 "Well, if that is so, you liad better do it and set the 
 matter at rest," replied Webster, who was only too anxious 
 to avoid all unnecessary work. 
 
 ^'But that is just what I want you to do, as your judg- 
 ment would have much more weight with them than mine," 
 said Mrs. Graham, patronizingly. "And you must not 
 forget the difference in our relationship to them, which is 
 an important factor in so delicate a matter as this." 
 
 "But I would hardly know what to write," replied 
 Webster, greatly perplexed. 
 
 *' You were present this afternoon and heard what trans- 
 pired ?" 
 
" Yes, but I hardly understood what was said," replied 
 Webster, doubtfully. 
 
 '* Well, you write and I will dictate," said Mrs. Graham, 
 hardly able to repress her smiles at the success of her ruse. 
 
 So, in the handwriting of uncle Webster, Mrs. Graham 
 wrote : 
 
 *'My Dear Sister Lucy : 
 
 "In settling the estate of our brother, we had hoped 
 to have as little publicity and scandal as possible ; but for 
 some unaccountable reason Edith has employed a lawyer 
 and begun proceedings to break her father's will, hoping 
 thereby to obtain all her father's property, including the por- 
 tion that he left to you and your children. To keep her 
 from doing this will require a large expenditure of money, 
 and result in a great delay in settling the estate ; and should 
 she succeed, you would all be defrauded of that which 
 rightfully belongs to you. Both Mrs. Graham and I join 
 in the request that you will not in any way encourage her, 
 or lend your influence to her, in so unjust a proceeding. 
 She will, no doubt, write you most plausible excuses for 
 her actions, and I write you this in order that you may 
 fully understand the matter, and the more readily compre- 
 hend their purposes. 
 
 '• Yours sincerely, 
 
 " Webster Graham."' 
 
 " What could I have done without your advice and aid ?" 
 said Mrs. Graham, resuming her conversation when the 
 letter was finished. "And when I think how nearly suc- 
 cessful Edith was in her attempt to have Judge Winters 
 reject you, it makes me shudder !" 
 
 "And did Edith do that ? " inquired Webster, indig- 
 nantly. 
 
133 FOILED. 
 
 " Who else could it be, Webster ? It was as much a 
 part of her plan as the other. You would not believe me 
 the other day when I told you how her love of money had 
 grown upon her ; but a few more lessons like these you 
 have received to-day will soon convince you ; and if I were 
 left alone with no one to advise and counsel with me while 
 every one's hand is against me, my fate would indeed be 
 sad ! " and tears filled her eyes as she continued : "But 
 you have been my protector, and I feel much more thank- 
 ful than I can express in words. Had you failed me, I 
 would not have had courage to go on." 
 
 "I am not a man that would desert yon in times like 
 these," said Webster, much affected by Mrs. Graham's 
 apparent sorrow, ' ' and I will go and see Edith and show 
 her where she is wrong ; and when she sees it as we do, she 
 will discharge that lawyer, and we will have an end of this 
 trouble. For this lawyer is the cause of all this mischief ; 
 I feel certain that he is. He wants to make a large fee out 
 of this estate,' and gives her bad advice in order that he 
 may appear to earn it. I'll go and see her and straighten 
 out the matter very quickly." 
 
 Edith was sitting by the window awaiting Arthur's return, 
 when, to her surprise, she saw uncle Webster making his 
 way to the house, and ushering him in, said : ' 
 
 "Well, uncle, I hardly hoped you would come so soon 
 again ; and now you are here you must stay to tea." 
 
 "JSTo, Edith," rei3lied Webster, "I came to talk with 
 you on a matter of serious importance to us all. You see 
 you have gotten into the clutches of one of these unprinci- 
 pled lawyers, and naturally he wants to make all the money 
 
i 
 
 FOILED. 133 
 
 he can, and so gives you bad advice in order to make more 
 trouble and larger fees for himself. Now, when he advised 
 you to try and break your father^s will, he did not give — " 
 
 " But ho has not advised me to break father's will," in- 
 terrupted Edith. 
 
 "Well, it's all the same — when he advised Arthur to try 
 and break the will, he was not giving him the advice that 
 was for your best interests." 
 
 "And you say that Arthur has employed a lawyer to 
 break father's will ? 0, no !" said Edith, shaking her 
 head, doubtfully. "You must be mistaken ; I feel certain 
 that you are." 
 
 " But I was there and saw the whole performance, and I 
 know that is what Mister Lawyer tried to do," jiersisted 
 Webster. 
 
 " If he did, I am certain it was without Arthur's knowl- 
 edge or consent," replied Edith, positively. 
 
 " 0, that is not likely, Edith ; a lawyer would not at- 
 tempt to do that without the consent of his client." 
 
 " It sounds much more like Mrs. Graham than like 
 Arthur, and I am sure there is a mistake somewhere," said 
 Edith, firmly. "But here comes Arthur; he can answer 
 for himself." 
 
 "Arthur, you have not allowed Mr. Blood to try and 
 break father's will, have you?" asked Edith, confidently. 
 
 "No, certainly I have not I" replied Arthur. "But 
 why do you ask ? " 
 
 "There !" said Edith, exultingly — "I knew he had 
 not ! " 
 
 " Who says I have ? " demanded Arthur. 
 
134 FOILED. 
 
 *' Why, some one has told uncle Webster that Mr. Blood, 
 by your advice, tried to break the will, and I denied it." 
 
 ''And you did right ! " Then, turning to Webster, he 
 continued : ''And, uncle Webster, you can tell any one 
 who makes that charge, that he either does not understand 
 the case or wilfully lies." 
 
 " But I — that is, Mrs. Graham — we — well — we so under- 
 stood it," reiDlied Webster, somewhat taken aback by 
 Arthur's strong denial. 
 
 "0, I beg pardon !" said Arthur, quickly, "I did not 
 understand that it was you who made the charge, but may 
 I ask your reasons for so doing ? " 
 
 "Well — we were in court, " replied Webster, hesitatingly. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well — we saw — "and Webster hesitated, a little in 
 doubt as to just what he had seen. 
 
 "You saw," said Arthur, impetuously, "an attempt on 
 the part of Mrs. Graham to break the will to the extent 
 of grasping more than she was entitled to by it ; and you 
 also saw Edith's lawyer protest against her attempted rob- 
 bery ; but you did not see any action of our attorney that 
 could be tortured into an attempt by him to break father 
 Graham's will — now, did you ? " 
 
 "But Mrs. Graham did not ask for this award," said 
 Webster, ignoring Arthur's pointed question. " The law 
 gave it to her and she had nothing to say in the matter. " 
 
 "Let us settle one question at a time," persisted Arthur. 
 " You have made the charge that we, or our attorney, tried 
 to break the will ; I have denied it, and ask you to point 
 out one act that we have done that proves your chui-ge to 
 be justly made." 
 
FOILED. 135 
 
 " I think we are both a little excited," said Webster, 
 disappointedly, " and had better drop the subject until 
 some future time." 
 
 "It is a fair question and should receive a straightfor- 
 ward answer," persisted Arthur. ''You can at least say yes 
 or no. " 
 
 But Webster was not to be caught so easily. He had 
 called for the purpose of convincing Edith and Arthur that 
 they were wrong, and in that way setting the matter right ; 
 so, with a grim determination, he again returned to the 
 matter of Mrs. Graham's award. 
 
 " You see," he continued, " you are both mistaken as to 
 Mrs. Graham's intentions ; and instead of inquiring of her 
 what she intends to do, and why, you suspicion her of 
 dishonesty, and even theft." 
 
 "But Mrs. Graham gave me notice some time ago that 
 she would not be accountable to us," replied Arthur. "And 
 beside all that, her own acts condemn her ; for if you 
 claim that the law gives her this award, and that she had 
 nothing to do with it, how do you account for the fact that 
 she signed the paper demanding that this award be set off 
 to her." 
 
 " Easy enough : it was only a formal compliance with 
 the law. And, Arthur, if you had only asked for these 
 explanations before you hired that lawyer, much ill-feeling 
 would have been saved, and you would have been better 
 off in many ways. If Mrs. Graham was so disposed, she 
 could delay the settlement of the estate knd keep Edith 
 from having her portion for many years. But she is not 
 inclined to do this, even after your opposition and false 
 
136 FOILED. 
 
 charges have been brought to her attention. And now I 
 can assure you that it will be to your interest to discharge 
 this lawyer and stop fighting and making these charges 
 against Mrs. Graham, then, when you are in doubt, go to 
 Mrs. Graham, or write me, and we can soon explain matters 
 satisfactorily.^' 
 
 "Well," said Arthur, comj)lacently, "suppose you be- 
 gin to explain some of the doubts now. I should like to 
 know, for one thing, how it is that Mrs. Graham can take 
 this much more than father Graham intended her to and 
 not, in spirit, at least, be breaking the will f"' 
 
 " Well, the law provides that a widow shall have an 
 award, even though it is forgotten in the will," began 
 Webster, uneasily. 
 
 " There is no forgetting in this case," replied Arthur, 
 positively, "for your brother particularly sj^ecifies that 
 w hat the will gives her shall be in place of all these claims 
 that she may have by law, and the law would not give her 
 this award if she had not demanded it in writing. You 
 would not consent that she should take the jDortion that 
 the will gives her, and in excess of that allow her to claim 
 her dower and homestead and widow's award, would you ?" 
 
 "ISTo, most assuredly not," replied Webster, confi- 
 dently. 
 
 "Then why do you agree to her demand for any one of 
 them ? All of them would be given her if there was no 
 will, and she would only have to formally comply with the 
 law, as you call it, to obtain them." 
 
 " Well, Mr. Skinner says it amounts to nothing more 
 than a mere matter of form," replied Webster, dejectedly. 
 
\ 
 
 FOILED. 137 
 
 "Judge Winters did not so consider it wlien he said that 
 if the widow demanded this award against her husband's 
 wishes, as expressed in his will, that he must set it off to 
 her. And now, uncle Webster, explain to me if her sig- 
 nature to that demand means anything more or less than a 
 desire to take what her husband did not wish her to have ?" 
 
 "It is plain to me, Arthur, that you have no desire to 
 listen to reason in this matter, or to be convinced against 
 your desires," said uncle Webster, rising; "andasall I 
 could say would not change your determination, I might 
 as well be going."' 
 
 "I trust I may always be open to conviction, uncle," 
 said Arthur, with a slight tinge of sarcasm ; " but you 
 have given me no reason for changing my views except 
 your belief in Mrs. Graham's honesty, while questions on 
 two most important subjects you have declined to answer." 
 
 "I have no desire to farther discuss the matter," said 
 Webster, sadly ; "it would do no good." 
 
 "•Well," said Edith, when her uncle had gone, "that 
 fulfills my prophecy. I told you Mrs. Graham would gain 
 the mastery over him, and keep it." 
 
 "Yes," replied Arthur, laughing, "he knows no will 
 but hers now; no law but that which she lays down." 
 
 "It almost made me smile when uncle Webster accused 
 you of not listening to reason, while he declined to answer 
 your questions, or listen to anything that did not fit his 
 ideas. But, Arthur, how did you find out so much of what 
 transpired in court ? " 
 
 "0, Mr. Blood dropped in on me on my way home and re- 
 lated, with much apparent enjoyment, the incidents as 
 
138 FOILED. 
 
 they occurred. He said that in the early part of the pro- 
 ceedings Mrs. Graham sat with a satisfied look on her face 
 and everything seemed to be to her liking ; but when the 
 court ordered that the papers be handed to him for his 
 inspection, her face fluslied, and all three were at once 
 thrown into a violent state of excitement. It seems that 
 by some technicality in the law she, by claiming the 
 widow's award, can take several thousand dollars in excess 
 of what the will gives her. The paper by which she de- 
 manded this award was one of those handed Mr. Blood, and 
 as he leisurely perused them, the two executors watched 
 him with much anxiety. He then turned to the judge, 
 and in his objections to the filing of this paper lashed her 
 without mercy, — so much so, that at its close,, although he 
 decided against us. Judge Winters admitted with biting- 
 sarcasm that no woman who respected the wishes of her 
 dead husband would make such a claim ; but if she did, 
 he must allow it." 
 
 " I should think she would have felt like sinking through 
 the floor, ^' said Edith, as she realized the force of Judge 
 Winters' rebuke. 
 
 '"^Instead of that, Mr. Blood says that she seemed per- 
 fectly indifferent to the disgrace, and complacently smiled 
 when Judge Winters acknowledged that he must allow the 
 claim." 
 
 Webster Graham had but little to say on the subject of 
 his expedition to Editii's when, upon his return, he met 
 Mrs. Graham. His strange silence worried her, for she 
 began to doubt him and his constancy as an advocate of 
 her cause. I wonder, slie thought, if Edith has changed 
 his feelings instead of he changing hers. I must find out. 
 
FOILED. 139 
 
 ■^^ Did you find Edith at home when you called?" began 
 Mrs. Graham, pleasantly. 
 
 **^ Yes, I had no trouble in that respect," answered Web- 
 ster, moodily. 
 
 "You speak of trouble — did you lose your way ?" said 
 Mrs. Graham, gayly. 
 
 "No," answered Webster, shaking his head. 
 
 " Your visit was not very pleasant, I judge." 
 
 "In some ways it was, and some not." 
 
 " Did you convince Edith of her error ?" 
 
 " No, not exactly," replied Webster, loth to admit his 
 defeat. "She declared she knew nothing of any attempt 
 to break the will, and when I told her that her lawyer had 
 made the attempt, she was very positive I was mistaken, 
 and on Arthur^s return she appealed to him, and of course 
 he confirmed her in her belief and then turned the conver- 
 sation upon you and your actions. " 
 
 "'And what did he say ?" asked Mrs. Graham, uneasily. 
 
 "He denounced them as attempts to rob the estate," 
 replied Webster, sadly. 
 
 "But you did not believe him ? " inquired Mrs. Graham, 
 anxiously. 
 
 "Of course I did not. I tried to explain the matter to 
 him and settle this quarrel, but he would not listen to 
 reason." 
 
 "So your mission of peace proved a failure ?" said Mrs. 
 Graham, smiling at his childlike faith in her sincerity. 
 
 "Well, Just about," reijlied Webster, despondingly, 
 "though I trust I sowed some seed that may in time bring 
 them to a proper understanding." 
 
140 FOILED. 
 
 "I am afraid it is good seed on very stony ground. But 
 I have a better recipe than that, and it brings forth its 
 fruit much sooner," replied Mrs. Graham determinedly. 
 "I will call Arthur to an accounting, attend to the business 
 myself, and allow them no part of the estate until they 
 submit. Does that meet with your approval, Webster ?" 
 
 "It is a severe remedy, but it may be for the best," said 
 Webster, doubtfully. 
 
 "It is severe, Webster, but not too much so for those 
 who would wilfully waste the entire estate in law suits, 
 besides causing us an endless amount of trouble.'^ 
 
 '• No, probably not. But they may give in before long ; 
 we cannot tell how soon," replied Webster, ready to defer 
 the unpleasant business until some future time. 
 
 "We can as well afford to wait as they," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, significantly, as she arose and sought an Interview 
 with Bertha. 
 
 " I want you to aid me. Bertha," said Mrs. Graham, as 
 she entered the room where she was sitting and carefully 
 closed the door. " I must crush out this opposition on the 
 part of Edith, and to do this quickly and successfully I 
 must have earnest and intelligent work on your part. She 
 must feel all the pressure we can bring to bear upon her, 
 and nothing must be left undone to force her to abandon 
 this opposition. In a few days the court will be ready 
 to hear and act upon the report of the appraisers, and 
 before that time she must feel the full power of my con- 
 demnation." 
 
 "And how can I help you ?" asked Bertha, doubtfully. 
 
 "In this way," replied Mrs. Graham, earnestly : "Make 
 
FOILED. 141 
 
 it your business to see as many of Edith's friends as possible ; 
 take the necessary time and use your skill to bring your con- 
 verastion to bear upon the death of Mr. Graham, and from 
 that, by great care, approach the subject of the settlement 
 of the estate ; this will be the natural course of conversa- 
 tion when once it is rightly directed. Then, with all the 
 skill at your command, see to it that Edith is represented 
 as using her every effort to break her father's will, and 
 with insatiate greed to obtain the whole of the property, 
 even leaving me without enough for my support." 
 
 "But is she doing this ?" said Bertha, doubtfully. 
 
 "Certainly she is, Bertha; what else do her actions show 
 than this ? " 
 
 "Very well, Mrs. Graham ; when shall I begin ?" 
 
 "At the very first opportunity. Bertha ; and when you 
 are engaged in it you must not for a moment forget that it 
 is an undertaking that requires great tact and acuteness. 
 Be careful not to be too urgent in your denunciation of 
 Edith's course, but rather let your friends keep up the con- 
 versation, while you make your concessions with just enough 
 reluctance to make you seem to be an unwilling witness, 
 the greater to impress them with the truth of what you are 
 forced to admit. With some you can go farther than with 
 others. These you will readily know by the eagerness with 
 which they listen to and rejoice over each rich and racy bit 
 of news. Some of these may be notorious gossips, and where 
 you know them to be such you can relax your vigilance and 
 care ; but when you meet a lady that does not readily 
 become interested, and whose conversation wanders off to 
 other subjects, you must indeed be wary and act with great- 
 
142 FOILED, 
 
 est caution. These are such well-known facts as to make 
 me feel that I almost insult your judgment by mentioning 
 them ; but I am so anxious that you shall make no false 
 move that I cannot refrain from impressing you with their 
 importance. One friend now will make us many more, and 
 they make others, none of whom will ever think of seeking 
 Edith to know why she has done what she has ; and with 
 one of her sensitive disposition an affront or cool reception 
 is quickly magnified into an army of enemies. This I shall 
 S])are no pains to bring to her attention, and with your 
 work well done, and mine accomplished, she will be forced 
 to submit, as she should have done from the first. Eemem-, 
 ber what I have said, and may success crown your efforts. 
 For myself, I have decided upon a bold move. To-mor- 
 row I shall attend the meeting of the church sewing 
 society. I know I shall incur the risk of being thought 
 heartless, but much valuable time can be saved by meeting 
 so many of my chosen friends and there sowing the seed 
 for Edith's harvest of misery. Among them I can find 
 many whom I can rely upon in any emergency, and I have 
 no fears of how my appearance so soon after Mr. Graham's 
 death will be received by them ; while with others, I must 
 run the risk of their opinions, as the opportunity must not 
 be lost.'' 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THERE IS NO NEUTRAL GROUND. 
 
 True to her resolve, the next day found Mrs. Graham at 
 the appointed place, and upon entering she eagerly sought 
 for sonie friendly recognition that would relieve her doubts ; 
 and it was with pleasure that her eyes alighted upon a bevy 
 of ladies all of whom she numbered among her trusted 
 friends, and making her way toward them, she was at once 
 relieved by their warm-hearted and sympathetic reception. 
 
 '' I only came for a moment's stay," began Mrs. Graham, 
 in response to the numerous requests to lay aside her 
 wrappings; "I felt so lonesome I could not stay away. '^ 
 And her eyes filled with tears as she continued : "I thought 
 you would excuse the seeming impropriety if you knew how 
 lonesome my home seems to me now," 
 
 "I see no impropriety in your coming," replied Mrs. 
 Adell. ''For my part, I was born too independent of the 
 opinion of strangei-e to care what they thought, and can 
 trust my friends to be charitable." 
 
 " I do not believe in carrying anything to excess," inter- 
 posed Mrs. Gray, quietly, "and I think the mourners of 
 a husband or father are often made uncomfortable by the 
 knowledge that they are subjects for remark if they do jiot 
 
 143 
 
141 FOILED, 
 
 cry enough, or wear deep enough mourning, or lay it aside 
 too soon, or leave it on too long, and so on to the end of the 
 chapter. For my part, I would rather judge of grief by the 
 evidence of past kindnesses to the dead than by any 
 compliance to rigid rules of custom, and I think Mrs. Gra- 
 ham knows all of us well enough to feel at ease in regard to 
 her appearance here." 
 
 "^So say we all of us," said sprightly Mrs. Brandon. 
 "We are well pleased, Mrs. Graham, to have you numbered 
 among us once more." 
 
 " You are all very kind," replied Mrs. Graham, brushing 
 back the tears, " and I had no fears of your friendship be- 
 ing lost to me by reason of my coming ; but all are not so 
 considerate of the feelings of those in deep affliction." 
 
 " You must feel the loss of Mr. Graham very much," 
 said sympathetic Mrs, Rivers; "he was a man among a 
 thousand, and your home all the more desolate for that 
 reason." 
 
 " You will not think of staying in that large house all 
 alone, will you ? " asked Mrs. Adell, trying to change the 
 conversation to more pleasing topics. 
 
 " I am in doubt just what to do. If left to choose, I 
 might more easily determine ; but with all this trouble com- 
 ing on me at once, I am sadly in need of advice. I thought 
 when Mr. Graham died that my cup was full to overflow- 
 ing, but it never rains but it pours, and I find it so in my 
 case. " 
 
 "That is almost always the case," said Mrs. Eivers, " one 
 misfortune generally follows another, and I do not know of 
 a more desolate condition than to be left alone to battle 
 against the wiles of designing lawyers and faithless friends." 
 
FOILED. 145 
 
 *' But it is still worse to have a large estate to manage 
 and no one to turn to for advice and aid/' said Mrs. Adell, 
 wlio now saw there was no use in trying to turn the course 
 of conversation in any other direction. 
 
 " And worse still, if disagreements arise among the per- 
 sons interested/' replied Mrs. Brandon. 
 
 " That is the worst of all," said Mrs. Graham, sadly ; '* I 
 can stand all but that." 
 
 "I pity you from the depths of my heart if you have met 
 with that experience," said Mrs. Gray, earnestly. " I have 
 heard of such cases and had knowledge of one ; and while 
 the estate was almost wrecked, it was of but little moment 
 as compared to the hearts that were made to ache. I trust, 
 Mrs. Graham, that you may never have that to go through 
 with." 
 
 " Is it Edith that is causing you trouble ? " inquired Mrs. 
 Adell, who now became an interested listener. 
 
 ^'I can hardly say," replied Mrs. Graham, using her 
 deep-bordered handkerchief with good effect. '' I am more 
 inclined to think the fault lies with her lawyer, who has> 
 no doubt, advised her against her best interests." 
 
 *' If there is a lawyer mixed up in the affair you can just 
 depend upon it there is trouble ahead," interposed Mrs- 
 Brandon, 
 
 '' It is the only way I have to account for her queer ac- 
 tions," replied Mrs. Graham. 
 
 " I would advise you to go to Edith and give her a good 
 motherly talk ; show her where this lawyer is leading her^ 
 and from what I know of her, she has the good judgment 
 to take it kindly and act wisely," said Mrs. Gray, with some 
 little earnestness. 
 
146 FOILED. 
 
 " I have already done this," said Mrs. Graham, who now- 
 found the conversation to her liking, " and the strangest 
 part of it all is that she positively denied making any efEort 
 or having any desire to break her father's will. I then per- 
 suaded her uncle to visit her and have her alter her course, 
 but to no purpose ; she denied the whole matter, and he left 
 her only after being convinced that his efforts had utterly 
 _f ailed." 
 
 ■" And is Edith really trying to break the will ?" inquired 
 Mrs. Adell. 
 
 " Well, I want it kept as secret as possible, to avoid 
 scandal, but that is what she has attempted to do," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, confidingly. 
 
 ■ ^ Is she likely to succeed ? " asked Mrs. Gray. 
 
 '^' That is in doubt — grave doubt, at the best," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, sadly. "But even if she should fail, it 
 '^ would cost the estate a large amount for defense. " 
 ■^"It is unfortunate," said Mrs. Gray, thoughtfully. 
 "'' I always considered Mr. Graham a just and kind father, 
 •and one who would leave his daughter all that she could 
 rightfully expect," said Mrs. Brandon, 
 
 " He was," said Mrs. Graham ; ''and why Edith should 
 seek to take from me all that the will gives me I cannot 
 ^inderstand. " 
 
 '* And has she gone that far?" inquired Mrs. Gray, in 
 astonishment. 
 
 " No, not quite," replied Mrs. Graham, hesitatingly ; 
 ■■'■ but if she should succeed, I would be 'sadly reduced in 
 ■circumstances. I would not complain if that were all, 
 ^but she is trying to get what Mr. Graham left to his sister 
 
FOILED. 147 
 
 and her children, which would be of great assistance to her 
 in their education. Now they are liable to lose it all, and 
 thus be kept from acquiring the knowledge that would help 
 them to become useful men and women." 
 
 '^ Edith must have changed greatly since I knew her/' 
 said Mrs. Gray. 
 
 "Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, sadly, '^either the need 
 of money, or a desire to live more elegantly, has changed 
 her wonderfully in the last few months." 
 
 " Well, her money will do her no good as far as I am 
 concerned," said Mrs. Adell, *'for I shall quietly ignore 
 her." 
 
 "If she persists in this course I shall be forced to do the 
 same, though much against my wishes," said Mrs. Gray, 
 quietly, 
 
 " I never liked Edith very enthusiastically," said Mrs. 
 Brandon, *' so she will lose but little in my estimation." 
 
 " I have delayed too long, and must now be going," said 
 Mrs. Graham, hastily ; "but I desire to express my thanks 
 for the many kindnesses I have received at your hands, and 
 shall treasure them in my memory when desolate and alone 
 in my home." 
 
 "I shall call on you soon," said Mrs. Adell, as she left 
 her at the door. 
 
 "So Stewart Graham's widow is out again," said Mrs. 
 Foreman, as she joined the circle of ladies. 
 
 " Yes, and an unhappy woman she is," continued Mrs. 
 Gray ; " her troubles accumulate like the drifting snow." 
 
 "What new trouble besets her now?" inquired Mrs. 
 Foreman. 
 
148 FOILED. 
 
 " 0, the daughter is turniug heaven and earth to get all 
 the property," replied Mrs. Brandon, in an off-hand man- 
 ner ; ^' its the same old story." 
 
 "What is that you say ?" said several ladies, turning at 
 once toward Mrs. Brandon. 
 
 " I was just telling Mrs. Foreman that the same old story 
 was being lived over again : father dies, — widow and chil- 
 dren fight over the property until the lawyers get it all, — 
 widow and children mourn their foolishness while the 
 gaunt wolf shadows the door." 
 
 " Well, you have an entertaining way of telling stern 
 facts," said Mrs. Gray, forced to laugh in spite of herself. 
 
 "Did Mrs. Graham tell you that?" said one of the 
 ladies, gathering up her work and taking a seat close by 
 Mrs. Brandon. 
 
 " Well, not in just those 'words," replied Mrs. Brandon, 
 laughing, " but that is what it amounts to, Mrs. Walling- 
 ford." 
 
 "It is strange," replied that lady, thoughtfully ; "for I 
 saw Edith but a few days ago and she said nothing to me 
 of this matter." 
 
 "And good reason why she did not ; she is the one that 
 is causing all the trouble," continued Mrs. Adell. 
 
 "Have you heard what Edith has to say?" inquired 
 Mrs. Wallingford. 
 
 "No, I have not ; but no one here would dare question 
 Mrs. Graham's veracity, especially as she told what she did 
 very reluctantly." 
 
 "Prejudice," continued Mrs. Wallingford, "sometimes 
 blinds the judgment, so that the question of veracity is not 
 
FOILED. 149 
 
 a proper test. I have known Edith Graham for years, and 
 cannot readily believe this of her. There is not a lady 
 here but will bear testimony that she is a daughter of whom 
 her father could well be proud, — mild and unassuming, as 
 ladylike in every particular as the most critical could de- 
 mand, and without an enemy in the world, so far as I 
 know." 
 
 ''0, you take the matter altogether too seriously," inter- 
 posed Mrs. Adell. 
 
 " But is it not a serious matter to make these charges 
 against any young woman without first being sure they are 
 well founded ?" inquired Mrs. Wallingford. 
 
 " How would you assure yourself that they were true ?" 
 confidently inquired Mrs. Brandon. 
 
 " By hearing both sides," replied Mrs. Wallingford, 
 quietly. 
 
 *' Ha, ha ! And if you found that it was stoutly denied, 
 what then ?" inquired Mrs. Brandon, with a knowing look 
 at the other ladies. 
 
 " I should say that at least it was an open question, and 
 wait for further proof before I would condemn her," said 
 Mrs. Wallingford, earnestly. 
 
 Mrs. Gray had been an interested listener to whom 
 the last words of Mrs. Wallingford carried quick convic- 
 tion. 
 
 "I am surprised when I think that I allowed my convic- 
 tions to so nearly overcome my better judgment," said Mrs. 
 Gray. " What Mrs. Wallingford has just said is only too 
 true ; no one should convict another without first giving 
 them a chance to defend themselves." 
 
150 FOILED. 
 
 This was too sentimental for Mrs. Brandon, and she 
 with several of the other ladies formed a new circle of con- 
 versation and were now eagerly discussing this latest bit of 
 scandal. 
 
 "I have done good service to-day/' said Mrs. Graham, 
 entering the room where Bertha was sitting. *' I went to 
 the society and placed the leaven where it will soon leaven 
 the whole lumi). And now, Bertha, you must tell me 
 what has been your success." 
 
 "■ I am a,fraid I am not a good advocate," answered B r- 
 tha, doubtfully ; *' I did not meet with flattering success." 
 
 Mrs. Graham's brow contracted into a frown of displeas- 
 ure as Bertha continued : 
 
 " I saw two or three of Edith's friends, and one in par- 
 ticular, Miss Wallingford, would not listen to a word 
 against Edith." 
 
 " Did she know anything of what had transpired in 
 court ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, anxiously. 
 
 "■ She would not talk of the subject for any length of 
 time," replied Bertha, "and I could not form an opinion 
 of how much she did or did not know." 
 
 " Did she say anything against me ? " 
 
 " Not a word," quickly answered Bertha. 
 
 " Then she has not heard," said Mrs. Graham, posi- 
 tively ; "for in a case like this there is no neutral ground. 
 When she has had time to think over what you have told 
 her she will form an opinion, and if adverse to Edith it 
 will soon show itself, and if she did not express an opinion 
 on the matter you can rest assured that she is not committed 
 to Edith's cause. But you may leave her to me and I will 
 
FOILED. 151 
 
 bring her around in good time. Her mother was at the 
 sewing society and will no doubt hear of it, and they wilt 
 talk it over, and I will call and see them in a few days. 
 Whom did you see beside her ?" 
 
 " I called on Mrs. Bartley and had quite a long talk with 
 her. She seemed to be quite interested in the turn affairs 
 had taken, but would say nothing against Edith. ^' 
 
 ^' 0, that is not necessary," replied Mrs. Graham,, 
 quickly. "She will do us much good, and among a class 
 of persons whom we would find it hard to reach. She is 
 very conservative in all she says, but for that very reason, 
 what she does say has great weight with those she talks to. 
 The fact that you interested her in the subject at all is 
 quite a victory." 
 
 And thus Mrs. Graham, like an experienced politician, 
 measured her forces, and knew at the end of Bertha's 
 recital of her experiences just where to place her hand 
 upon those she could trust to still farther serve her ends. 
 
 "When Bertha finished her report, Mrs. Graham said, 
 with a smile of approval '^ Your work was not so unprof- 
 itable as you imagined. Hereafter when yoa are out upon 
 this mission I shall feel more at ease. And now I must 
 see Edith's aunt Hattie and see that she understands Edith's 
 actions, while you continue your work here and there as 
 opportunity offers." 
 
 Mrs. Graham lost no time, and the next day found her 
 comfortably seated in aunt Hattie's home, eagerly recount- 
 ing the incidents attendant upon her first appearance in 
 court. 
 
 " I am almost heart-broken," continued Mrs. Graham,, 
 
152 FOILED. 
 
 amid her tears. " My dear husband's death crushed me to 
 the earth, and I was nearly wild with sorrow ; but had I 
 then known what I should be forced to suffer, I would 
 willingly have been buried by his side. 0, it is more than 
 I can bear !" and Mrs. Graham gave way to a paroxysm of 
 wild and uncontrollable grief. 
 
 Aunt Hattie sat with a sad and sympathizing look upon 
 her face, waiting until the force of Mrs. Graham's grief 
 had somewhat abated, when she inquired . 
 
 " Has Edith really hired a lawyer ?" 
 
 *^Yes — she — has," replied Mrs. Graham, between her 
 sobs. 
 
 " I cannot understand it," said aunt Hattie, thought- 
 fully ; 'Mt seems so unlike her to do that. Are you sure 
 it is not Arthur that has done this without her knowl- 
 edge ?" 
 
 " No, she knows all about it, and is very defiant in her 
 course." 
 
 " I shall go and see her, and as my dead sister's only 
 child, shall give her some much needed advice," said aunt 
 Hattie, positively. 
 
 "You will find your time is wasted, and will be fortu- 
 nate if in her resentment she does not insult you," said 
 Mrs. Graham, sadly. 
 
 "0, you must not speak so of Edith!" replied aunt 
 Hattie, deprecatingly. "She means well enough, but is 
 no doubt laboring under a mistaken idea that you desire to 
 injure her. You know that you have never gotten along 
 well together, and it is but natural that she should take 
 measures to protect herself if she has been deluded into 
 
FOILED. 153 
 
 thinking that you intend to harm her ; but when I point 
 out these facts to her, she will no doubt see the matter in 
 another light. I do not approve of her hiring a lawyer un- 
 der any circumstances, for that always means fight." 
 
 "It would take a great load off my mind if you were to 
 see her and convince her that she is in the wrong, but I 
 have no hope that you can succeed," said Mrs. Graham, 
 despondingly. 
 
 "'I think I can," replied aunt Hattie, confidently. 
 
 "1 would think so, too, if I had not tried and failed," 
 was Mrs. Graham's reassuring answer. 
 
 "But I may have more influence with her," persisted 
 aunt Hattie. 
 
 ' ' You have, no doubt , but after I failed so utterly I had 
 uncle Webster visit her and tell her that she did wrong in try- 
 ing to break the will, that her father was a just man and his 
 will dealt justly with her, but it had no effect upon her," 
 said Mrs. Graham, despondingly, " and she almost insulted 
 him before he gave up his efforts to reclaim her." 
 
 "Has she attempted to break the will?" asked aunt 
 Hattie, in astonishment. 
 
 " Certainly, that is just what she hired that lawyer for ; 
 what use could he be to her otherwise ? " 
 
 "If Edith has done that," said aunt Hattie, slowly, "I 
 shall not go near her ; and while I must always love her as 
 the only child of my dead sister, I shall have as little to do 
 with her as possible." 
 
 " It was not my intention to worry you with my burdens, 
 and I had no intention of saying as much as I have ; but 
 you must know that after I have had these things worrying 
 
154 FOILED. 
 
 me so long, without a friend to go to, it is a great relief to 
 find some one upon whom I cun dejDend. And I now see 
 that what I have told you is so unaccountably strange as to 
 almost make you doubt its truth, and I would suggest tliat 
 you see my brother Webster and have him confirm it before 
 you condemn Edith," said Mrs. Graham, sadly, as she arose 
 to take her leave. 
 
 Aunt Hattie extended her hand, while the sympathetic 
 tears found tlieir way to her eyes, as she said : 
 
 "Your deep affliction finds a too ready sympathy in my 
 heart for me to doubt you ; and while in justice to Edith I 
 should listen to what Webster has to say, I do not need 
 him to convince me that Edith has disgraced her father's 
 name and greatly wronged you. " 
 
 ''While I am in the mood," thought Mrs. Graham, as 
 she entered her carriage, "I had better call on Miss Ashton 
 and set her against Edith. Here I will need all my powers 
 of persuasion. She is Edith's closest friend and I shall 
 have no easy task ; but if I succeed, the greater will be my 
 victory." 
 
 "The servant must have made a mistake, Mrs. Graham,'' 
 began Miss Ashton as she entered the parlor where Mrs. 
 Graham was sitting. " I knew you called to see mamma, 
 but as the servant was positive you asked for myself I 
 thought I would come, more especially as mamma is not at 
 home." 
 
 "I desired to see you as well as your mother," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, greatly pleased to find that their conversation 
 would not be interrupted, and smiling pleasantly, she con- 
 tinued : "And while I appreciate her society, and am very 
 
FOILED. 155 
 
 sorry she is not at home, I dare say I shall hardly miss 
 her, while I have you as my entertainer." 
 
 "If we had not been neighbors for so many years, I 
 should consider that as idle flattery," replied Miss Ashton, 
 piquantly. 
 
 "With all my sorrow, I can ill afford to spend time in 
 flattery," replied Mrs. Graham, earnestly. 
 
 "That reminds me that I have heard you were meeting 
 with unexpected difficulties in regard to the estate," said 
 Miss Ashton. 
 
 "Yes, unexpected indeed," replied Mrs. Graham, with a 
 sigh ; "but how did you hoar of it ?" 
 
 "I met Mrs. Adell at the party last evening, and she 
 told me just enough to make me interested, and then drop- 
 ped the subject ; but I could hardly believe all that she said 
 about Edith." 
 
 "It seems too strange to be true," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 thoughtfully. "But I am surprised that it has become 
 known so soon." 
 
 " From what I gathered from Mrs. Adell," replied Miss 
 Ashton, "I understood that it was a well-known fact, and 
 I intended to drop in on Edith and find out about it." 
 
 "If you would see Edith," said Mrs. Graham, earnestly, 
 " and urge her to stop trying to break her father's will, you 
 would confer a lasting obligation on me and save the dis- 
 grace of so much scandal." 
 
 " I will willingly do so ; for, as her bridesmaid, I am 
 privileged to participate in family matters, am I not ? " 
 said Miss Ashton, laughing. 
 
 "I think she would take it kindly of you," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, quietly. 
 
156 FOILED. 
 
 "Well, if I am to be your messenger of peace you must 
 give me full instructions. First, how did the trouble 
 begin ? " queried Miss Ashton, assuming a look of serious 
 wisdom. 
 
 " That I can hardly tell/' replied Mrs. Graham, sadly. 
 " Its first beginning dates back many years. When I first 
 knew Edith she was a wild, untutored child, who would 
 bear no restraint, and displayed only enmity toward those 
 who desired to lead her into different ways. I made it my 
 life's chief duty to study her so thoroughly that I could 
 understand her motives and thereby the more readily cause 
 her to change her ways." 
 
 " But I never saw any disposition of this kind in Edith," 
 said Miss Ashton, somewhat surprised by Mrs. Graham's 
 statements. 
 
 "No, I dare say you did not," replied Mrs, Graham, 
 quickly; "you were both young and they more readily 
 escaped your attention then than they would now. Beside 
 this, she improved greatly under my management, so that 
 I had great hopes of all these bad traits entirely disappear- 
 ing ; but one very grave fault resisted all my efforts : she 
 retained her disposition to speak ill of even her best friends, 
 which often caused me much concern and many times 
 placed me in a very disagreeable position because of my 
 efforts to shield her from the results of her unwise course. 
 Now, I tell you this with much reluctance, and only for the 
 purpose of more fully making you understand the exact 
 condition of affairs ; for if you do not succeed I must give up 
 in despair, as you are now the only one that I have any hope 
 of being able to influence her to turn back from the course 
 she is pursuing." 
 
FOILED. 157 
 
 "I shall try to succeed with her, and believe I cnn," 
 replied Miss Ashton, earnestly. 
 
 ^'This one trait, as I have just said," continued Mrs. 
 Graham, " has caused me many pangs of remorse, and as I 
 do not vi^ish to bring others into the discussion, I will con- 
 tent myself with using your case as an example, for I know 
 that I can trust you to overlook it and forgive her. At one 
 time I feared that you might hear of some remarks she 
 made against you, and your friendship be lost to her ; but 
 I managed to hush the matter up so completely that you 
 never heard of it." 
 
 " But what reason has Edith to say anything against 
 me, Mrs. Graham ? " inquired Miss Ashton, in great sur- 
 prise. ^'I have always been on most friendly terms with 
 her, and can hardly believe your charges against her. " 
 
 "That is the strangest part of her actions, replied Mrs. 
 Graham, sadly. But you must not take this to heart, for 
 you remember that I am only using your case as an illustra- 
 tion, to make you more fully understand the cause of this 
 trouble." 
 
 *' But what did she say?" inquired Miss Ashton, anx- 
 iously, " you have not told me yet," 
 
 " I think I had better let the matter drop," said Mrs. 
 Graham, doubtfully. " What I tell you seems to make you 
 feel antagonistic to Edith instead of more desirous of re- 
 claiming her. This is too great a risk for me to incur." 
 
 "You need have no fear of that," replied Miss Ashton, 
 flushing slightly; " if you are my friend you will trust me." 
 
 " I am so anxious to have this last resort prove success- 
 ful that I am possibly a little too cautious," replied Mrs. 
 
158 FOILED. 
 
 Graham, sweetly ; " but as you have such good judgment, 
 I shall feel safe in telling you all that occurred. It was, if 
 I remember rightly, but a short time before her marriage, 
 that she was speaking of you to Miss Wallingford, who was 
 visiting her, that in the course of her conversation she 
 spoke of the arrangements by which you had been decided 
 upon to act as her bridesmaid, and that if you had not 
 already been spoken to about it she would not consent 
 to your acting, for the reason that she had but recently 
 found out some matters of indiscretion that reflected upon 
 you to such an extent as to make her certain that your 
 character might place her in an embarrassing position be- 
 cause of your acting as her best friend at her marriage. I 
 was sitting in a remote part of the room and they were 
 holding their conversation in a very confidential tone, so 
 that most of what they said I did not hear , but as she be- 
 came more interested in her subject her words became more 
 easily heard, and when I heard her say that your appearance 
 at parties was often almost indecent because of powder and 
 paint and your loAv-necked dresses, I thought it was time to 
 interfere, and did so possibly in too hasty a manner, for I 
 admit that I felt quite indignant that she should so far for- 
 get your friendship as to speak of you in this manner, and 
 especially to so much of a gossip as I believe Miss Walling- 
 ford to be. After correcting Edith, I followed Miss Wal- 
 lingford to the door, and begged her for the sake of our 
 family to never repeat what Edith had told her ; and while 
 I was for some time in constant fear that she might not 
 accede to my request, I am now inclined to believe that she 
 will never mention it, and that you have no cause for alarm; 
 
FOILED. ^ 159 
 
 but you can readily understand my position when you know 
 that this was only one of many just such occurrences. When 
 I returned to the room where Edith was sitting, I found 
 that my words had made her my lasting enemy, and for 
 this one act alone she has never forgiven me. Now she sees 
 a chance to be revenged, and will no doubt improve it, even 
 though in ruinmg me she should -waste the whole estate. 
 To prevent her from pursuing this unwise course, I now 
 have only one hope, and that is, that you will wisely and 
 discreetly present the case to her so that she will abandon 
 her present purpose." 
 
 Stunned and completely overcome by Mrs. Graham's 
 revelations. Miss Ashton sat more like a statue than the 
 young and vivacious woman that she was when Mrs. Gra- 
 ham first began her story ; and when it was finished, she 
 could not reply, — her injured feelings and resentment 
 toward Edith as the cause of her misery did not admit of 
 adequate expression in words. 
 
 Mrs. Graham fully realized that this case would test her 
 powers of persuasion more thoroughly than they had ever 
 been, and came nearer to dc^ubting her ability to succeed than 
 ever before ; and when she found her way so readily opened 
 by Miss Ashton's freedom in speaking of these matters, she 
 rejoiced that her labors had been made that much easier. 
 When she had finished her story, she awaited the exhibition 
 of its effect, while she leaned back in her chair and rapidly 
 canvassed the conversation to detect any errors that might 
 unwittingly have crept in, and it was with a feeling of 
 exultation that she found it without a flaw. As Miss Ash- 
 ton made no sign of replying, Mrs. Graham at last broke 
 
160 FOILED. 
 
 the silence by inquiring : " When will you find it conven- 
 ient to see Edith, Miss Ashton, and make the trial ?" 
 
 With an evident effort, Miss Ashton aroused herself 
 enough to say : " I shall have nothing more to do with 
 her, and never wish to see her again. " 
 
 "And why?" asked Mrs. Graham, with well-feigned 
 astonishment. 
 
 "What you have told me is a sufficient reason," replied 
 Miss Ashton, now pale and trembling. 
 
 " Have I then blasted my only hope ?" said Mrs. Graham, 
 despairingly. " 0, why did I tell you all !" 
 
 Mrs. Graham's well-feigned misery touched a sympathetic 
 chord in Miss Ashton's heart, and she replied : 
 
 " I feel that I am under great obligation to you for what 
 you have told me, Mrs. Graham, but I must decline to give 
 you my aid in this matter ; my feelings toward her have 
 changed, and I could now do you no good. " 
 
 " I cannot urge you against your wishes," said Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, sadly, as she arose to take her leave, " but it is a great 
 disappointment to me." 
 
 " I regret it as much as any one, and desire to assure 
 you of my lasting friendship, but this I cannot do," said 
 Miss Ashton, earnestly, as she followed Mrs. Graham to the 
 door. 
 
 " I do not doubt your friendship in the least," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, impressively, " but it was my last hope. 
 Please remember me to your mother, and tell her I was 
 greatly disappointed to have found her not at home," and 
 Mrs. Graham, with a smile of victory, made her way to her 
 carriage. 
 
FOILED, 161 
 
 "Well, Bertha," began Mrs. Graham, in great glee, as 
 
 she entered the house, " I have been more successful in my 
 
 efforts to-day than I had any hopes of. I have set both 
 
 aunt Hattie and Miss Ashton against Edith, and the best 
 
 of it is, they took all I had to say against her in the most 
 
 kindly manner, and gave me assurances of their lasting 
 
 friendship. " 
 
 *' And I had only to confirm rumors already brought to 
 
 the notice of those I called on," said Bertha, ''and I found 
 
 this much more easy than beginning the conversation on 
 
 the subject." 
 
 " I think we need have no fears now, Bertha, and Edith 
 
 must be informed of this condition of affairs. I shall write 
 
 her a letter, giving her an intimation of what is in store for 
 
 her, and then she will complete the work by seeking to find 
 
 if it is true. When she does find it, she will be crushed by 
 
 the weight of condemnation that will close about her, and 
 
 leave me free to carry out my own sweet will," and Mrs. 
 
 Graham snapped her fingers in anticipation of the victory 
 
 already assured. 
 11 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 A BITTER AXD RELENTLESS AVARFARE. 
 
 Mrs. "Wallingford left the sewing society greatly troubled 
 with what she had heard, while her knowledge of Edith's 
 relations with the present Mrs. Graham, added to her excel- 
 lent judgment, had quickly induced her to doubt the 
 correctness of Mrs. Graham's statements, and she would 
 have sought Edith at once for further information were it 
 not that she disliked to appear to be prying into her private 
 affairs ; so in the evening, when she met her husband and 
 daughter, she determined to lay before them what she had 
 heard and ask their advice as to her proper course. 
 
 "I met with a queer experience to-day," began Miss 
 Wallingford, as she entered the room where her father and 
 mother were sitting. ^* While mother was at the sewing 
 society I was favored with a visit from Bertha Locke, Mrs. 
 Graham's companion. " 
 
 ''And was that a queer experience ?" inquired her father. 
 
 "'No, not her visit so inuch as what I now believe to have 
 been her object in coming. I have never felt very well 
 acquainted with her, and naturally our conversation was 
 somewhat formal, but had not progressed very far before 
 she introduced the subject of Mr. Graham's death. Here, 
 
 162 
 
FOILED. 163 
 
 thought I, is neutral ground, upon which we can meet, and 
 I at once became interested. Now comes the queer part of 
 it. I soon found that her conversation tended more directly 
 to Edith's private affairs than to Mr. Graham's death, and 
 I could not direct it into another channel before she con- 
 veyed the intelligence that Edith was making trouble for 
 Mrs. Graham, who was liable to be left nearly destitute if 
 Edith succeeded in her law suit." 
 
 " Have you not transposed the names ?" asked her father, 
 with a knowing look at his good wife. 
 
 "Aha ! " said Mrs. Wallingford, so earnestly as to make 
 them both look up, "I think I see the whole plan now; 
 and as this has been turned into an experience meeting, I 
 will take my turn and tell you another queer story. I saw 
 Mrs. Graham, much to my surprise, at the sewing society 
 this afternoon. She was holding a very animated and con- 
 fidential conversation with a circle of friends. When she 
 left, I had almost forgotten her presence, when my atten- 
 tion was attracted by a remark let fall by Mrs. Brandon, 
 and upon inquiry I found that Mrs. Graham had sown the 
 seed of discord and it was rapidly bearing fruit ; even the 
 mild and kind-hearted Mrs. Gray was very much inclined 
 to condemn Edith without inquiring if Mrs. Graham was 
 an unprejudiced witness. I called their attention to this, 
 and Mrs. Gray at once acknowledged the injustice of so 
 doing, but she was the only one." 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Wallingford, "I should say that my 
 experience would teach that as old neighbors and friends of 
 Edith's mother it is our duty to inform her of this and 
 place her on her guard ; for if I am not mistaken, this is 
 
164 FOILED. 
 
 the beginning of a conspiracy that, before it is ended, will 
 try Edith's fortitude and make her feel the need of advice 
 from her true friends." 
 
 "You have answered my question before it was asked/' 
 said Mrs. Wallingford, "for I intended to ask your advice 
 upon this very matter ; and now, if you think best, I shall 
 see Edith as soon as possible." 
 
 " I would do so, most assuredly," replied Mr. Walling- 
 ford, decisively. 
 
 "Then I shall go," and true to her word, the next day 
 found her at Edith's house. 
 
 " Would you resent it, Edith, if I were to inquire into 
 your relations with Mrs. Graham ?" began Mrs. Walling- 
 ford. 
 
 "Not in the least ; I have nothing to conceal," replied 
 Edith, "and have done nothing that I am ashamed of." 
 
 " I have heard that you were trying to break your father's 
 will ; is this true ? " inquired Mrs. Wallingford, anxiously. 
 
 Edith's face flushed as she replied : "It is false ! I am 
 perfectly satisfied with the will, and have no desire to break 
 it, nor have I made any attempt to do so. Who told you 
 that I had?" 
 
 " Mrs. Grraham circulated the story at the sewing society," 
 said Mrs. Wallingford, quietly, "and Bertha told it to my 
 daughter." 
 
 " Mrs. Graham should be the last person to make a charge 
 like that," said Edith, indignantly; "if any one lias 
 attempted to break the will she is the one." 
 
 "That is what Mr. W^xllingford thinks. But tell me, 
 how did this trouble arise ? " 
 
FOILED. 165 
 
 '^ By her attempting to take more than she is entitled 
 to, and then objecting to my employing a lawyer to pro- 
 tect me," replied Edith, in an injured tone. 
 
 " But, Edith, if your father left a will how can she take 
 more than she is entitled to — does the law allow her to do 
 this?" 
 
 '' By a technicality, I believe it does," replied Edith, 
 sadly. 
 
 ''That seems strange; but never mind, I can ask Mr. 
 Wallingford about that. Now, Edith, are you sure you 
 fully understand this just as it is ? " 
 
 " My lawyer tells us so, but I know nothing beyond that 
 except that Arthur confirms what he says." 
 
 " Your lawyer might be interested in misleading you, 
 Edith, but if Arthur has inquired into it that would seem 
 to be good evidence ;'do you know that he has done this?" 
 
 *' No, I do not, know that he has. But, Mrs. Walling- 
 ford, one would naturally think you had spent much time 
 and thought on this subject," said Edith, laughing, 
 
 " I have done so, Edith, but I can assure you it has not 
 been from idle curiosity. If I find you are in the wrong, I 
 shall take the liberty to tell you so plainly ; but if you are 
 being wronged, as I now begin to fear you are, you shall 
 have all the aid and advice that the Wallingfords are able 
 to give." 
 
 ""We have had grave fears that we should need all the 
 advice and aid our friends could give us," said Edith, hope- 
 fully, *'but since the first outbreak we have had no cause 
 for alarm and I now hope that the worst is over." 
 
 ''Therein lies your greatest danger, Edith," replied Mrs. 
 
166 FOILED. 
 
 Wallingford, earnestly. " While you are idle the enemy, 
 as I now believe Mrs. Graham to be, is gathering together 
 all its forces to hurl them upon you at some unexpected 
 moment, with the hope of crushing you to the ground. I 
 do not wish to alarm you, but I cannot refrain from impress- 
 ing upon you the necessity for great vigilance in all you say 
 and do, so that she may not be able to take advantage of 
 your unguarded acts. I am afraid that many of your friends 
 will be alienated from you by the combined efforts of herself 
 and Bertha. I believe this is now being tried, and it is 
 almost sure to be partly successful, at least." 
 
 ''What you have said does alarm me," replied Edith, 
 anxiously, "and yet if it j^roves to be true you can easily 
 conceive my gratitude for your timely warning. I shall 
 talk with Arthur about it and let you know what we will 
 do." 
 
 ''We shall watch developments with much anxiety, I 
 assure you, and will take every opportunity to correct these 
 false rumors. We can hardly exhibit our friendship in a 
 better way than that. Now good-bye, Edith, and keep in 
 the right path and you need fear no harm." And Mrs. 
 Wallingford left Edith to her own thoughts. 
 
 Edith sat thinking over what Mrs. Wallingford had said, 
 until the servant entered and handed her a letter, saying : 
 
 "A messenger from your mother's has just left this for 
 you." 
 
 Edith quickly opened the letter and read : 
 
 " Deae Edith : 
 
 "I feel it to be my duty to make one more effort to save 
 you from the shame and disgrace that you are bringing upon 
 
FOILED. 167 
 
 yourself by the course you are now pursuing. It has 
 always been my aim and I have always tried not only to do 
 everything- for you in order that you might not have cause 
 for complaint, but also to hide and cover up your faults 
 and keep your disposition hidden from the eyes of our 
 friends. I have done this for your own and your father's 
 sake. It does seem more than I can bear that now, so soon 
 after the death of one of the best of fathers, you should 
 make such a public exhibition of avarice and greed, 
 thereby driving from you the friends who would otherwise 
 stand by you. 
 
 " But this I might bear were it not that by your acts you 
 bring dishonor upon the name of him who in his lifetime 
 never did a dishonorable action or caused a friend to blush 
 for shame. I did hope that you would be guided by the 
 advice of your uncle Webster and wise counsel would pre- 
 vail. I am so sorry for Arthur. He is a young man, just 
 establishing a business reputation, and can ill afford to 
 place himself in a position that makes him appear ridicu- 
 lous in the eyes of business men. 
 
 " It is not I that you are fighting, it is the law. I had 
 no more to do with this matter than any other person, and 
 were it under my control I would give up everything, as I 
 always have done, for peace. But this cannot be when law 
 comes in with its authority, and I am told that I have 
 already overstepped my legal rights in giving you so much 
 in trying to make a reconciliation. But I am so anxious 
 to save your father's name from dishonor and reproach that 
 I now again beg of you to desist. 
 
 " But if you do not, remember that you are the one most 
 to be injured. I am entirely at a loss to see what your object 
 can be, and none of your former friends can understand 
 your motives. If it is to get a little more money 
 than rightfully belongs to you, you will find that money is 
 little as compared to the shame and dishonor of such a 
 
168 FOILED. 
 
 proceeding. Think of what your poor father would say of 
 such actions, and consider what you are doing before it is 
 
 too late. In great haste, 
 
 *' Yours, as ever, 
 
 " Mother." 
 
 Edith slowly folded the letter, and laying it upon the 
 table, arose and paced the floor. Slowly back and forth 
 she passed the cause of all her trouble, her agony of doubt 
 and uncertainty keeping her in such a ferment that to sit 
 quietly seemed a mockery. Now, for the first time since 
 iier contest with Mrs. Graham, she faltered. 
 
 ''I can willingly stand all the rest," said Edith, half 
 xiloud, ''but father's good name must never suffer at my 
 iiands. It must be that Arthur did not think of this when 
 lie advised this course," and Edith continued her idle 
 walking, her sensitive nature all on fire at the picture Mrs. 
 Graham had drawn of her father's disgrace. At last the 
 tears came to her relief, and sinking into a chair she wept 
 bitter tears of remorse and anguish. 
 
 It was thus that Arthur found her upon his return, and 
 with much surprise inquired the cause of her grief. 
 
 "That letter," replied Edith ; " read it, Arthur, and see 
 what she says." 
 
 Arthur hastily read the letter, and then tossing it upon 
 the table, said with a laugh : 
 
 ''And is that all you are crying over, Edith ?" 
 
 ' ' But, Arthur, have we not been unwise in what we 
 have done ? " inquired Edith, in surprise. "And will not 
 father's memory be dishonored by what we are doing ?" 
 
 •''• No, it will not !" replied Arthur, firmly. '" The cause 
 for his name being dishonored, if such should prove to be 
 
FOILED. 169 
 
 the outcome, rests entirely upon her, and all that we can 
 do toward carrying out his will can do his name no harm." 
 
 ''But is there not some truth in what she says? "in- 
 quired Edith, anxiously. 
 
 ** There is not a word of truth in the whole letter," re- 
 plied Arthur, angrily, ''and it shows more clearly than I 
 dared expect that she is fearful we may succeed. The 
 only thing that may prove true is her covert threat that 
 you will be harmed more than she, but this can only be by 
 her talking against you and misrepresenting facts. " 
 
 " That reminds me," said Edith, somewhat comforted 
 by Arthur's words, " that Mrs. Wallingford called on me 
 this afternoon and told me that Mrs. Graham and Bertha 
 were at work to influence our friends against us and warned 
 me to be on my guard." 
 
 " I thought she was taking things too quietly for our 
 safety," replied Arthur, anxiously ; "but, thanks to the 
 kindness of Mrs. Wallingford, we will now know what to 
 expect." 
 
 " But do you think she will succeed ? " inquired Edith, 
 anxiously. 
 
 " Yes, to an extent that we cannot now conceive of ; 
 she has a decided advantage over you in this respect, Edith ; 
 for she can make them believe that black is white where 
 you could not make them believe it black. If you desire 
 to feel what she can do, keep your eyes open when next you 
 attend church and you will see." 
 
 "But, Arthur, are you sure that we are in the right ?" 
 inquired Edith, despondingly. 
 
 "Yes, Edith, I am certain that we are ; but what makes 
 you doubt it ? " 
 
170 FOILED. 
 
 ''Mrs. Wallingford suggested that Mr. Blood might be 
 interested in misleading us, and asked me if you knew of 
 your own knowledge that these things were true." 
 
 "And a wise woman she is," replied Arthur, admiringly. 
 " Yes, I have seen the pajDers in the case and they leave no 
 room for doubt." 
 
 Unfortunately for Edith's peace of mind, when next she 
 attended church her eyes and mind were on the alert to 
 notice any change that had taken place among those she 
 numbered as her friends, and, as might have been expected, 
 she found more than she desired. While many innocent 
 acts were by her disordered imagination distorted into 
 most grievous slights, others would have carried conviction 
 to even less sensitive souls than hers. Of these, Mrs. 
 Brandon was no exception. Her open stare as she looked 
 Edith in the face and passed her by, only to most cordially 
 greet Mrs. Graham, could not be misunderstood ; while 
 Mrs. Adell's indifference to her presence was fully under- 
 stood by Edith, who, sick and sore at heart, turned to 
 where Arthur with much apparent interest was watching 
 the effective manner with which Mrs. Graham was using 
 her deei")ly bordered handkerchief, as she alternately 
 smiled or sobbed, as best fitted each new arrival within the 
 circle of her admiring friends. 
 
 " I have found out," said Edith, with a shudder at the 
 remembrance of her experience, ''and I now feel as if I 
 could never enter these doors again." 
 
 " There is one thing, Edith, that you must now try and 
 learn," said Arthur, as they sadly walked along, "and the 
 sooner you learn it the better for your peace of mind ; fol- 
 low Longfellow's advice and let 
 
FOILED. 1?1 
 
 Time lay his hand upon j-our heart, gently, not smiting it. 
 But as a harper lays his open palm upon his liarp, to deaden its 
 vibrations. 
 
 ''As it is now, you are like a frail flower, only too easily 
 crushed under the foot of any one whose manner assumes 
 "superiority, Avhile it should be that you could firmly face 
 the world so long as you are certain that you are in the 
 right." 
 
 "You could do that, Arthur, but not I," replied Edith, 
 sadly. 
 
 " It would take away one of your greatest charms, Edith," 
 replied Arthur, kindly, " but it would save you many bit- 
 ter tears ; for I could not fail to notice when we were com- 
 ing out of church that here and there you would wince and 
 tremble at some imagined slight that to me seemed entirely 
 unintentional. " 
 
 " Hush ! Here comes Miss Ashton," said Edith, under 
 her breath, as she quickly stepped forward to meet her. 
 
 As Miss Ashton came toward her, she carefully lifted the 
 folds of her dress, and stepping to one side, her eyes mean- 
 while riveted upon Edith's, passed her without a word. 
 
 Edith's breath came quick and fast as she felt the full 
 force of the blow, and then for a moment her heart stood 
 still while the receding blood left her face deathly pale. 
 
 "Well," said Arthur, "there was no mistaking that ! " 
 
 " No," said Edith, greatly agitated, " but why, I cannot 
 understand. " 
 
 " 0, it is very plain to me," replied Arthur, concealing 
 his true feelings : " Some designing person has only to tell 
 her a plausible story and, regardless of its truth or falsity, 
 the friendship of a lifetime is thrown to the winds. See?" 
 
It'i FOILED. 
 
 " I don't believe you would care if I lost every friend I 
 had, Arthur," said Edith, half provoked at his levity. 
 
 ''Care!'' replied Arthur, bitterly. ''What's the use of 
 caring ? It is the way of the world, and whether you laugh 
 or die of a broken heart, the world moves on in just the 
 fiame old way. Look at it philosophically, Edith, and the 
 poison of the sting is at once removed." 
 
 "I feel more like sinking in despair," said Edith, as she 
 entered the house. 
 
 " If you are going to sink, choose something else than 
 despair," said Arthur, with mock solemnity ; " of all un- 
 satisfactory things I know of, there are none more so than 
 sinking in despair. Do as I do, Edith, sink into a com- 
 fortable seat and look pleasant," and Arthur, suiting his 
 actions to his words, seated himself in a chair, and calmly 
 surveyed the troubled face of his wife. 
 
 " I wish I had your disposition," said Edith ; " nothing 
 worries you, nothing causes you the least concern. " 
 
 "There you make a grave mistake, Edith," replied 
 Arthur, at once becoming serious ; " but the effect my 
 actions had upon you is the best proof that the appearance 
 -of stoical indifference is the best armor a person can wear 
 against the envious darts of hate." 
 
 " And do you feel pained at what has occurred ?" inquired 
 Edith, in surprise. 
 
 " Yes," quickly replied Arthur, " I feel it keenly ; did I 
 not, I would be less than human. Do you think as I look 
 back over all the time that this woman has persecuted you, 
 and my eyes follow the dark and fearful trail that begins 
 mth her appearance in your home and ends only with the 
 
FOILED. 113 
 
 wreck that we Iiave witnessed to-day, that I do not feel pained 
 at the sight, and desperate that I cannot stay its course ? 
 To doubt it, Edith, is to doubt my love for you ; and yet 
 I would not advise you to any other course than that we 
 have decided on. To you this experience is like a winter's 
 blast, it sears and drives you within yourself ; with me, it 
 the more firmly fixes my resolve to have justice meted out to 
 you ; and though all our friends should desert us, we still 
 have each the other, and can safely trust time to set all 
 things right. " 
 
 "But would it not be better to give up trying to obtain- 
 justice, and let the matter drop ; is not the loss of friends- 
 and the false position that we are placed in a greater pen- 
 alty than we are willing to pay ?'" inquired Edith, anx- 
 iously. 
 
 '' It has become a very serious matter," replied Arthur, 
 thoughtfully, ''and one that causes me great anxiety ; for 
 I must confess that I do not see my way clearly and cannot 
 tell what the outcome will be. We are just beginning to 
 realize the tremendous pressure that is to be brought ta 
 bear upon us to make us retract, and beside those who have 
 been turned against us here, we will probably find that 
 uncle Ralph's family and your aunt Hattie have already 
 gone over to the enemy. You have not received a word of 
 condolence or sympathy from them since father Graham's 
 death, and under these circumstances their silence bodes 
 us no good." 
 
 " 0, she cannot influence them !" replied Edith, confi- 
 dently. 
 
 "But if that proves true, it does not relieve the situation 
 
174 FOILED. 
 
 of its seriousness," replied Arthur, earnestly. "We are 
 destined to experience a bitter and relentless warfare, and 
 this Avoman will hesitate at nothing that gives promise of 
 aiding her to accomplish her purpose. Coarse in her nature, 
 and less sensitive in lier disposition than you, she can smile 
 where you would despair. But above all this the right 
 stands out clearly and distinctly on our side. Shall we go 
 forward or shall we yield ?" 
 
 "I cannot say what we should do, Arthur," replied 
 Edith, doubtfully ; " but whatever course you decide upon, 
 I will stand by you though all our friends desert us." 
 
 ''I have never doubted your constancy, Edith, and now 
 if you are ready to make this sacrifice we will fight the old 
 dragon until she cries for pity," said Arthur, resolutely. 
 
 ''But if she should be the victor, how then ?" inquired 
 Edith, not so easily reassured. , 
 
 " She will make us fight to the bitter end, and we must 
 ask no favors," replied Arthur, his spirits quickly return- 
 ing now that his course had been decided upon. 
 
 The following days were only the beginning of many 
 sorrowful ones to Edith, who from this time on found more 
 enjoyment in lier home than she dared expect to find in any 
 other place, and this the more readily reconciled her to 
 exclude herself from the rude shocks that she now and then 
 encountered when she met her former friends. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 SHE IS A WOMAX — I CAX DO NOTHIXG. 
 
 It was not many days after the receipt of her letter that 
 Edith was surprised to see Mrs. Graham alight at her door, 
 and her heart stood still for a moment as she thought of the 
 trial that was in store for her. 
 
 "I came, Edith," began Mrs. Graham, '''more from a 
 sense of duty than pleasure, I can assure you ; and while I 
 feel the disgrace you have brought upon us, it does not 
 relieve me from my responsibility concerning you. You 
 received my letter, I suppose ?" 
 
 " I did," replied Edith, almost inaudibly. 
 
 " Ah, well, my mind is relieved," said Mrs. Graham, re- 
 signedly. " I received no reply and so could not know that 
 it' had reached you." 
 
 "I did not think it required an answer," said Edith, 
 quietly. 
 
 ''It did not, particularly; and now that I know you 
 
 received it, I feel that my duty has been done even though 
 
 you still persist in your course. I have done all that I could 
 
 to save you, Edith, and you must now take the consequences 
 
 of your acts." 
 
 175 
 
176 FOILED. 
 
 "■ I have no desire to do what is not right," replied Edith, 
 meekly. 
 
 " Then why do you persist in doing as you do ?" said 
 Mrs. Graham, turtiing sharply upon her, " Your own 
 interests ought to be reason enough to make you change 
 your course, even if you care nothing for friends, reputa- 
 tion, or your father's good name. This all-absorbing love 
 of money is something I cannot understand. It is too low 
 and too base in its nature to have even one redeeming fea- 
 ture." 
 
 Edith could make no reply, only the silent tears gave 
 evidence that she felt what Mrs. Graham said. 
 
 "I saw your aunt Hattie a few days ago," continued 
 Mrs. Graham, unmoved by Edith's tears, " and I found that 
 she had already heard of your actions and knew of all your 
 evil doings. When she first heard of it she decided to come 
 and see you and urge you to change your course, but when 
 die realized the shame and disgrace that you had brought 
 upon the memory of your father she changed her mind, and 
 now says she never wishes to see you again." 
 
 "But why should she say that ?" gasped Edith, nearly 
 overcome by the shock. 
 
 ''Why !" repeated Mrs. Graham, with a scornful smile. 
 " Unless you are deceiving yourself you know only too 
 well why I" 
 
 "I cannot understand it," said Editli, mournfully. 
 
 "That is because you are so blinded by greed and 
 avarice that you will not see,'^ replied Mrs. Graham, dis- 
 dainfully. '^ Your whole desire seems to be to obtain your 
 father's money, regardless of the disgrace your actions bring 
 upon us all." 
 
FOILED. 177 
 
 "Why, Mrs. Graham !*' said Edith, appealingly, "I do 
 not feel that way at all ! I confess that I would like some 
 little keepsake, some memento from my mother's home, 
 but that is all." 
 
 '^I knew that was it/' replied Mrs. Graham, with exas- 
 perating calmness ; '^ you are all absorbed with your desires 
 to get hold of this proi)erty." 
 
 " But the trifles I ask for would be worthless to any one 
 else," said Edith, astonished at her own boldness. " 0, 
 Mrs. Graham ! will you not let me have something that 
 belonged to my mother, I care not what it is, only that her 
 hands should have touched it V 
 
 For a moment Mrs. Graham regarded Edith with a smile 
 of pitiless scorn, then, with biting sarcasm, she asked : 
 
 "And is it the favors I have received at your hands that 
 induces you to ask these favors of me ? You are aware, I 
 suppose, that I must pay for every item of this personal 
 property, whether I give it away or sell it." 
 
 "But I would pay you for it I" replied Edith, desper- 
 ately. " Yes, I would pay many times its value if you 
 would only let me have something by which to remember 
 my dead mother and ho- Lome !"' 
 
 "I have no need of your money, Edith," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, complacently. 
 
 " But may I not have some memento from my former 
 home ? — something — anything !" cried Edith, despairingly. 
 " 0, Mrs. Graham ! you cannot deny me that ; you cannot 
 want them all !" 
 
 ^'No," said Mrs. Graham, slowly, " I do not want them ; 
 but so long as you oppose my desires you can expect nothing 
 
 12 
 
178 FOILED. 
 
 — absolutely nothing ! I would burn them and throw the 
 ashes to the winds rather than see you enjoy them under 
 these circumstances !" 
 
 Edith's gentle nature could not fathom the depth of Mrs. 
 Graham's relentless hatred. She felt that by tliis woman 
 she was hated, always had been, and always would be ; but 
 she also knew that money was Mrs. Graham's god, and 
 wliy she should refuse her offer of many times the value for 
 the trifles she desired was to her a puzzling mystery which 
 s^ie silently tried to solve, until Mrs. Graham asked, inquir- 
 ingly : 
 
 " Have any of your friends called lately, Edith ?" 
 
 '' Only Mrs. Wallingford," was the reluctant reply. 
 
 " 0," said Mrs. Graham, significantly, ''is she the only 
 one ?" 
 
 "Yes," rej)lied Editli, sorrowfully, "she is the only 
 one." 
 
 "Have you heard from the relatives lately ?" continued 
 Mrs. Graham, with malicious indifference to the pain she 
 saw she was causing Edith. 
 
 " I have not heard from them since father died,'^ said 
 Edith, bursting into tears. 
 
 " Yoii do not wonder at it under the circumstances, do 
 you r 
 
 " I cannot help wondering at it,'^ said Edith, piteously, 
 "for it seems very strange, and Arthur tliinks some one 
 must have misrepresented things to them, for they have no 
 cause to feel offended at anything we have done. " 
 
 "Poor child P' said Mrs. Graham, consolingly, '^ how 
 little you realize the extent of 3'our misdeeds ! You have 
 
FOILED. 179 
 
 always had me to cover up your faults and hide your evil 
 doings, and now you are surprised when you find thaft I 
 can do so no longer. Have you seen Miss Ashton lately ?■' 
 
 "No/' replied Edith, despairingly, '^ something has 
 turned even her against me, and she does not speak to me 
 now." 
 
 *' You have not given up attending your church, have 
 you, Edith ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, with well-feigned 
 solicitude. 
 
 ■'Yes, we cannot bear to attend there any longer, and 
 Arthur has decided that we will stay away." 
 
 " I am shocked to hear you say so !" said Mrs. Graham, 
 impressively. " You should remember that ij :/U keep 
 away from the source of good you are certain to become 
 worse instead of better. There is a promise, Edith, that 
 * though your sins be like scarlet they shall be made white 
 as wool ;- and though your friends may censure your actions 
 and feel that you have done wrong, it only makes matters 
 worse to lead a life like this, without a God or a hope in the 
 hereafter. I have always found peace and comfort in these 
 things, and in this terrible affliction " — and Mrs. Graham 
 hesitated a moment while she wiped the tears away — " I 
 find my greatest strength and fortitude by keeping near to 
 Him." 
 
 ''But we do attend church," said Edith, in desperation 
 at the thought of this last hope of comfort being taken 
 from her ; " we go elsewhere." 
 
 *' Have you become members of any other church ?" in- 
 quired Mrs. Graham, calmly. 
 
 " No, we have not, as yet." 
 
180 FOILED. 
 
 " Then you are as far from grace as if you did not attend 
 at' all," said Mrs. Graham, decisively. 
 
 "1 feel it," said Edith, ''and have spoken to Arthur 
 about it ; but he says no, that if we do, the same evil in- 
 fluence will enter there that we have experienced in our 
 own." 
 
 " 0," said Mrs. Graham, smiling in spite of herself, " so 
 he has arrived at that exalted condition where even our 
 churches are not good enough for him ! Well, Edith, when 
 you and Arthur become more meek in spirit I shall have 
 some hope of seeing your course pointing more nearly to 
 the straight and narrow way ; until then, I can only hope 
 and pray." 
 
 And thus Edith met the baleful influence of this woman 
 at every turn. She saw her friends droop and die, while 
 even the sanctity of her home was ruthlessly invaded in 
 order that one more poisoned dart might be hurled into 
 the quivering flesh by this pitiless hand. 
 
 When Arthur entered the house and saw Edith's tear- 
 stained cheeks and deathly paleness, he quickly surmised 
 that she had again been afflicted by Mrs. Graham's 
 presence. 
 
 " Has Mrs. Graham been here again ?" anxiously inquired 
 Arthur. 
 
 " Yes," replied Edith ; " but how did you know it ?" 
 
 " I thought so by your ajapearance," said Arthur, uj^on 
 whose face Edith saw slowly creeping a look that she had 
 never seen there before. The sight alarmed her, and she 
 quickly asked: 
 
 " Why, Arthur, what is the matter ?" 
 
FOILED. 181 
 
 "0, I was just thinking how fortunate it was for her 
 that she was a woman/' said Arthur, evasively. " She 
 never enters this house without leaving you nearly frenzied 
 with fear and desperation, and you do not get over it for 
 days afterward." 
 
 ''I know it/' replied Edith, as with an efEort she kept 
 back her tears, ^'but I cannot help it. She always makes 
 me feel that I am entirely in the wrong, and I don't dare to 
 argue with her, while her cutting sarcasm and aggravating 
 manner leave me utterly powerless." 
 
 " Well, Edith," said Arthur, hesitatingly, " I have never 
 laid a command upon you before, and I dislike to do so 
 now, but you should remember that your home is your 
 castle, and no intruder has a right to enter here unless by 
 your consent; and if Mrs. Graham cannot come here and 
 act like a lady, you must make her understand that she 
 cannot come at all." 
 
 '' But I could not do that !" replied Edith, appalled at 
 the thought. "1 have been under her influence so long 
 that I would not dare to object to anything that she does." 
 
 *^ You must!" said Arthur, decisively. '^'This refine- 
 ment of cruelty is more than I am willing to see you endure, 
 and if I were present she would not dare to insult and 
 browbeat you in this manner, for she knows that it would 
 not do," 
 
 ''You may think so, Arthur," replied Edith, sadly, 
 " but no one has ever dared to oppose Mrs. Graham — it 
 would not do ; when you tried, you would find that you 
 could not." 
 
 ''Well, said Arthur, determinedly, "if she ever does so 
 in my presence you will see." 
 
182 FOILED. 
 
 ''And what would you do ?" inquired Edith, wonder- 
 ingly. 
 
 " Do V said Arthur, vehemently, " I would — She is a 
 woman — I could do nothing ! The law protects her in 
 robbing you, and I am powerless to prevent it ; her coarser 
 nature makes it safe for her to enter your home and make 
 your life a burden, and I cannot protect you. We are 
 entirely at her mercy, unless you can throw off these 
 slavish chains and defy her." 
 
 " But I could not do that !" said Edith, trembling at the 
 thought. " I do not want her to come, and yet I would not 
 dare to try to prevent it." 
 
 '' But you can at least give her to understand that this 
 is your city of refuge," said Arthur, imploringly, "and 
 that without your consent she cannot enter. This you must 
 do, Edith — it is your only safety ; for I have seen enough 
 to-day to convince me that she is straining every nerve to 
 make our lives as miserable as possible in order that she 
 may force us to abandon our opposition. This morning 
 I had hardly entered my oflBce before I was favored with a 
 call from Mr. Lewiston, who, as you know, was a firm friend 
 of ours as well as father Graham. He urged me to take 
 good counsel in this matter, ai^d thereby if possible avoid 
 the disruption of family ties that always follows law suits. 
 At first I thought he came only as a friend of Mrs. Graham's 
 and as a spy upon us ; but after I had talked with him for 
 some time, I became convinced that he came as an honest 
 but deluded friend, who was anxious to see the matter in 
 its true light and act accordingly, so I frankly told 
 him what we were doing and argued the case for some 
 
FOILED. 183 
 
 time ; but I feel certain that he left me as fully impressed 
 that we were in the wrong as he was before he came, and 
 yet I believe as firmly as ever that we are right and that 
 he has been wrongly informed and does not understand the 
 matter as it is. But if this woman can thus convince those 
 who are our friends, and really desirous of being just, what 
 can we expect from those who are not so favorably in- 
 clined ? If even our best friends believe us to be wrong, 
 we might as well be, as far as their opinion is concerned." 
 
 ''But why did you not tell him that Mrs. Graham was 
 the one who was trying take more than father gave her ?" 
 inquired Edith, anxiously. 
 
 "1 did," said Arthur, bitterly, ''and he met it with the 
 same old answer, that it was impossible, for even if she 
 desired to she could not, for the reason that the law would 
 prevent her from doing so ; and I know that he left me with 
 the belief that we were in the wrong and she in the right. 
 But to fill the cup to overflov/ing, I got a letter from father, 
 in which he enclosed one that he had received from Mrs. 
 Graham, in which she says : 
 
 "Mr. Howard : 
 
 '' Bear Sir — I was surprised and disappointed to find 
 that you had been in the city and did not come to see me. 
 I can. only account for it by the supposition that you have 
 been prejudiced against me by those who are too near and 
 dear to us both for me to say a word against, even in self- 
 defense. Allow me to remind you, however, that no just 
 judge pronounces a verdict without first hearing both 
 sides. I am certainly trying to do right, and to work unsel- 
 fishly for the best interests of all. I am acting in perfect 
 accord with brother Webster, a man who is incapable of 
 
184 FOILED. 
 
 doing intentional wrong, and also under advice of both 
 good legal counsel and wise and discreet Christian friends. 
 May I not have the friendship of yourself and family, for 
 it seems as if all this trouble would kill me ? May the 
 Lord guide and help ! 
 
 " Yours, as ever, 
 
 '' Sarah J. Geaham," 
 
 "And has it come to this ?"' said Edith, as Arthur 
 finished reading. 
 
 " Yes, it has come to the point where, not satisfied with 
 alienating our friends and acquaintances, she attempts to 
 prejudice even my own father and mother against us," 
 
 " But she did not succeed, did she ? What did your 
 father write in return ? " said Edith in one breath. 
 
 " He answered that he did not care to enter into a dis- 
 cussion of the case, and had gone no farther in his investi- 
 gations than to see the clause in the will where Mr. Graham 
 bequeathed her an equal one-third, and her signature to the 
 document in which she demanded that a large amount in 
 excess of that be set off to her as a widow's award. That 
 if he had judged her at all, it was not upon rumor or hear- 
 say evidence, but upon the "evidence of this paper, duly 
 signed and sworn to by herself." 
 
 " Good ! good ! isn't he just splendid ? " shouted Edith, 
 nearly beside herself with joy. 
 
 '^Well," replied Arthur complacently, "I would not 
 think much of my father and mother if they had not done 
 so." 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ROUTED AXD DISMAYED. 
 
 ''Drive to Mrs. Wallingford's," was Mrs, Graham's order 
 as slie left Edith and entered her carriage. 
 
 I have delayed too long in calling there, thought Mrs. 
 Graham, and must now make up for my delay. If she 
 remains a friend to Edith when I leave her, I shall be sur- 
 prised. 
 
 ''I have just called on Edith," began Mrs. Graham, as 
 Mrs. Wallingford entered her parlor, *'and on my 
 return I thought I could drop in and see you without your 
 considering me as being indelicate in so doing." 
 
 "Apologies are entirely unnecessary," replied Mrs. Wal- 
 lingford, courteously; ''I should not have considered it 
 indelicate even without your apology. But how did you 
 find Edith?" 
 
 ''She is in excellent health, thank you, "replied Mrs. 
 Graham, graciously, "and seems to enjoy herself as heartily 
 as at any time in her life." 
 
 "That takes a load of guilt from off my conscience," 
 replied Mrs. Wallingford, smiling. "I have intended every 
 day to make her a visit, but procrastination has been the 
 thief that has taken all my time, until I now find that it 
 
 185 
 
186 FOILED. 
 
 has been several days since I last saw her, and my con- 
 science began to be unruly." 
 
 ^' You have many friends whom you do not see as often 
 as that, I dare say/' replied Mrs. Graham, smiling. 
 
 "Yes, too many, I am afraid," said Mrs. Wallingford, 
 consciously; '^but Edith's case is different. I left her 
 burdened with care and greatly worried, and as an old 
 friend I felt that it was my duty to cheer and advise her to 
 the full extent of my ability." 
 
 "That is a rare species of friendship, Mrs. Wallingford," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, quietly, ''and one that is well worth 
 one's best efforts to possess. I judge you must be a firm friend 
 of Edith's." 
 
 ''Yes, or any other young woman who is placed in her 
 unfortunate condition," replied Mrs. Wallingford, earnestly. 
 
 "It is strange," replied Mrs. Graham, musingly, "that 
 I have not seen some indication that she so keenly felt her 
 father's death." 
 
 "She is human, Mrs. Graham, and must feel his death, 
 even though she makes no outward sign," replied Mrs. 
 Wallingford, half reproachfully. 
 
 "I supposed her thoughts were only of his money and 
 her worry that she might not get more than was justly 
 hers," said Mrs. Graham, with a sigh. 
 
 "In that respect, Mrs. Graham, you have misjudged 
 her," replied Mrs. Wallingford, confidently, "for that is 
 not her disjiosition." 
 
 "You do not know her as I do," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 with a knowing smile. " When yoii know more of her you 
 will be better able to judge." 
 
FOILED. 187 
 
 ''I know more than I wish to, now," rejilied Mrs. Wal- 
 lingford, sadly. 
 
 " In what way ? " demanded Mrs. Graham, turning 
 sharply upon her. 
 
 " To answer that Avonld place me in a very disagreeable 
 position," said Mrs. Wallingford, quietly. " I have no 
 desire to deceive you, and yet if I told you all, I would too 
 forcibly bring to your mind George Canning's words relat- 
 ing to the candid friend. * JSTo, Mrs. Graham, it were better 
 that we allowed the matter to die a natural death." 
 
 Mrs. Graham was in doubt, and found that she had Ijeen 
 foiled by the very frankness that permitted no dispute. If 
 she would only give me an opportunity to present my side 
 of the case, she thought, I would would willingly trust to its 
 effect upon her. 
 
 "Your words, Mrs. Wallingford, are like riddles," began 
 Mrs. Graham: ''I can neither affirm nor deny. If you 
 were to speak plainly, you might do me a kindness and at 
 the same time explain any misunderstanding that may have 
 occurred." 
 
 '' If I thought I could reconcile you and Edith I would 
 willingly take the risk of being misunderstood," replied 
 Mrs. Wallingford, thrown off her guard for the moment by 
 Mrs. Graham's apparent frankness. 
 
 "With myself you will have no trouble," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, earnestly ; for I would be only too well pleased to 
 have everything made pleasant again, and pledge you my 
 best endeavors to accomplish that purpose." 
 
 * " But of all the plagues, good heaven, thy Tvrath can send, 
 Save, save, oh, save me from the candid friend ! " 
 
188 FOILED. 
 
 "I first heard of this trouble at the sewing society/'' 
 began Mrs. Wallingford, " and was much surprised to find 
 that you had been the first one to mention it. " 
 
 '^Ah ! " said Mrs. Graham, with a wondering look, '^that 
 accounts for its being so rapidl/ circulated. And who first 
 told you of it," 
 
 "Mrs. Brandon, I believe." 
 
 "I am surprised at my own foolishness," said Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, deprecatingly. '' I knew her to be a most menda- 
 cious gossip, and yet I was foolish enough to tell her. The 
 history of it was simjDly this : I felt so lonesome in my 
 great, desolate house, that I determined to seek a change of 
 surroundings, and take my mind from off my sorrow. I 
 attended the meeting of the sewing society for this sole pur- 
 pose. Naturally our conversation turned upon Mr. Gra- 
 ham's death and the settling of the estate. Some of the 
 friends had heard that there was trouble, and had imagined 
 most outlandish things as having already occurred. I saw 
 that if I remained silent it would be understood as confirm- 
 ing these rumors, and when Mrs. Brandon asked me point 
 blank if Edith was trying to break her father's will, I con- 
 cluded it was best for me to admit it, and ask her, as a 
 friend, to keep from talking of it to others. Tliis I did, 
 and unwillingly, but as the best thing to do under the 
 circumstances." 
 
 '' I remember, now, that Mrs, Adell said that you ad- 
 mitted it unwillingly," said Mrs. Wallingford, '' but it was 
 very unwise to do so at all. " 
 
 ''I see that it was, now," hastily replied Mrs. Graham ; 
 "but it was an error of the head more than the heart." 
 
FOILED. 189 
 
 ''Another thing that surprised me was that the same 
 afternoon Miss Locke called upon my daughter, and told 
 her much the same story that you admitted to Mrs. Bran- 
 don. Under these circumstances, Mrs. Graham, you will 
 excuse me for thinking that you intentionally circulated 
 these stories to injure Edith in the eyes of her friends." 
 
 "I do not wonder that you should have thought so, Mrs. 
 Wallingford, but Bertha's action was entirely unwarranted, 
 and I can only account for it by remembering that Edith's 
 attempt to break her father's will so greatly shocked us all 
 that for some time it was the chief topic of conversation in 
 our household." 
 
 "I do not think we need discuss that point, Mrs. Gra- 
 ham," replied Mrs. Wallingford, significantly; "I think 
 we both understand it fully. " 
 
 Mrs. Graham shot a quick, inquiring glance at Mrs. 
 Wallingford, whose calm, untroubled face gave no indica- 
 tion of a hidden meaning, and with renewed confidence she 
 said : 
 
 " I am so mortified that this should have taken place that 
 I sometimes wish I were dead. I, no doubt, have made 
 some mistakes, but I have always tried to be just in all my 
 dealings ; and I was informed only a few days ago that a 
 strict reading of the will would give me all of the valuable 
 land that surrounds the homestead, but I declined to take 
 it, and do now, and I have told Arthur so, for I know that 
 Mr. Graham intended that the property he gave me should 
 only include the portion upon which the house stands ; and 
 I will be well pleased to get that, for if Edith succeeds in 
 breaking the will I can expect nothing — " 
 
190 FOILED. 
 
 ''Mrs. Graham/' interrupted Mrs. Wallingford, ''I gave 
 yon warning that I understood this matter concerning the 
 breaking of the will, and it seems that you did not under- 
 stand it as I intended that you should. Now, in order that 
 we may fully understand each other, I will tell you that 
 Edith jDOsitively denies any act or intent to break her 
 father's will." 
 
 " 0, she has done that from the first," replied Mrs. G-ra- 
 ham, scornfully. 
 
 '•' Her denial, Mrs. Graham, was so jjositive as to impress 
 me with its truth," replied Mrs. Wallingford, earnestly ; 
 " but in order that I might not be mislead by it, I had Mr. 
 Wallingford thoroughly investigate the matter, and he 
 found that the records of the court confirmed her state- 
 ments and branded yours as false. Now, Mrs. Graham, it 
 may be that I do you an injustice, but I believe that you 
 know them to be so, and have intentionally circulated these 
 rejDorts against Edith in order that you might alienate her 
 friends from her by their confidence in your integrity, while 
 Edith proves her worthiness by showing her ability to do 
 without them. Now, Mrs. Graham, as a professor of the 
 Christian faith, it is your duty to do all in your power to 
 right this great wrong ; and if you prove your worth by so 
 doing, Jane Wallingford will be your friend ; if not, I must 
 ask you to never enter my house again." 
 
 So suddenly had this avenging avalanche fallen upon her 
 while she imagined that her work was nearly done, that, all 
 unprepared, Mrs. Graham found herself defenceless and 
 in abject terror ; the room grew dark about her ; and Avlien 
 Mrs. Wallingford ceased, ''transfixed they sat with neither 
 
FOILED. 191 
 
 speaking to the other, but like dumb statues stared each on 
 other and looked deathly pale." Her equal in wealth and 
 station, and wielding an influence that made her envious, 
 Mrs. Graham easily realized that with Mrs . Wallingf ord she 
 had utterly failed, while the power that she trusted would 
 aid her would now be used for Edith's vindication. Quickly 
 recovering her composure, Mrs. Graham arose, and with a 
 stately inclination of her head, was about to retire, when 
 Mrs. "Wallingf ord extended her hand, and, all unmindful 
 of herself, said : 
 
 ' ' If I have spoken harshly, I i^ray you forgive me ; my 
 very earnestness should prove my friendship. Will this 
 parting be only for a time ?" 
 
 Mrs. Graham's cold gray eyes shot out a flash of deadly 
 hatred as her only reply. 
 
 '^ Home," said Mrs. Graham, hoarsely, as she entered her 
 carriage and gave way to her bitter thoughts. 
 
 Mrs. Wallingford, with much apparent exhaustion, sought 
 a place where, uninterrupted, she could review Edith's 
 case, and see where she could be of service. 
 
 We are, thought Mrs. Wallingford, too often the mes- 
 sengers of these designing persons. How often we believe 
 the first story that is told, and, not waiting or seeking to 
 know its truth, are by its very falsity aroused to hatred of 
 tlie innocent ! It is not a pleasing retrospect to view the 
 many times we fail to prove the slander ere we believe it 
 true. 
 
 It was not long afterward that Edith was favored with a 
 visit from Mrs. Wallingford, who said : 
 
 " I have long neglected you, Edith, and might have done 
 
192 FOILED. 
 
 SO for a longer time were it not for a visit I received from 
 Mrs. Graham. But in the meantime I have improved sev- 
 eral opportunities for bringing about a more correct under- 
 standing of the true condition of your affairs." 
 
 '' And I have also been favored with a call from Mrs. 
 Graham," said Edith, ''and I am at a loss to know just 
 what she means ; for when I talk to Arthur or you I feel 
 that she has done wrong, but she always makes me believe 
 that I have disgraced the memory of my father and been 
 very dishonorable in many ways, Avhile there is not a doubt 
 that she is not just and right in all she does." 
 
 ''Had it not been for the earnestness with which you 
 denied Mrs. Graham's charges against you, Edith, I would 
 have found it easy to have believed her ; but your state- 
 ments were so positive and earnest that Mr. Wallingford 
 decided to investigate for himself, and found it no difficult 
 matter to substantiate all you said, which left no course 
 for us but to endorse your actions and wish you success." 
 
 " You cannot imagine how much good it does me to hear 
 you say so," replied Edith, her heart filled with gratitude. 
 
 "It was for the jjurpose of strengthening and encourag- 
 ing you that I came ; and I must congratulate you, Edith, 
 that Arthur stands so firmly for your defence, for it is not 
 often in a case like this that a husband will fight for justice 
 for his wife, or, if he begins the fight, quickly abandons it 
 on the first intimation that his actions are possibly indeli- 
 cate. " 
 
 "Arthur promised to cherish and protect me," smilingly 
 rei^lied Edith, "and now is only fulfilling his promise, 
 lie will be here before long, and you must wait and see 
 him." 
 
FOILED. 193 
 
 *' I think I will, as I have some questions that I wish to 
 ask him. But does not Mrs. Graham's course perplex and 
 worry him, Edith ?" 
 
 "It worries both of us," replied Edith, quickly ; " but 
 while I tremble and fear, he only grows firmer and more 
 self-reliant. At first I feared that he would break down 
 and allow her to have her way ; he was very downhearted 
 and fearful that all our friends would leave us, and that I 
 would not be willing to pay the penalty that Mrs. Graham 
 seemed to have determined to force upon us ; but when he 
 found that I consented, he became more determined than 
 ever before, and nov/ when he meets her he is so cool and 
 collected that I just admire his bravery, and often won- 
 der what I would have done if it had not been for him." 
 
 " Yours was a love match, Edith, and no doubt," re- 
 plied Mrs. Wallingford, with an amused smile at Edith's 
 enthusiasm in regard to Arthur; "but your feelings da 
 credit to your womanly heart." 
 
 " Since I saw you last I have seen all your predictions 
 come true in regard to our old friends deserting us," said 
 Edith, saddened at the recollection. 
 
 "Not your true friends, Edith," replied Mrs. Walling- 
 ford, earnestly, " they were only apparent friends. Those 
 who were truly your friends are your friends yet and will 
 remain so as long as you need them, and they are much 
 more numerous than you imagine. The great number who 
 have deserted you makes you feel as if all had gone> be- 
 cause those who remain are so few as compared to the 
 whole number ; but those who prove themselves friends now 
 are worth more than a countless host of untried friends." 
 
 13 
 
lOi FOILED. 
 
 "I feel that to be true," replied Edith, thoughtfully; 
 " but some that have turned against me I find it hard to 
 give up. Miss Ashton and I have been friends since we 
 were children, and now she seems only too anxious to show 
 her dislike for me." 
 
 ''Can it be that Miss Ashton has been turned against 
 jou ? " inquired Mrs. Wallingford, earnestly. 
 
 "Yes, she is displeased at something, and I have no 
 knowledge of ever having said or done anything by which 
 she could be offended, and yet she is." 
 
 " It must be the same influence that has affected the 
 others," said Mrs. Wallingford, with a troubled sigh ; "but 
 I am surprised at ■ her willingness to believe that one side 
 of the story contains all the truth, when she was such a 
 firm friend of yours. I would advise you to see her, Edith, 
 and ask for an explanation." 
 
 "I have thought of doing so," replied Edith, thought- 
 fully, "but it has always seemed to me that if any one was 
 i,o speak ill of a friend to me that I should not believe 
 them, and that it would be my duty to inform them of 
 their danger." 
 
 ^'That is the Avisest course, Edith, but it is not the 
 way of the world. Strange as it may seem, it is, neverthe- 
 less, true that we are all more or less liable to be misled by 
 false reports, and often do not seek to know their truth 
 before making our decision. Friend parts from friend, 
 father from son, and wife from husband, for no better reason 
 than that some one has told them a plausible falsehood 
 concerning friend, son, or husband ; and in all the world I 
 know of only one affectioiuitc tie that slander cannot break 
 
FOILED. 195 
 
 — no fountain of deep, strong, deathless love save that 
 within a mother's heart. Against this, dark calumny beats 
 in vain. Vice, dissipation and death may enter, but that 
 love never wavers or dies. All else is at the mercy of de- 
 signing knaves, to whom the best of friends will yield." 
 
 " I know only too well that what you say is true," said 
 Edith, sadly, " but I find it hard to believe, even though I 
 have proved it. The sanctity of my home is not proof 
 against it, and in this case even the church is used as a 
 weapon against me, so much so that we no longer attend 
 there and have found our way into other places." 
 
 " I was afraid that such might be the result," said Mrs. 
 Wallingford, anxiously, " but I cannot wonder that you 
 find it disagreeable to attend there under these circum- 
 stances, which only proves that evil influences have greater 
 power than good." 
 
 ''I find it so," replied Edith, as she arose to meet Arthur 
 as he entered. 
 
 " Holding a council of war ?" inquired Arthur, with a 
 pleasant smile. " Your faces look solemn enough to war- 
 rant the suspicion that you have been talking of the 
 widow." 
 
 " We plead guilty," replied Mrs. Wallingford, pleas- 
 antly. 
 
 •^And how do you do ?" said Arthur, extending his 
 hand. "We feel honored in your presence, under the cir- 
 cumstances." 
 
 " When I see the quiet, uncomplaining demeanor of 
 yourself and wife under such trying circumstances as these, 
 I feel that I am honored more than you," replied Mrs. 
 Wallingford, graciously. 
 
196 FOILED. 
 
 "You see us in our own most amiable mood, Mrs. Wal- 
 lingford," replied Arthur, laughing; "but I am afraid 
 that if you knew of all our bitter complainings against 
 Mrs. Graham^s actions you would think that we were any- 
 thing but amiable." 
 
 "If in your cooler moments you can remember your 
 repinings without remorse, I think you can trust to their 
 being right," replied Mrs. Wallingford quietly. 
 
 " There is where I am afraid my conscience does not do 
 its duty," replied Arthur, laughing, "for I can never think 
 of Mrs. Graham's actions toward Edith, and that she is 
 the real robber, without becoming almost furious." 
 
 "That reminds me," said Mrs. Wallingford, "that 
 Mrs. Graham said she had no desire to take more than she 
 was entitled to, and that while a strict reading of the will 
 would give her all the land surrounding the homestead, she 
 had told you that she would not accept of it, as she knew 
 it was not her husband's intention to give her more than 
 the portion upon which the house stands. Can you explain 
 this ? For I must admit that it has shaken my confidence 
 in the correctness of my judgment of her." 
 
 "When she told me that pretty little story," said Arthur, 
 smiling at the recollection, "I laughed at her, and in reply 
 assured her that we were perfectly willing that she should 
 take all of it, for the will provided that if she did take 
 it and it should exceed more than her share she must pay 
 the difference in cash." 
 
 "0, I see," said Mrs. Wallingford, laughing. "So your 
 offer to her was not so generous, after all." 
 
 "Not more so than hers to give up something which if 
 
FOILED. 197 
 
 she kept she would have to pay for," said Arthur, laugh- 
 ingly. '" But for all that, I dare say she is using this 
 plausible story with telling effect whenever she has the 
 ojjportunity." 
 
 ''I am afraid she is, Arthur. But the strangest part of 
 the whole matter is that the law allows her to take the 
 widow's award in excess of what the will gives her ; and 
 yet Mr. Wallingford says it does, and that though the law 
 permits it, it is a great injustice." 
 
 "I know it is unjust, and it seems to be law," replied 
 Arthur, with clouded brow, "but I am not yet prepared to 
 give it up. I am earnestly seeking for some way out of the 
 difficulty, but there seems to be but little ho^e, for every 
 one I speak to about it laughs at my endeavors and assures 
 me that they will all be in vain." 
 
 " I hope you will find it, Arthur, but Mr. Wallingford 
 assui'es me you have no hope of so doing." 
 
 " It looks that way now, Mrs. Wallingford, but necessity 
 is the mother of invention, and I shall keep at it until I 
 succeed or utterly fail." 
 
 " There will be none who will rejoice more at your suc- 
 cess than the Wallingford's," said that lady, rising. ''And 
 now, Edith, I shall not be so long in coming again, and in 
 the meantime remember us as true friends, ready to advise 
 or lielp." 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 MY HUSBAND WAS A MISEE. 
 
 **I sent for you," began Mr. Blood, as Arthur entered 
 bis office, "to tell you that the appraisers will make their 
 report in a few days and that I have reason to believe tliat 
 they intend to give the widow a very large amount as her 
 award. I can see that this is what has been determined 
 upon by Mr. Skinner, and I want to knov/ what you intend 
 to do." 
 
 "What can we do ?" inquired Arthur, doubtfully. 
 
 "We might try to have the award reduced," replied Mr. 
 Blood, evidently doubtful of success, " but I fear we would 
 have little hope of doing so, as the court is almost certain 
 to approve the report of the appraisers." 
 
 *'And does the court do this regardless of the amount ?" 
 inquired Arthur, with much surprise. 
 
 " Yes, almost always," replied Mr. Blood. "You see, 
 the court has no way of knowing the private affairs of Mr. 
 Graham, and must dejaend entirely on the judgment of the 
 appraisers, and it takes the strongest kind of proof to make 
 the court set their report aside. " 
 
 "What kind of proof would you regard as strong?" 
 inquired Arthur, in perplexity. 
 
 198 
 
FOILED. 199 
 
 "The strongest proof would be Mr. Graham^s statement 
 of how much it cost him each year to pay his household 
 expenses ; but as he is not alive, of course this would be 
 inipossible." 
 
 *' But his books would do equally well, would they not ? " 
 inquired Arthur eagerly. 
 
 " Yes — if they will show all that he received and spent," 
 replied Mr. Blood, cautiously. 
 
 "They were very carefully kept," replied Arthur, earn- 
 estly, "and I could tell at a glance what he received and 
 what he spent during any of the recent months of his life. " 
 
 "If you can do that," replied Mr. Blood, excitedly, "we 
 can defeat them as sure as can be." 
 
 "Well, I can," replied Arthur, confidently. 
 
 "Then I shall serve them with notice to produce the 
 books," said Mr. Blood, determinedly. 
 
 Thus Mr. Blood was carefully laying his plans to defeat 
 the wily scheming of this unscrupulous woman and her 
 cunning lawyer ; but he found that a wily lawyer and a 
 widow's tears were no small obstacles in his way. And 
 Arthur, even with the aid of Mr. Blood, was by no means 
 sure of success, as at the appointed time he and Edith 
 entered the court room and seated themselves by their attor- 
 ney's side. 
 
 Opposite them sat Mr. Skinner, busily engaged in arrang- 
 ing his papers, while near him, and surrounded by a circle 
 of admiring friends, sat Mrs. Graham and uncle Webster. 
 
 "Your Honor," said Mr. Blood, rising from his seat, 
 "we would be pleased to have your decision on the right of 
 the widow to take this award. It is simply a question of 
 
300 FOILED. 
 
 law and requires no argument ; but I desire to call your 
 attention to the fact that this will contains a clause by 
 which the testator hoped and intended to protect his estate 
 from just such claims as this." 
 
 "The law is very plain on that point," replied Judge 
 Winters, "and no will can prevent a widow from taking 
 her award if she desires it, though wills are often drawn 
 with that intent, and this seems to be one of that class ; 
 but it has no binding force upon the widow unless she 
 desires to abide by it ; that she does not, is evidenced by 
 her signature to this claim for her award." 
 
 "First ' blood ^ for our side," whispered Mr. Skinner to 
 his confrere, while Mrs. Graham complacently smoothed 
 the folds of her cloak and with a knowing smile turned to 
 Webster and whispered: "Even the Judge seems to be 
 against them." 
 
 Webster was evidently greatly pleased at the decision i.f 
 the court, as well as flattered by Mrs. Graham^s attentions, 
 and chuckled with ill-concealed enjoyment. 
 
 "If that is your decision we must submit," said Mr. 
 Blood, as he seated himself and awaited further develop- 
 ments. 
 
 "Are the appraisers ready with their report ?" inquired 
 Judge Winters. 
 
 "They are, your Honor," said Mr. Skinner, handing 
 him the paper. 
 
 " Let the attorney for the daughter see it." 
 
 Mr. Skinner tossed the paper to Mr. Blood and took his 
 seat. 
 
 Mr. Blood waited but a moment : its contents were n-o 
 
FOILED. 201 
 
 surprise to him, and after a hasty glance at the report he 
 was ready for the contest. 
 
 " My understanding is," said Mr. Blood, as he slowly 
 arose, "that this award is for one year's support of the 
 widow. Am I correct in that understanding?" 
 
 "Yes, for one year," replied Judge Winters ; " to sup- 
 port the widow one year in the same condition as at the 
 time of her husband's death." 
 
 "Then, your Honor, we object to the amount of this 
 award," said Mr. Blood, decisively. " It is excessive and 
 therefore very unjust to the others interested in the estate, 
 and, as you can see by these books of account kept by Mr. 
 Graham, it would have been impossible for him to have spent 
 as much for the whole family as the widow now demands 
 for her support alone. Here are the books, and their foot- 
 ings show for themselves. Farther than this, I desire to 
 call your attention to estates far more valuable than this, in 
 which the amount of the widow's award has never exceeded 
 one-half of this claim, and I challenge the other side to 
 produce a case where the amount has ever been so large ; 
 and if you will take the expenses for insurance, taxes, etc., 
 from the amount of Mr. Graham's income as shown by 
 these books, you can more readily understand the injustice 
 of allowing this claim." 
 
 " Let me see the books," said Judge Winters. 
 
 " I have but little to say," began Mr. Skinner, confi- 
 dently, " but I desire to call the attention of the court to 
 the fact that the amount of this award has been decided 
 upon by men well known in the business community, and 
 men above reproach or suspicion of wrong doing. They 
 
202 FOILED. 
 
 are better acquainted with the habits and life of the widow's 
 former husband than we can possibly be, therefore I main- 
 tain that the amount of this award is not excessive, but per- 
 fectly just and fair, and their report should be accepted and 
 confirmed by the court." 
 
 ''How do you reconcile your theories with these books of 
 account ?" inquired Judge Winters. 
 
 ''0, they may have been fixed," sneeringly replied Mr. 
 Skinner. 
 
 " The gentleman forgets that until he brought them into 
 court he had full possession of them," quietly interposed 
 Mr. Blood. 
 
 " The best way to decide the matter will be to place the 
 widow on the stand," said Judge Winters. " Let her be 
 sworn." 
 
 This was an unexpected turn of affairs, and not entirely 
 acceptable to the now thoroughly aroused Mrs. Graham. 
 
 " How many persons are there in your family ?" began 
 Judge Winters. 
 
 " Five," rejDlied Mrs. Graham, curtly. 
 
 "Who are they ?" 
 
 " Two house servants, one coachman. Miss Locke and 
 myself." 
 
 " All dependent upon you for their support ?" 
 
 "They are." 
 
 "How many liorses does the coachman have in his 
 charge ?" 
 
 "Two." 
 
 " How much did it cost Mr. Graham the last year for his 
 household expenses ?" 
 
FOILED. 203 
 
 Mrs. Graham was about to answer, when, like a flash, 
 the full force and bearing of the question became evident. 
 It was a trying time ; for if she said too much, she could 
 not meet the evidence of the books ; if she said less, her 
 award would be reduced. She looked at Webster and her 
 attorney with mute appeals for aid, but finding that they 
 were powerless to aid her, slie determined, as a last resort, 
 to parry the blow as best she could, and answered : 
 
 '^ I cannot say, exactly." 
 
 " Then tell us as nearly as you can,^' said Judge Winters, 
 quietly. 
 
 " I cannot say without thinking over it some considerable 
 time," replied Mrs. Graham, at a loss for an answer. 
 
 "We will wait," dryly remarked Judge Winters, as he 
 leaned back in his chair. 
 
 Mrs. Graham moved uneasily from side to side, her hands 
 nervously opening and closing upon vacancy, while her 
 mind was actively engaged in trying to solve the difficult 
 problem. At last, as if by a desperate effort, she answered: 
 
 "I suppose about ten thousand dollars." 
 
 "How, then, do you account for the footings of these 
 books ?" inquired Judge Winters. 
 
 "I had a separate income of my own," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, haughtily, "which I contributed to the general 
 fund." 
 
 It was now Arthur's turn to be surprised, and when he 
 remembered that she was only a poor girl when Mr. Gra- 
 ham married her, the conviction came over him that in her 
 desperation she had committed willful perjury in order to 
 escape from sure defeat. Turning to Edith with an inquiring 
 
204 FOILED. 
 
 look, he only saw his own blank amazement reflected 
 in her face, and that she was likewise at a loss to under- 
 stand Mrs. Graham's claim of separate income. 
 
 It was evident that Judge Winters was now satisfied that 
 the discrepancy could thus be accounted for and the amount 
 of the award must stand, when Arthur leaned forward and 
 whispered in Mr. Blood's ear: 
 
 ''Ask her where she obtained it." 
 
 " Your Honor," said Mr. Blood, "will you ask the wit- 
 ness where and how she obtained this income ? She has 
 aroused our curiosity." 
 
 "You may tell us, if you please, where and how you ob- 
 tained this income," said Judge Winters, addressing Mrs. 
 Graham. 
 
 " I object ! I object !" shouted Mr. Skinner, who greatly 
 feared the result. 
 
 "The question is a proper one, and she must answer it," 
 replied Judge Winters, decisively. 
 
 "It was money that I obtained from Miss Locke for, 
 board," replied Mrs. Graham, sullenly. 
 
 " !" significantly remarked the now irate judge. 
 " And who furnished the money to supply the table ?" 
 
 "Mr. Graham." 
 
 "No separate income," sententiously remarked Judge 
 Winters, " and the award will be reduced one-half." 
 
 "The 'blood' is not of as good quality this time — eh, 
 Mr. Skinner ?" 
 
 Mr. Skinner's only reply was a threatening look at the 
 cause of his defeat. 
 
 " There is one other matter we desire to have settled," 
 
FOILED. 205 
 
 continued Mr. Blood, " and that is the appraisement of 
 the personal property. You have seen the despenae at- 
 tempts of this woman to sustain the appraisement of her 
 award, and in all probability will see a similar attempt on 
 her part to have this appraisement of the personal property 
 sustained. After studying the case thoroughly, in order 
 that I might arrive at a just conclusion, I now feel justified 
 in branding this appraisement as another attempt to rob 
 this estate. You have this woman's sworn statement that 
 it cost her husband ten thousand dollars a year for living 
 exj^cnscs ; that three servants were necessary for the carry- 
 ing on of the style and splendor of her home ; and yet, if 
 we are to believe the report of the appraisers, this family, 
 living in all this grandeur, in the most fashionable part of 
 this city, in one of the finest houses in the neighborhood, 
 and spending ten thousand dollars a year for provisions, 
 slept upon beds of straw, walked upon carpets worth only 
 thirty-five cents a yard, ran the risk of being late to meals 
 by depending upon five dollar watches, wore diamond shirt 
 studs worth but one dollar and a half for a set of three, 
 while all that this elegant mansion contained, they say, is 
 worth less that five hundred dollars ; and if in your im- 
 agination you will follow me as I enter the stables, you 
 will be astonished to find their coachman presiding over 
 horses valued at only fifty dollars, upon which he places 
 only five dollars worth of harness, and then hitches 
 them to a seventy-five dollar coupe or a five dollar sleigh, 
 as best suits the season. Thus we are led to believe that 
 this family, after spending ten thousand dollars in eating 
 and drinking, lived in abject squalor and risked their lives 
 
206 FOILED. 
 
 in conveyances that were so old and poor as to be unsafe. 
 But as strange as all this may seem, it must be true, for 
 these appraisers say so ; and we have the word of the emi- 
 nent counsel representing the other side that they are wise 
 and just men. This I deny. They cannot be wise when 
 they decide that this property, which we all know is worth 
 thousands of dollars, is worth less than five hundred ; they 
 cannot be just men when they set this low valuation upon 
 this property, well knowing that the widow will take all of 
 it, and at these ruinous prices, and thereby defraud the 
 others of their share. There is but one way in which we 
 can account for their actions, and that is, that they have 
 not been proof against the winsome smiles and captivating 
 glances of this designing woman. The picture I have 
 drawn might well be the cause of levity were it not that it 
 too plainly shows this widow's desire to defraud the daugh- 
 ter as well as all the others interested in this estate. That 
 this is true, is proven by this other document which I hold 
 in my hand, wherein the widow demands that all this prop- 
 erty be set off to her at these prices and leave the daughter 
 with empty hands, who, finding that such was likely to be 
 the case, sought this woman and begged for some trifling 
 memento by which to remember her dead mother's home, 
 only to have her request denied, even though the daughter 
 offered thrice the price the widow pays. In the liglit of 
 these revelations, this appraisement amounts to more than 
 an injustice — it is a crime ! And if your honor decides that 
 we have shown sufficient reason for setting aside this ap- 
 praisement, we will show that Webster Graham, acting as 
 an executor, was present at the time this appraisement was 
 
FOILED. 207 
 
 made, and, as unaccountable as it may seem, did in many 
 cases induce these appraisers to lower their valuation, which 
 they the more readily consented to do as they considered 
 him to be more interested in advancing rather than unjustly 
 lowering their valuation. If, then, we take the absurdities 
 as I have outlined them — the acts of Webster Graham and 
 the injustice to the daughter — we have good and sufiBcient 
 reason to ask that this appraisement be set aside and a new 
 appraisement be ordered. " 
 
 Mrs. Graham was now livid with rage, and darkly 
 scowled upon Arthur and Edith, while Webster writhed 
 under the lashings of Mr. Blood. 
 
 " Your Honor, we should like to put Webster Graliam 
 upon the stand," continued Mr. Blood. 
 
 *' Let him be sworn," was Judge Winters' only reply. 
 
 As Webster stood with uplifted hand while he took the 
 oath, it was plain to see that he was not a willing sacrifice. 
 
 " Were you present when this appraisement was made ?'" 
 asked Mr. Blood. 
 
 " Yes, sir, I was," replied Webster, in an injured tone. 
 
 " Did you suggest to the appraisers that the amounts 
 agreed upon by them were too high ?" 
 
 " Yes, I did, because — " 
 
 '■' ]S"ever mind the because," interrupted Mr. Blood. 
 '' Did they lower the prices when you suggested it ?" 
 
 '' In most cases." 
 
 " Could you furnish this house in its present condition 
 for five hundred dollars ?" 
 
 "No, because — " 
 
 "■ Never mind why," quickly interposed Mr. Blood. 
 
208 FOILED. 
 
 " Could you for doubfe this sum ?" 
 
 ''I think not," replied Webster, reluctantly. 
 
 "That's all. Now, your Honor/' continued Mr. Blood, 
 " we desire that Mrs. Graham take the stand." 
 
 "Let Mrs. Graham take the witness stand," said Judge 
 Winters, brusquely. 
 
 " You lived in a very aristocratic neighborhood, did you 
 not, Mrs. Graham ?" began Mr. Blood. 
 
 "I suppose so," was her curt reply. 
 
 "You went in the best society, did you not ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir," replied Mrs. Graham, haughtily. 
 
 " Your house was elegantly furnished, was it not ?" 
 
 " No, sir, it was not." 
 
 "' Well, we may differ as to the meaning of words," said 
 Mr. Blood, with a quizzical smile, " but your house was as 
 well furnished as your neighbors, was it not ?" 
 
 "No, sir; it was not," replied Mrs. Graham, determin- 
 edly. 
 
 " Could you buy what your house contained for five hun- 
 dred dollars ?" 
 
 "I think not." 
 
 " Could you for double that ?" 
 
 "I cannot say." 
 
 " Are you able to account for the low valuation of this 
 personal property ?" inquired Mr. Blood, with a searching 
 glance at tlie witness. 
 
 " I can only say that our house was not furnished as well 
 as it should have been," replied Mrs. Graham, bitterly, 
 "and I have often been ashamed of its shabby appearance 
 when friends were visitins: us." 
 
FOILED. 209 
 
 ''Was this always its condition^ or was it so for only a 
 short time ?" 
 
 ''Almost always," replied Mrs. Graham, with a sigh. 
 
 " Why was this ? Why was it not in keeping with your 
 surroundings ?'' inquired Mr. Blood, with well-feigned 
 surprise. 
 
 "Mr. Graham was not so disposed," replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, impatiently. 
 
 " Rather miserly, eh ?" queried Mr. Blood, encourag- 
 ingly. 
 
 " Well — yes, if it must be made known,"' replied Mrs. 
 Graham, with apparent reluctance. 
 
 " Is it not a fact that he spent several thousand dollars 
 in renewing and furnishing the house only a few months 
 before he died ?" inquired Mr. Blood, indignantly. 
 
 " He did some repairing," replied Mrs. Graham, reluc- 
 tantly. 
 
 " Bought new carpets and furniture, did he not ?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " You would hardly call that miserly, would you ?" 
 
 "Not that particular act," 
 
 " Mrs. Graham," said Mr. Blood, sternly, " you have 
 made the statement under oath that your husband spent 
 ten thousand dollars a year for living expenses ; if, now, 
 as you have just stated, he was a miser, how do you recon- 
 cile these statements ?" 
 
 "I am not anxious to argue the case," replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, tartly. 
 
 " No ! " said Mr. Blood, as like a flash he turned upon 
 her his eyes blazing with indignation, "but you were so 
 
 14 
 
210 FOILED. 
 
 anxious to succeed that you forgot what you were before 
 your marriage, and consented to insult your husband's 
 memory by declaring him to be a miser." 
 
 "I object ! I object !" shouted Mr. Skinner, "The wit- 
 ness is entitled to protection from the court against such 
 insults." 
 
 ''I am done," said Mr. Blood, as he complacently 
 waited for the witness to retire. 
 
 Mr. Blood^s well-merited rebuke only the more firmly 
 settled Mrs. G-raham's friends in their decision that Edith 
 was entirely at fault and responsible for this outrageous 
 treatment, as they were j^leased to call the actions of Mr. 
 Blood, and the deprecating looks that they turned upon 
 Edith as she sat near them only tended to make her posi- 
 tion the more uncomfortable. 
 
 " Your Honor, this is an outrage that should receive 
 the attention of the court," began Mr. Skinner, as Mrs. 
 Graham left the stand; "^ and as a warning I trust it 
 will not go without its just punishment. This lady is en- 
 titled to protection at your hands." 
 
 *'It is a well known principle in law," began Mr. Blood, 
 dryly, ''that they who demand justice must first be just ; 
 and if this case does not show that they do not wish to be 
 just, it shows nothing. I will not take the responsibility 
 of saying wdio is responsible, the attorney rejiresenting 
 the other side may do that ; but the fact is plain that this 
 whole proceeding to-day as carried out by them is a most 
 dishonorable attempt at robbery and one that does full 
 credit to the well-known reputation of the attorney for the 
 executors ; and for him to now make these loud calls for pro- 
 
FOILED. 211 
 
 tection, when he finds his plans are falling to the ground, is 
 too great a travesty upon justice to merit the serious con- 
 sideration of the court/' 
 
 '' It is always the duty of a good judge to remove the 
 cause of litigation," said Judge Winters, Avithout noticing 
 the wrangle between the attorneys, "and if the parties in- 
 terested can agree and induce the appraisers to bring in a 
 report awarding one-half the former amount for the widow's 
 award, and raise the valuation of the personal property to 
 double the former amount, it will be approved by the court. 
 If this is not done, new appraisers will have to be appointed 
 and the work done over, by which the expense will be greatly 
 increased." 
 
 " That is satisfactory to us, Mr. Blood," whispered 
 Arthur. 
 
 " It is a big steal yet," replied Mr. Blood. 
 
 "1 know it is," said Arthur, "but we gained our point 
 and settled the question of who was right ; beside which, 
 the excitement has made Edith very tired." 
 
 "We are satisfied," said Mr. BU)od, rising to his feet. 
 
 " We will consent to that," said Mr. Skinner, after he 
 had consulted with Mrs. Graham. 
 
 " Call the next case," was Judge Winter's only reply. 
 
 As Edith and Arthur started to leave, Mrs. Graham 
 arose, and, standing directly in their path, scowled darkly 
 at them as they passed. 
 
 "What makes you tremble so. Edith? " inquired Arthur, 
 as they reached the door. 
 
 " I always do in her presence," replied Edith, with a 
 shudder. " Did you see the way she looked at me ? I was 
 almost certain she intended to C -ue some injury." 
 
212 FOILED. 
 
 " She would not dare do that, Edith, but her eyes plainly 
 showed the hatred she felt, for they fairly blazed as we 
 passed her." 
 
 *' I know how they looked," said Edith, trembling at 
 the thought ; " I can see them yet." 
 
 " She is foolish to show so jolainly that she feels her de- 
 feat," said Arthur, with a smile of satisfaction. 
 
 "But she gets her award/' replied Edith, with a ques- 
 tioning look at Arthur. 
 
 " Yes, Edith, there seems to be no help for that ; but 
 we reduced it one-half, and I guess she begins to feel that 
 she is accountable to more than 'her God and the judge.'" 
 
 " Your plausible theories did not stand the test, Mr. 
 Skinner," said Mrs. Graham, bitterly, when she was again 
 seated in his oflBce. " You gave me to understand that if 
 we had these appraisers appointed I, should get so large an 
 award as to satisfy me. They were appointed, but you 
 failed me at the most vital point." 
 
 "I had not counted upon such strong opposition from 
 them," replied Mr. Skinner, uneasily, " and had every as- 
 surance in the world that we were safe ; for it does not occur 
 once in an age that Judge Winters will set aside an apprais- 
 er's report, and it takes the strongest evidence that can be 
 produced to make him do so. Looking at it in that light, 
 you can hardly censure me for believing that we were 
 secure." 
 
 "But you gave me positive assurances that no efforts on 
 Edith's part could cause us trouble or defeat our plans," 
 persisted Mrs. Graham. "This has not proven true — 
 why ?" . 
 
FOILED. 213 
 
 Mr. Skinner found his position still less pleasant than 
 when he was in court, and did not relish the matter of fact 
 questions which Mrs. Graham was placing before him. 
 
 " You may more readily understand the difficulties I had 
 to contend with," continued Mr. Skinner, ''when I tell 
 you that there was but one point at which the amount of 
 this award could have been successfully attacked, and that 
 was the very point upon which they bore with such crush- 
 ing weight. The judge would not have listened for a 
 moment to any theories that it cost your family no more 
 to live than that of others equally wealthy, and, as I have 
 said, there was but one point and one way. This they used 
 in a masterly manner ; and when they joroduced the books 
 to show that Mr. Graham could not and did not expend 
 that amount for his whole family, it left no other course 
 for the judge but to reduce the award. Arguments against 
 so doing could not be made, and would have been useless 
 had they been. Mr. Blood did not get these facts together, 
 it was Arthur ; for he was the only one who could have 
 known about Mr. Graham's business, and I feel certain, that 
 Mr. Blood did not. It was a masterly stroke, and did its 
 work well." 
 
 " So you are not content with being defeated, after hav- 
 ing all the advantage to begin with, but must compliment 
 your victor !" said Mrs. Graham, with bitter scorn. 
 
 "I only do so, Mrs. Graham, in order that you may the 
 more readily realize your position. And fully understand 
 me when I say that we must use every means in our power 
 to cause them to abandon this opposition, even if they have 
 to feel the iron heel. This must be your course ; or if you 
 
214 FOILED. 
 
 object to severe measures, then use every effort to conciliate 
 them as soon as possible." 
 
 " I shall make the terms, not they ! '' said Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, passionately. "I am dictator, and while I am I will 
 hear to no conciliation !" 
 
 " But are you sure you can make them feel that power ?" 
 inquired Mr. Skinner, doubtfully. 
 
 ''lam!" replied Mrs. Graham, fiercely; ''but I need 
 your advice. I have tried persuasion, and failed ; I have 
 made them realize that their friends have deserted them, 
 that their relatives ignored them and were incensed at their 
 actions. Edith's closest friends have almost spat upon her. 
 I have used all the pressure of the church society against 
 them ; I have driven them from the church itself — and all 
 to no purpose. Their sense of shame and disgrace seems 
 blunted, and Arthur carries his head as high and is as fear- 
 less as ever. He gives no signs of faltering in his purpose, 
 or that he realizes his jjosition." 
 
 Mr. Skinner was lost in admiration of this woman as she 
 stood before him, her eyes glowing with the intensity of 
 her passions as she recalled her fruitless efforts to stay the 
 course of the rebellious daughter. Never had he seen her 
 in the light he now beheld her — a woman whom he was 
 now ready to acknowledge as his superior, and yet he could 
 but admire her. 
 
 "1 still have one hope," continued Mrs. Graham, with a 
 look of fiendish delight in its contemplation. " I have it in 
 my power to ruin him if he does not give in. The building 
 in which he is doing business belongs to the estate, and he 
 is in my power." 
 
FOILED. 215 
 
 ''And you will raise his rent, I dare say ?" interposed 
 Mr. Skinner, with a grin of satisfaction. 
 
 *'Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, "and to such an extent as 
 you little dream of." 
 
 "It would not be wise to raise it too mucli, or he may 
 move," said Mr. Skinner, warningly. 
 
 " There is where I have him in my power," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, confidently. "By the kindness of Mr. Graham 
 he was given the use of this building rent free, and when 
 Edith was married it was understood that this rent should 
 be a part of her marriage portion. I am now free to raise 
 his rent at once and to any figure I desire ; and he cannot 
 move, for the reason that there is not a vacant store near 
 him, and to move away entirely would lose him the work 
 of years. He knows what the result would be as well as I. 
 He must pay what I demand ; there is no doubt of that. 
 Now, I want you to tell me if there is any legal objection." 
 
 "Are you sure that he has no written agreement that 
 will protect him ?" inquired Mr. Skinner. 
 
 " I am certain he has not. The only agreement was a 
 verbal one between Mr. Graham and himself, and was never 
 referred to after it was first entered into." 
 
 "Then I see no legal objection ; but would you dare to 
 resort to such desperate measures ?" inquired Mr. Skinner, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 " Dare ! " said Mrs. Graham, scornfully. Ha ! If the law 
 permits it I'll do it." 
 
 "It is well worth the trial," said Mr. Skinner, now con- 
 vinced that his troubles would soon be at an end. 
 
 And so it was decided that Arthur should feel the iron 
 grinding deeper and deeper into his soul. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 I AM CORKEEED AND AT BAY. 
 
 It was but a short time after Mrs. Graham's conversation 
 with Mr, Skinner that Arthur received word from her that 
 she desired to see him, as she was now ready to take charge 
 of all the business relating to the estate. 
 
 In answer to her request, Arthur entered the house, 
 where he was most cordially greeted by Mrs, Graham and 
 by her ushered into the presence of uncle Webster. 
 
 "Draw up to the family circle, Arthur," began Mrs. 
 Graham, graciously. And as Arthur took the proffered 
 chair, she asked : " How is Edith's health ? I trust she is 
 well." 
 
 ''Yes, very well, thank you," replied Arthur, not to be 
 outdone in diplomacy. 
 
 "lam pleased to hear it," replied Mrs, Graham, "I 
 have intended to call and see her for some time, but some- 
 thing has always prevented." 
 
 "Edith has been expecting a call from you," replied 
 Arthur, thinking of how Edith feared that she might. 
 " But I came in answer to your request to make a final 
 settlement with you, I am ready and await your pleasure," 
 
 "0, yes," replied Mrs. Graham, as if the pleasure she 
 
 216 
 
FOILED. 217 
 
 experienced by reason of his presence had made her for the 
 moment forget it. ''As uncle Webster is anxious to return 
 home, we thought it would be best to have all the business 
 well in hand before he leaves, and for that purpose sent for 
 you to give us the names of all the tenants, the amount 
 each one pays, and turn over to us the money you have 
 collected. " 
 
 "I can do that very easily," replied Arthur, as he enu- 
 merated the amounts and names ; "and here is the money, 
 for which, if you find it correct, you may give me a receipt 
 and then my business is ended." 
 
 ''Mrs. Graham eagerly reached forward, and taking the 
 money carefully counted it, and after comparing the amount 
 with Arthur's statement, wrote him a receipt in a plain, 
 bold hand, that showed no signs of faltering, then carefully 
 folding it she handed it to him, saying : 
 
 "I will now relieve you of your duties, Arthur, and as I 
 shall take full charge of the estate I will not require your 
 services after this time." 
 
 "I have no objection to that," replied Arthur, coolly. 
 
 "In regard to the property," continued Mrs. Graham, 
 " I find that we have a complete record of all but one piece." 
 
 "And which one is that ?" inquired Arthur. 
 
 "We find that the store you occupy is not mentioned," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, quietly. 
 
 '' I supposed we all understood the arrangement between 
 Mr. Graham and myself, by which it was agreed that this 
 rent was to be a part of Edith's marriage portion," said 
 Arthur, with no little astonishment. 
 
 "I never heard of any such agreement, did you, Web- 
 
218 FOILED. 
 
 ster ? " said Mrs. Graham, with well-feigned astonishment, 
 as she turned toward him. 
 
 "I never heard of it," was Webster's positive reply. 
 
 " If there was an agreement of this kind I am surprised 
 that I did not know of it," continued Mrs. Graham ; "when 
 were the papers signed V 
 
 "There were no papers," said Arthur, as he quickly 
 realized his defenceless position; "it was only a verbal 
 agreement, Mrs. Graham, and you knew of it ; you know 
 that many times it was spoken of in your presence." 
 
 "I think you must be mistaken, Arthur," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, with well-feigned surprise ; " but even if this were 
 so,, you can readily see that this building is a valuable 
 piece of property and you should be willing to pay your 
 proportion of rent, and should not consider it unfair if in 
 this way we asked you to help us pay the heavy expenses 
 incurred in settling the estate." 
 
 "With the understanding that all shall be treated alike," 
 replied Arthur, " I will consent to pay rent for my store." 
 
 "In what way do you mean that all should be treated 
 alike ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, doubtfully. 
 
 " I mean that, realizing the necessity for administering 
 the affairs of the estate economically, as I judge you must 
 from what you have just said, you will agree to pay rent 
 for this house." 
 
 "Most assuredly I shall not," replied Mrs. Graham, in- 
 dignantly. 
 
 Arthur turned an inquiring look upon uncle Webster, 
 but he continued his idle tapping on the arm of his chair, 
 and made no reply, his usefulness seemingly rested entirely 
 
FOILED. 219 
 
 in the assurance that his presence gave of harmony in the 
 acts of the executors. 
 
 "And what is the amount that you have decided I must 
 pay ?" queried Arthur. 
 
 " Six thousand doHars a year is the price we have decidi d 
 upon, though we ought to get more/' replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, complacently. 
 
 " I will not pay it," quickly replied Arthur. " The })rice 
 is out of all reason. My business would not justify me in 
 trying to pay it, and, more than this, the stores on either 
 side of me are rented for very much less." 
 
 " But these are old rates, and we are advancing prices on 
 all new leases in order to meet expenses, of which the item 
 of litigation is no small part," replied Mrs. Graham, sig- 
 nificantly. 
 
 " If these expenses are so great, Mrs. Graham, why are 
 you not willing to contribute your share ?" 
 
 " You speak as if there was no difference in our posi- 
 tions," replied Mrs. Graham, bursting into tears at the 
 thought. 
 
 But with him her tears were unavailing. The ruin that 
 stared him in the face made him desperate, and as he 
 slowly rose from his seat, and resting one hand uj)on the 
 table that stood between them, waited for her to brush 
 away her tears, his eyes gave warning of what she might 
 expect. 
 
 "Yes, there is a difference in our positions," began 
 Arthur, with low, intense tones. "As executrix, you have 
 been placed in the position where you can insult, abuse 
 and rob my wife without fear of the consequences ; where 
 
220 FOILED. . 
 
 you can use a large part of this estate without paying rent, 
 while you force me to the brink of ruin. In this you are sup- 
 ported by the brother of the man who made you all that yon 
 are or ever hope to be. My position is one where, without 
 a protest, I must assent to your robbing this estate, and see 
 the wreck of Edith's friends and your triumphs over her, 
 while I stand idly by, powerless to move you either by the 
 picture of the ruin you have wrought, or by pleas for 
 mercy. " 
 
 "And you !" continued Arthur, turning upon Webster 
 Graham, who was now cowering in the corner where he sat, 
 *' you were placed in the position you hold for the purpose 
 of defending tlie interests of the daughter, instead of 
 doing which you are but the servile tool of this woman, 
 who, without a protest from you, casts rej^roach upon your 
 dead brother's name, and publicly proclaims him a miser. 
 That is the difference in our positions — is the picture a 
 pleasing one ?" 
 
 As Arthur ceased speaking and his uplifted hand slowly 
 dropped to his side, he could but notice that his words had 
 had their effect. Mrs. Graham had found consolation in her 
 tears, while Webster sat as one paralyzed by the thought of 
 the fearful retribution that seemed to be impending. Find- 
 ing no response, Arthur slowly turned and left the room, and 
 reaching the outer door was about to depart, when, hear- 
 ing his name called, he turned and saw uncle Webster, who 
 now made his appearance as an embassador of peace, and 
 with much volubility assured Arthur that they would 
 carefully look into the merits of the case before coming to 
 a final decision. 
 
FOILED. 221 
 
 Arthur's excitement had not entirely disappeared by the 
 time he reached home, and Edith quickly surmised that 
 his visit had not been without its unpleasant features. 
 
 " Now you must tell me all about it," said Edith, viva- 
 ciously, as she seated herself near him ; *' what did they 
 say ?" 
 
 " It seems that Mrs. Graham is not content with what 
 she has already done," began Arthur, moodily, "for she 
 now proposes to drive me out of the store, or force me to 
 pay such a rent as would ruin me. " 
 
 '* But she cannot do that Arthur, for she knows as well 
 as we that father gave you that store rent free forever, and 
 as a part of my marriage portion," said Edith, reassuringly. 
 
 "Yes, Edith, I know that, and so does she ; but there 
 are no papers by which I can prove it. I can stand the loss 
 of friends and all the falsehoods she has told, but when she 
 forces me to this it makes me desperate." 
 
 "But, Arthur, uncle Webster will surely prevent her 
 from doing us this wrong ?" 
 
 "Uncle Webster," said Arthur, bitterly, " is only a v/eak 
 imbecile. Her superior will carries his judgment just as 
 she desires, and I told him so. I was furious, and talked 
 to her as I never talked to a woman before. I don't know 
 just what I did say, but when I finished, I had time to walk 
 tlie whole length of the hall before they recovered from 
 the shock. It may have been unwise, but I could not help 
 it. I have seen your misery and felt that she was its cause, 
 with no chance to defeat its bitter work ; and when they 
 gave me this opportunity I eagerly accepted it, and feel 
 better for the relief it has afforded me. The consequences 
 
222 FOILED. 
 
 we must meet as they arise. It seems as if the law and 
 humanity were our enemies, and every man's hand against 
 us, because we dare to ask for justice. Could they show 
 me one single proof that we are wrong, I would stop at 
 once ; but they have not and cannot. 0, Edith, I have 
 never felt the need of father Graham's wise counsel and 
 advice as I do now! " 
 
 Edith's eyes were filled with tears as she silently con- 
 templated the dark and dismal vista that was presented to 
 her sight. 
 
 " O, Edith," said Arthur, in desj^air, " will you not help 
 me, can you not tell me what we should do? For I have at 
 last come to where a solid wall is before me, while behind 
 me I hear the bloodhounds that seek my life. I am cor- 
 nered and at bay ! " 
 
 "You said you would ask no quarter, Arthur," replied 
 Edith, with downcast eyes ; " and I would rather starve than 
 have you do it now." 
 
 " Nor will I until I am compelled to ; but this care and 
 worry is telling on me, and I am bending under the strain." 
 
 " That does not sound like my brave boy," said Edith, 
 throwing her arms around his neck.- "You are tired and 
 discouraged now, but you have said you would fight the 
 old dragon until she cried for pity, and I believe you will. 
 These dark days cannot last much longer." And Edith's 
 bravery all forsook her as she again realized the depth of 
 her misery, while the tears filled her eyes — a child of 
 misery baptized in tears. 
 
 The next morning Arthur rose with buoyant spirits, and 
 was greatly surprised by Edith's wondering look as she in- 
 quired: 
 
FOILED. 223 
 
 '' Have you so soon forgotten your troubles, Arthur ; 
 have your cares flown with the night?" 
 
 " I guess I was a little discouraged last night, now that I 
 look back at it," replied Arthur, with a laugh. " But you 
 see I lay awake long into the night with my thoughts as 
 my companions, and as they voluntarily moved about, here 
 touching a tender spot, and there resting quietly upon 
 some act well done, I began to realize that I was gradually 
 returning to myself again, while thought on thought was 
 piled until one of these midnight watchers whispered in my 
 ear, 'He only earns his freedom and existence who daily 
 conquers hate anew.' So greatly was I impressed that I 
 again renewed the struggle with the storm of fate, and as I 
 battled with the invisible foe I thought I saw an out- 
 stretched hand, and as it came nearer I beheld father 
 Graham, who, with a kindly smile, quoted those beautiful 
 words of Lowell: 
 
 ' Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide, 
 In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side.' 
 
 I could only hide my face with my hands, while the tears 
 of Joy unbidden came, and then, anxious to tell him all, I 
 opened my eyes only to realize that it was morning." 
 
 " It must have been a vision, Arthur," said Edith, joy- 
 fully. *' The worst is over, I feel sure it is." 
 
 " No, Edith, it was but the vain imaginings of a dis- 
 ordered brain, but it has cheered and strengthened me as 
 nothing else could have done, for I now feel almost sure 
 that our course would be considered right by him if he 
 were here. Thus again my armor is repaired, and I, your 
 faithful knight, am ready to battle for my lady fair.'' 
 
224: FOILED. 
 
 ''You were very blue last niglit, Arthur," said Edith, 
 archly ; " and though it does my heart good to see you once 
 more yourself, I fear the cause is not yet removed." 
 
 " He that is down need no longer fear fickle fortune's 
 power, for he can full no lower ; and if the returning tide 
 moves him at all, it can only be to help." 
 
 "You are all poetry and song this "morning," said Edith, 
 laughing ; "last night it was doubt and dark despair." 
 
 "And yours the stout heart when I despair, the steady 
 wheel-horse when I would run away. But such should a 
 man's helpmeet be that cheers aud steadies him by his op- 
 posite. But as you say, Edith, I am jubilant now, while last 
 night I was desperate. But the mystery is easily solved ; for 
 if you will take the pendulum of a clock and draw it until 
 it almost breaks, you will find when you let go that it 
 swings without your aid as far the other way. So Mrs. Ora- 
 ham drew me to the point where I bent under the strain, 
 and every sense of right and justice quivered in her grasp; 
 now the pendulum has swung to the other side, and in a 
 short time will settle down to the even methodical vibration 
 that carries us through the world with the least amount of 
 friction and care." 
 
 "You had better walk to the store tliis morning," said 
 Edith, her eyes twinkling with merriment ; "the cool air 
 will do you good. " 
 
 "That hint is strong enough to move a mountain," re- 
 plied Arthur, fully appreciating Edith's thrust; "it is 
 double headed, and pointed at both ends." 
 
 " It is just as well that you should learn that the brains 
 of this family don't all lie on the Howard side," said Edith, 
 with mock seriousness, as she opened the door for him. 
 
FOILED 225 
 
 "I do not wish to quarrel with you," said Arthur, 
 solemnly quoting Mrs. Graham's words. 
 
 " Then be just to your wife," replied Edith, as with a 
 laugh she closed the door. 
 
 16 
 
CHAPTEE XYI. 
 
 GREEK MEETS GREEK. 
 
 After his last experience with Mrs. Graham, Arthur 
 and Edith no longer made any attempt to keep up the ap- 
 pearance of friendshi}) that had until this time existed ; 
 and when, a few days afterward, Mrs, Graham made her ap- 
 pearance in his store, Arthur met her with a very cool salu- 
 tation. 
 
 " I came,^' began Mrs, Graham, with book and pencil in 
 hand, " to collect your rent," and then, smiling at Arthur's 
 look of surprise, she continued, "you know it is the first 
 of the month and I desire to show no partiality. You are 
 pre]3ared to pay, are you not ? " 
 
 "No," replied Arthur, calmly, "I am not ready now." 
 
 "When will you be?" questioned Mrs, Graham, with 
 cool complacency. 
 
 "Never !" rej)lied Arthur, firmly, "I told you that I 
 would not when you first mentioned it. I meant what I 
 said then, and I mean it now," 
 
 "Are you prepared to take the consequences of this rash 
 decision ? " said Mrs. Graham, with an inquiring smile, 
 
 *'I am," said Arthur, defiantly ; "do your worst." 
 
 *'I feel very sorry for you, Arthur, for I fear that you 
 
 226 
 
FOILED. 237 
 
 have allowed your hot temper to decide your course. You 
 are placing yourself in a dangerous position, and I feel that 
 I should warn you of it.^' 
 
 *'I appreciate your friendship, Mrs. Graham," replied 
 Arthur, coldly, *'but I must disregard your friendly warn- 
 ing, for all tliat.". 
 
 " Do you know that I can force you to vacate these prem- 
 ises," demanded Mrs, Graham, fiercely; ''that you will 
 not be able to rent a store near here ; that to move away 
 will ruin you and your family will starve ? " 
 
 " I am fully aware of all you say, Mrs. Graham, and have 
 dared you to do your worst. Your temporizing only ex- 
 poses your weakness, for if you felt sure that you could 
 make me yield you would have no reason to urge me to 
 change my course." 
 
 "I only do so as a friend, "replied Mrs. Graham, placidly. 
 " You are young and liable to decide upon a course of 
 action which you will afterward regret." 
 
 " Your acts belie your words," said Arthur, turning 
 fiercely upon her. " I may be unfortunate in being young, 
 I may be indiscreet, but I would rather trust to my youth 
 with all its follies than to the advice of such a friend as 
 you." 
 
 ''And yet you are trusting that my friendship will keep 
 me from doing what you foolishly dare me to do," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, with a sneer. 
 
 "Were I to do that," replied Arthur, earnestly, "you 
 would in truth have reason to call me foolish. No, Mrs. 
 Graham, I know you too well to hope for pity or relenting 
 on your part ; but you make a mistake when you imagine 
 
338 FOILED. 
 
 that because I do not rave and threaten that I do not mean 
 all I say. I know the worldly-wise cunning that makes your 
 will a power that cannot be ignored, and when to this is 
 added the only lacking feature of a dead conscience, I do not 
 wonder that you question my decision ; but knowing all 
 this, I dare you to do your worst, and if you ever hear me 
 cry for pity, laugh at me as you did the other night when 
 I asked you to be reasonable and just. " 
 
 " Then you will not pav your rent ?'^ demanded Mrs. 
 Graham, threateningly 
 
 "Never !" 
 
 '' I think I had better leave you to consider the matter 
 while I see the other tenants, '^ said Mrs. Graham, hesitat- 
 ingly, "and when I return I will take your final answer," 
 and unaided she found her way to the door. 
 
 Arthur's lips curled with a smile of scorn as his eyes 
 followed her retreating form. " She is hardly prepared for 
 the reception in store for her," thought Arthur, as he 
 returned to his desk, where he was soon again occupied 
 with his work. 
 
 The rustling of silks as Mrs. Graham glided into his 
 office gave him warning of her return. 
 
 "Arthur," said Mrs. Graham, her voice indicating the 
 intensity of her excitement, " Mr. Blakemoor refuses to 
 pay me his rent !" 
 
 " Well ? " inquiringly replied Arthur, without looking up. 
 
 " What shall we do ?" gasped Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "We have nothing to do with it," replied Arthur, 
 coolly. 
 
 "Well, what shall I do ?" replied Mrs. Graham, exasper- 
 ated at his coolness. 
 
FOILED. 329 
 
 " 0, I think you are 'perfectly able to attend to all such 
 little matters as these,'" replied Arthur, his eyes still 
 fastened upon his work. 
 
 " If you were to go to him, Arthur, you could collect 
 this money," suggested Mrs. Graham, appealingly. " "Will 
 you ? " 
 
 Arthur slowly raised his eyes until they met hers, and 
 then replied : " No, I will not ! " 
 
 " Why, Arthur ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, despairingly. 
 " We once were such good friends — what has made this 
 change ? " 
 
 For a moment Arthur's eyes searched her through and 
 through, then, as he recalled the memory of Edith's vain 
 supplications at the feet of this heartless woman, his heart 
 refused its sympathy and he sternly answered 
 
 ''Your treatment of Edith would be reason enough; but 
 when you refused her one keepsake from her old home, 
 even though she paid you thrice its value, that moment 
 our friendship ceased." 
 
 Mrs. Graham reeled backward, and grasping the portals 
 of the door stood irresolute a moment ; then like one walk- 
 ing in his sleep, she turned and found her way to her 
 carriage and was rapidly driven home. 
 
 " Are you busy, Mr. Howard ? " 
 
 Arthur looked up, and seeing Mr. Blakemoor's beaming 
 countenance at his office door, said : 
 
 " Not particularly ; come in." 
 
 " What did the old woman say ? " inquired Mr. Blake- 
 moor, as he took the proffered seat. 
 
 " She wanted me to collect the rent for her," rejilied 
 Arthur, with a quiet smile, "but I refused." 
 
330 FOILED. 
 
 " Well, here it is," said Mr. Blakemoor, as lie proceeded 
 to count a roll of bills. ''I don't want to keep it, but after 
 she treated you and Edith the way she did I was determined 
 to give her all the trouble I could, even if it cost me some- 
 thing. 
 
 *' No, keep your money," said Arthur ; '' I cannot take 
 it ; she must manage this case herself. But I expected 
 that when she entered your shop and demanded the rent 
 you would pay her, for I thought when you told me that 
 you should refuse her that you might be only jesting." 
 
 " No, I was in earnest," was the quick reply. *'You see, 
 I knew Edith years ago when she was a little girl and came 
 with Mr. Graham to my shop for meat, and years before 
 that I went to school to this old woman and she used to 
 flog the life nearly out of me because I was so dumb. She 
 has forgotten me, but I remember her. So when Mr. Gra- 
 ham died, I says to myself, now the old wom^an — " 
 
 "Call her Mrs. Graham," suggested Arthur. 
 
 ''What for?" 
 
 " In respect to the memory of your friend, whose wife 
 she was," said Arthur, reprovingly. 
 
 " That's so," replied Mr. Blakemoor ; *'it's due to his 
 memory eyen though she be the old devil that she is. Well, 
 when he died, I says, ' now she will take all she can get and 
 leave Edith nothing ;' so I watched the court pretty close, 
 and I find I was right. I was there when the old Judge 
 asked her that stunning question, and I almost busted when 
 I see how pitiful she looked at h r lawyer. Well, when 
 you told me that hereafter she would collect the rent, I 
 made up my mind that she would if she could, but that I 
 
FOILED. 231 
 
 would lead her a long chase before she got it. So when slie 
 drove up to the door and sailed into the shop, I paid no 
 attention to her until all my customers were waited on, and 
 then I asked her if it was a roast or steak she wanted 1 
 She straightened up, and tapping her book with her pencil, 
 said, 'No, I came for the rent.' I looked surprised, and 
 asked her what rent. She replied, the rent for my shop. 
 I told her that I always paid you my rent and did not know 
 her. She straightened up, haughtily, and said she was the 
 widow of Stewart Graham. I told her that tjiat might be, 
 but I had not the pleasure of her acquaintance. This 
 seemed to upset her, and looking scared like, she said, 
 ' Then you wont pay me your rent ? ' I replied that I would 
 be a fool to pay my rent to any and every one who came 
 into my shop claiming to be Stewart Graham's widow. By 
 this time several customers were waiting for me, and as I 
 turned to wait on them she left. So when her carriage left 
 here I thought I would come in and tell you how I got even 
 with my old school marm," and Mr, Blakemoor laughed 
 until his fat sides fairly shook. 
 
 ''And did she go no farther than your shop ? " inquired 
 Arthur. 
 
 " I guess not ; but all the other tenants around here will 
 do the same as I did." 
 
 " I appreciate your friendly intentions," replied Arthur, 
 "but I am afraid the lesson was more severe than she ever 
 gave you to learn." 
 
 "Joe Blakemoor may be rough and uneducated, Mr. 
 Howard, but he's got a heart in him, and when he's your 
 friend you can depend on him to talk or to fight for you.'* 
 
23'2 FOILED. 
 
 "• I believe it," replied Arthur, laughing ; ''and one suits 
 you about as well as the other." 
 
 " Just about ; I'm always accommodating in that way," 
 and Joe Blakemoor chuckled at his wit as he returned to Ms 
 shop. 
 
 "Well, thought Arthur, "if all the tenants are like 
 Joe, Mrs. Graham will have a busy time in attending to 
 'these little matters.' The failure to get money seems to 
 upset her more than anything else, for never before have I 
 seen her so nearly overcome as she was to-day." 
 
 "Ahem ! " 
 
 Arthur looked up with some surprise to find uncle Web- 
 ster standing by his desk. 
 
 "Well, uncle," was Arthur's smiling salutation, "you 
 came in so silently that I did not hear you ; but take a 
 seat." 
 
 Webster was evidently relieved at Arthur's cordial greet- 
 ing, but his embarrassment at the importance of his mis- 
 sion did not entirely leave him. 
 
 Arthur quietly waited for developments, for he felt sure 
 that Webster came as a messenger from Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "Ahem ! Nice weather we are having now," began Web- 
 ster, uneasily. 
 
 "Yes, uncommon for this time of year ; I cannot remem- 
 ber of weather like this for many years, can you ?" in- 
 quired Arthur, well knowing that Webster did not care to 
 talk about the weather at any great length. 
 
 "No, but, ahem !" and Webster moved uneasily in his 
 chair. 
 
 Arthur waited patiently. 
 
FOILED. 233 
 
 "Arthur," began Webster, in a loud, bold voice; and 
 then, as if scared at its sound, lie continued in a lower 
 tone, "some trouble with the tenants, I hear." 
 
 "So Mrs. Graham said." 
 
 "Refuse to pay their rent, it seems." 
 
 "Something of that kind, I believe." 
 
 "Said he did not know her." 
 
 " Did he ? " inquired Arthur with well-feigned innocence. 
 
 "I wonder if it would do any good for me to see him i-*" 
 inquired Webster, doubtfully. 
 
 " You might try." 
 
 "I don't suppose he knows me any better than Mrs. 
 Graham." 
 
 "No, I suppose not," replied Arthur, laughing; "I 
 don't think he docs. " 
 
 Webster sat for a moment absorbed in thought, then 
 turning to Arthur he asked : 
 
 " Will you do mo a favor ? " 
 
 "In what way? "' 
 
 " Will you collect this money for me T' 
 
 For a moment Arthur hesitated, then replied; "Yes, 
 for your sake I will ; but I do not know that I can get it 
 now." 
 
 "Try, please,"' said Webster in desperation. 
 
 Arthur was gone but a moment, and returning handed 
 Webster the roll of money without saying a word. 
 
 "It seems easy enough when you go at it in the right 
 way," said Webster, evidently well pleased at Arthurs's 
 success. 
 
 "Did Mrs. Graham ask you to have me collect this?^' 
 said Arthur, with a suspicion that such was the case. 
 
234 FOILED. 
 
 " She said for me to ask you to collect it if I could not/' 
 replied Webster, reluctantly. 
 
 "It is strange," said Arthur, musingly; "she is not 
 moved by pleas or threats, but the moment that money 
 enters into the question she will humble herself to the 
 earth in order to obtain it." 
 
 " "We have been talking over the matter of the collection 
 of these rents," said Webster, ignoring Arthur's remarks, 
 " and have concluded that you can do it better than any 
 one else." 
 
 "I thought Mrs. Graham desired to attend to that her- 
 self?" 
 
 "Her experience to-day has changed her mind," said 
 Webster, pensively. 
 
 "I shall not attend to it," said Arthur, decisively. 
 
 " But no one else can do it, Arthur, and we expect to pay 
 you the regular commission that others would charge us." 
 
 " If Mrs. Graham is willing to pay for her folly I will 
 consider your proposal," replied Arthur, who was secretly 
 only too willing to accept such an advantage. " What com- 
 mission is she willing to pay ? " 
 
 "Ten per cent.," replied W^ebster, encouragingly. 
 
 "And am I to have full charge of all the buildings down 
 here, just the same as before ? " said Arthur, inquiringly. 
 
 " Yes, just the same," replied Webster, well pleased that 
 Arthur seemed ready to consent. 
 
 "I will attend to it," said Arthur, decisively; "but I 
 shall deduct my commission first and then pay her the 
 balance." 
 
 "That is perfectly satisfactory," replied Webster, with a 
 
FOILED. 235 
 
 sigh of relief, '^'^and you had better collect them as soon as 
 you can." 
 
 ''Shall I charge a commission on this that I have just 
 handed you V inquired Arthur, smiling. 
 
 " No, that was collected before the bargain was made," 
 replied Webster, hastily withdrawing his hand in his 
 anxiety to retain all that was in his possession; ''but Mr. 
 Skinner will give you a poAver of attorney to-morrow and 
 then you will begin. " 
 
 " All right," replied Arthur, well pleased at the turn of 
 events. 
 
 Webster soon after took his leave, evidently well pleased 
 at his success. 
 
 "Well, Edith," said Arthur, upon his return, "I have 
 kept open house to-day and had plenty of callers. First 
 came Mrs. Graham, with pencil and book in hand, ready 
 to receive my rent," 
 
 "You did not pay her, did you, Arthur ?" 
 
 "Not in money, but in her own coin," replied Arthur, 
 with a smile of satisfaction. " When I refused to pay her, 
 she first threatened, then argued ; but finding neither 
 availed, she left me to think it over while she collected the 
 other rents. This was act number one. Scene second was 
 located in the same place. The former prosecutor now 
 became the supplicant ; for it seems that her demand for 
 rent was also refused by Mr. Blakemoor, and she at once 
 returned to me for aid, the which I declined to give her, 
 but not a word did she say about my rent. When she had 
 gone, Mr. Blakemoor called and told me what their con- 
 versation had been, and it seems she was his 'old school 
 
236 FOILED. 
 
 marm/ as he expressed it, and he was only too anxious to 
 get even. Then came the last scene, where uncle Webster, 
 after much hesitation, asks me to try and collect the rents 
 for him. This I did, and so easily as to astonish him ; 
 whereupon he made me the offer of ten jjer cent, of all the 
 rents collected if I would consent to again take charge of 
 the affairs, and Mr. Skinner is to give me a power of 
 attorney, and when I get that I would like to see Mrs. 
 Graham force me to pay this enormous rent which she 
 proposes to rob me of. The prospect is almost too bright, 
 Edith, and I am fearful that Mr. Skinner will spoil it all by 
 advising her of the position it will place her in ; but to- 
 morrow I shall know. 
 
 "If he gives you this power of attorney, as you call it, 
 can she not still force you to pay her this six thousand 
 dollars a year as rent ? " inquired Edith. 
 
 "No, for I will be my own landlord then, and shall not 
 charge so much for my store as she did," replied Arthur, 
 laughing. 
 
 " That seems too good to be true, Arthur ; but I, too, 
 have had an experience and must tell you of it. I called 
 to see Miss Ashton, but she was not at home; her mother 
 was, and to her I told the story of Mabel's queer actions. 
 I soon found that her mother knew the cause, but would 
 not inform me what it was. She said, however, that Mabel 
 felt very much hurt by something that had occurred. I 
 asked her if it was because of our estate troubles. She re- 
 plied that while she felt that I had not done right in that 
 respect, it would have made but little difference with her; 
 the real cause was of a more personal character. I tried 
 
FOILED. 237 
 
 my best to find out what it was, but she would only say 
 that I had better see Mabel herself and exjjlain to her. I 
 denied having said or thought evil of Mabel, but all to no 
 purpose ; the answer was always the same." 
 
 '* It is unfortunate that you did not find Mabel at home/' 
 said Arthur ; '* and if you had requested her mother to tell 
 her that you called to explain why the misunderstanding 
 should not continue, I would feel that you had done your 
 full duty.'^ 
 
 " I did just that thing ; for when I left I asked Mrs. 
 Ashton to be sure and tell Mabel why I called, and she 
 promised to do so." 
 
 '' Then I should make no further effort until she sought 
 me." 
 
CHAPTEK XVII. 
 
 A BOLD SCHEME OF EOBBEKY. 
 
 " I wish you to draw up the necessary papers to give 
 Arthur the authority to make leases and collect the rent of 
 the down town property," began Mrs. Graham, as she 
 entered lawyer Skinner's office. " I feel that he is the best 
 one we can find to do this, and as Webster goes home to- 
 morrow, you had best draw them at once so that he can sign 
 them before he leaves." 
 
 " I can draw them to-day and will send them to your 
 house when they are finished," replied Mr. Skinner, with 
 a look of surprise. " But how is it that you have decided 
 to give the collection of rents into his hands ? " 
 
 ''0, I have so much else to attend to that I cannot be 
 bothered with all the detail of collecting these rents," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, languidly. 
 
 " But is it not unwise to ask these favors at this time ?" 
 
 " We ask no favors," replied Mrs. Graham, tartly. "He 
 is to be paid for his trouble." 
 
 " But that gives him the sinews of war, Mrs. Graham, 
 and if you exiject him to relent you must keep him from 
 getting that." 
 
 "I shall not pay him his commission until the estate is 
 
 238 
 
FOILED. 239 
 
 settled or lie consents to pay his rent/' replied Mrs. Gra- 
 ham haughtily. 
 
 "Then he has not consented to your proposal ? " inquired 
 Mr. Skinner. 
 
 " No, he positively refuses to pay, and dares me to do my 
 worst," replied Mrs. Graham, reluctantly. 
 
 " In that case I had better serve him with a notice to 
 vacate the premises, had I not?^' said Mr. Skinner, with 
 an amused smile at her perplexity. 
 
 *' Well — no, not just yet," replied Mrs. Graham, doubt- 
 fully ; "I think we had better let him worry a little 
 longer." 
 
 '' Then you do not feel certain that he will yield ?" said 
 Mr. Skinner, with provoking indifference. 
 
 ''Not absolutely certain," replied Mrs. Graham; ''and 
 yet I cannot see how he can help it." 
 
 "Suppose we try the effect of conciliation," suggested 
 Mr. Skinner. 
 
 "I do not favor it," replied Mrs. Graham, decisively. 
 
 "But suppose he does not yield, what will you gain ?" 
 presisted Mr. Skinner. "If he does not, and you force 
 him out, he will be able to cause us much trouble even 
 though he does not defeat our purpose." 
 
 " But I will not consent to giving up my award," said 
 Mrs. Graham, determinedly. 
 
 "0, you do not need k) do that," replied Mr. Skinner, in 
 a conciliating tone. "All that you have to do is to claim 
 that you only take this award as a loan until the estate is 
 settled, at which time you will pay it back, or, what is the 
 same thing, have it charged against your share of the estate. 
 Thiri will make you appear to desire to take only what the 
 
240 FOILED. 
 
 will gives you, and when Arthur believes that this is your 
 intention, he will no longer oppose you.'^ 
 
 ''You can claim all you choose, but it must not be bind- 
 ing upon me,"' replied Mrs. Graham, a little mollified by 
 Mr. Skinner's assurances. 
 
 "But you must appear to consent to it," rejilied Mr. 
 Skinner. 
 
 " Trust me for that," said Mrs. Graham, confidently. 
 
 " You must also make up your mind to share with Edith 
 the amount you expect to take from the portion that be- 
 longs to the relatives." 
 
 "It does not belong to them!" fiercely declared Mrs. 
 Graham. "They are only paupers, dependent upon the 
 charity of my husband, who, had he realized the value of 
 his property, would not have given one-third of it to these 
 beggars. " 
 
 "Have they any idea of the amount they should receive ?" 
 inquired Mr. Skinner, with some concern. 
 
 "They have no knowledge of how much they are enti- 
 tled to," replied Mrs. Graham, confidently, "for I have 
 been particular to hide from them the true condition of the 
 estate, and on several occasions I have written them that 
 there was but little to be had after all the debts were paid, 
 as the property was heavily encumbered, and Edith'tf actions 
 would greatly increase the expenses of settlement ; so they 
 do not expect much ; a few hundred dollars to each one 
 will fully meet their expectations." 
 
 "That is very fortunate," replied Mr. Skinner, "and I 
 am well pleased to know that you had the foresight to pre- 
 pare them for their fate." 
 
 " Trust me for that," replied Mrs. Graham, comislacently. 
 
FOILED. 2-i\ 
 
 *'I have studied the mastter too long to overlook such im- 
 portant features as this." 
 
 " But you must appear to be giving them what belongs 
 to them/' said Mr. Skinner, well pleased with the progresE 
 he was making ; " however, we can arrange that afterwardo 
 Now, suppose I were to go to Arthur and assure him that 
 you desire peace and harmony, and have his and Edith's 
 best interests at heart ; that all this trouble arises from a 
 misunderstanding between you, rather than from any desire 
 on your part to injure him." 
 
 " That would be a very pretty story, Mr. Skinner, but he 
 would not believe you, for he knows better than that." 
 
 '"But suppose that after I have told him this, I point out 
 the impossibility of either one of you gaining an advantage 
 if you continue this quarreling, and then tell him that yom 
 will consent to divide the — the spoils, as it were — how 
 would that do ? " 
 
 " Do you mean that he is to have as large a share as I ?" 
 inquired Mrs. Graham, uneasily. 
 
 " Yes, practically the same." 
 
 "I'll not consent to it," said Mrs. Graham, angrily ; "1 
 might as well get it all or lose it all. " 
 
 " But the chances are that you will lose it all," replied 
 Mr. Skinner, dryly. 
 
 ''There's no use in making two bites of a cherry," sai& 
 Mrs. Graham, plaintively. 
 
 "Then double the size of the cherry," suggested Me. 
 Skinner. 
 
 "But the relatives will not allow us to take too big s, 
 slice." 
 
 16 
 
242 FOILED. 
 
 " 0, they need not know about it and cannot find out," 
 replied Mr. Skinner, confidently. 
 
 ''Well, you may try it," said Mrs. Graham, thought- 
 fully ; '' but if you fail the rebel shall feel my power — tell 
 him that." 
 
 ''Well, I will see him, Mrs. Graham, and if I find him 
 favorably inclined I will bring him to your house and you 
 can invite us to take tea with you, and when Arthur expe- 
 riences the pleasure of again being on friendly terms with 
 you he will be only too well pleased to have it continue and 
 will readily assent to all tliat we propose." 
 
 "0, but that will not do at all," said Mrs. Graham, 
 hastily. " In the first place, Arthur is inclined to speak 
 pretty plainly if things do not suit him ; then, too, uncle 
 Webster would be present, which would make it rather em- 
 barrassing." 
 
 " Then we must wait until Mr. Graham goes home," 
 said Mr. Skinner; "and I will risk Arthur's disapproval if 
 I decide to bring him to the house, for I shall not do so 
 "until I am sure that he will consent to join us." 
 
 " I shall leave you to do most of the talking," continued 
 Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "If you will play the hospitable hostess I will willingly 
 do the talking," replied Mr. Skinner, with a grin of satis- 
 faction. 
 
 " 0, I can easily do that." replied Mrs. Graham, smiling. 
 
 "All right, then ; you let me know when Mr. Graham 
 has gone and then I will see Arthur and fix the matter with 
 him," replied Mr. Skinner. 
 
 Several days had passed, and yet Arthur had not obtained 
 
FOILED. ' 243 
 
 his power of attorney. He began to fear that Mr. Skinner had 
 advised against this course until after he liad agreed to pay 
 his rent. His doubts were in no measure relieved when he 
 received a request from Mr. Skinner to call at his office, as 
 he had some important matters that he wished to talk over. 
 
 ''It must be the lease/' thought Arthur, ''for the other 
 requires no discussion," and in a very uncomfortable mood 
 he entered lawyer Skinner's office. 
 
 " I sent for you," began Mr, Skinner, pleasantly," to ex- 
 plain the delay in regard to the power of attorney. I have 
 drawn it and it is ready to be signed, but as Webster Gra- 
 ham has returned to his home, it will have to be sent to 
 him for his signature, but it will get back in a few days at 
 the farthest." 
 
 ''0," said Arthur, much relieved, "I thought you 
 wanted me to sign a lease for my store." 
 
 "No," replied Mr. Skinner, confidentially, "Mrs. Gra- 
 ham is not inclined to press that matter just yet. She is 
 hoping that you will feel more friendly toward her, in 
 which ca^e I think she will let the matter droiJ," 
 
 Arthur made no reply, but quietly waited for Mr, Skin- 
 ner to continue. 
 
 " I am very sorry that this trouble has arisen between 
 you and Mrs. Graham," continued Mr. Skinner, "for it 
 seems to me that you both are acting opposite to your best 
 interests. I have no more reason to favor her side than 
 yours, Arthur, and am not employed as her attorney, though 
 I know that she seems to think I am. I went into this case 
 with the understanding that I was to act for all the parties 
 interested, your wife as well as any of the others. Of 
 
344 FOILED. 
 
 course Mrs. Graham will be the one to pay me the money, 
 but the amount is so small that I would not turn my hand 
 over for it ; so you can see that in talking as I do I have 
 no other motive than to obtain harmony." 
 
 "What is the amount ?" bluntly inquired Arthur. 
 
 "Well, you see the position she placed me in was jiecu- 
 liar, and I saw that if I took the case at all I would have 
 to take it much below the regular price, and we agreed 
 upon forty dollars. " 
 
 "Not a very high priced lawj^er, are you ?" replied 
 Arthur, laughing, "but I suppose there will be enough 
 extras to help out." 
 
 " Yes, there will be some extras, but not many. This 
 trial the other day was extra, and the estate has to pay for 
 it ; so you see that when I urge harmony I am working 
 against my own interests." 
 
 "But you do not charge the estate for defending Mrs. 
 Graham in her claim against it, do you ? " inquired Arthur, 
 indignantly. 
 
 " Well — I had not thought of it in that light," replied 
 Mr. Skinner, a little disconcerted by Arthur's pointed 
 questions ; "but however that maybe, you can easily under- 
 stand that I am an uninterested person when I say that it is 
 not to your interest to quarrel with Mrs. Graham. lam 
 certain that she only needs to know what you desire in 
 order that she may bring it about, for in a conversation 
 with her only a few days ago she assured me that she was 
 ready and willing to do all in her power to make you 
 satisfied.'" 
 
 "She has a very peculiar way of showing her good inten- 
 
FOILED. 345 
 
 tions," replied Arthur, sententiously. ''If she is so 
 anxious to do what is right, why does she demand her 
 award, why does she write such insulting letters to my wife, 
 and why does she crowd me to the wall by demanding that 
 I pay her five hundred dollars a month as rent for my 
 store ? " 
 
 " In regard to her award,'' replied Mr. Skinner, quietly, 
 " I desire to say that it is a matter that seems to be mis- 
 understood by you and your wife ; and in justice to Mrs. 
 Graham, I would like to ask you to tell me how she could 
 support herself during the time the estate is being settled 
 if she did not have this award ? " 
 
 *' She could use the money that is collected from the 
 tenants, Mr. Skinner, and neither Edith nor I would object 
 to that, and in the final settlement the amount she used 
 could be deducted from her share. " 
 
 "Now, my dear boy," said Mr. Skinner, smiling at the 
 readiness with which Arthur had fallen into the trap, " that 
 is exactly what this award amounts to. The money that she 
 receives on this award must come from the tenants, and in 
 the final settlement her share is made that much lesSo This 
 is just as you propose, but much better for you, for it 
 limits the amount. So that this widow's award, concerning 
 which there has been so much misunderstanding and trouble, 
 might be considered as a limiting of the amount the widow 
 can use to a certain and fixed sum." 
 
 "Are you sure that she has to pay it back ?" inquired 
 Arthur, doubtfully. 
 
 " Well, I have had considerable experience in probate 
 law and think I know what I am talking about," replied 
 
246 FOILED. 
 
 Mr. Skinner, well pleased at the impression his words had 
 made upon Arthur. 
 
 "What you say looks reasonable/' replied Arthur, 
 thoughtfully, ''and if it is true, there is no reason why I 
 should oppose her taking this award. ^' 
 
 " That's it, Arthur — that's it exactly ; and I am well 
 pleased to find you so ready to admit your error when you 
 are convinced that you are in the wrong." 
 
 " I trust that I may always have the good sense to do so, 
 Mr. Skinner ; for a person who will not admit that he is 
 mistaken when it is proven to him, must be but a very poor 
 apology for a man." 
 
 "That's true," quickly replied Mr. Skinner j "but 
 Arthur, as you have been good enough to admit that you 
 may have been mistaken in your judgment of Mrs. Graham, 
 I can see no reason now why you should continue this 
 quarrel. It seems to me that it would be much better to 
 forget the past, and from this time on work with Mrs. 
 Graham for your mutual good." 
 
 "As far as I am concerned, I would be pleased to see 
 this take place," replied Arthur ; " but Mrs. Graham is not 
 the person to willingly concede anything, and I doubt very 
 much if she would consent to overlook our past unpleasant 
 meetings and let the matter die a natural death." 
 
 "That is the way she may feel if you continue to dis- 
 believe her kindly intentions toward you," replied Mr. 
 Skinner, earnestly; "but fortunately I happen to know 
 that she is now more inclined to meet you half way than 
 at any other time since this trouble began, and I am very 
 anxious that you will consent to take advantage of it ; and 
 
FOILED. 247 
 
 ]f we were to go there and finish the rest of our business in 
 her presence, and in this informal manner bring about a 
 mutual understanding, she would undoubtedly invite us to 
 take tea with her, and everything from this time on be 
 friendly and pleasant." 
 
 "I doubt the propriety of my going to her house with- 
 out an invitation," replied Arthur, thoughtfully ; "for, as 
 you know, our feelings toward each other have been quite 
 bitter, even though from the exterior appearance you might 
 believe it to have been just the reverse." 
 
 " If there has been any feeling in the matter it has been 
 on your part, Arthur," said Mr. Skinner, confidently; "for 
 I know that Mrs. Graham desires nothing more than that 
 she may do you justice and have an end of this trouble. 
 This I know to be so, and earnestly desire to impress you 
 that it is so, in order that yon may not lose this opportunity 
 that she now offers you." 
 
 *' You have been deceived by appearances, Mr. Skinner," 
 replied Arthur, confidently ; ''for if you think that Mrs. 
 Graham has not and does not feel bitter hatred of Edith 
 and myself, you do not know her feelings, that's all." 
 
 ''I do not wish you to understand that I believe Mrs, 
 Graham has always felt friendly toward you or never been 
 angered at your actions," quickly replied Mr. Skinner. 
 "On the contrary, I know that she has, and these letters 
 you have spoken of are only a proof that such is the case ; 
 and yet I must say that she has often expressed more 
 sorrow than anger at what she called your mistaken course ; 
 but the moment she knows that you admit you may have 
 misjudged her, that moment she is ready to sweep all tl'.tt 
 
148 FOILED. 
 
 las passed into oblivion and never refer to it again. What 
 more could you ask than this, Arthur ? " 
 
 '' If I only felt sure that this was so, I would willingly 
 go with you, Mr. Skinner ; but something tells me that 
 either you or I do not understand her. " 
 
 " There is no better way to prove the truth of what I 
 say than to make the trial," replied Mr. Skinner, con- 
 fidently, "and you will have no better opportunity than 
 now. I would advise you, Arthur, for your own good, to 
 go with me ; but beyond that conies the question of what is 
 just and manly, and what is your duty. If you have 
 misjudged her, your course is plain." 
 
 "I will go," said Arthur, determinedly. 
 
 •''Then let us go at once," said Mr. Skinner, anxious to 
 iiave the matter settled while Arthur was favorably inclined ; 
 and as they left his office he continued : " We must be 
 careful that nothing disagreeable occurs at our first meeting. 
 She will be more or less doubtful of your friendly feelings, 
 as, no doubt, you will be of hers ; but if we can arrange it 
 so that this meeting shall be entirely pleasant, it will be no 
 difficult matter to have all the others so, and for this reason 
 I would like to have you let some of the matters that have 
 eaused ill feeling rest until some future time, with the 
 understanding that they are then to be talked over and 
 arranged : for if all of them were brought to her attention 
 at this time, it might make her feel antagonistic and arouse 
 lier suspicions." 
 
 " I recognize the force of what you say," replied Arthur ; 
 " but there is one thing that I must ascertain before I will 
 consent to discharge Mr. Blood, and that is, if she intends 
 
FOILED. 249 
 
 to pay to the estate the amount of her award, or if she 
 intends to take it in excess of what the will gives her. " 
 
 " 0, certainly, that would be no more than right/' 
 replied Mr. Skinner, a little uneasy at Arthur's persistence 
 in clinging to the main question; *'but what I mean is,' 
 that it would be unwise to ask her about the letters she 
 wrote your wife, and this and that, all at our first meeting ; 
 for you can see that it might be very aggravating to her 
 under the circumstances, and much better to defer it until 
 some other time. Now you can decide what questions you 
 desire to have settled first and ask them, but let the others 
 wait until some future time." 
 
 "■J shall do nothing to aggravate her, Mr. Skinner, and 
 I hope she will be as considerate toward me ; but the ques- 
 tion that must be decided is this one of the award." 
 
 Mr. Skinner was evidently in doubt how Mrs. Graham 
 would answer this question, and as they neared her resi- 
 dence it became apparent that he did not feel confident of 
 the success of his mission, and with his mind thus occuijied 
 his conversation became more and more restrained until, as 
 they stood upon the steps while waiting the servant's 
 appearance at the door, his usual volubility entirely 
 deserted him and silence fell upon them. 
 
 '^It would place me in a very disagreeable position," 
 thought Arthur, '^if he has invited me here under a mis- 
 apprehension of her feelings and without a knowledge that 
 she would consent to reconciliation, and from his apparent 
 nervousness I am half inclined to believe that this is the 
 case ; but I will keej) my eyes ojien and let them do the 
 talkino- until I find out." 
 
250 FOILED. 
 
 As Mrs. Graham entered the room, her eyes sought Mr. 
 Skinner's for some indication of Artliur's intentions, and 
 finding him worried and unusually quiet, she turned 
 toward Arthur and acknowledged his presence only by a 
 cold and formal inclining of her head in the direction in 
 which he sat ; meeting with as formal an acknowledgment, 
 she seated herself and awaited Mr. Skinner's pleasure. 
 
 " He was very foolish to bring me here," thought 
 Arthur, as he watched Mr. Skinner's efforts to appear easy 
 in Mrs. Graham's presence. 
 
 Mrs. Graham's lips slightly curled with scorn as she sur- 
 veyed the pitiable picture that Mr. Skinner presented, as 
 she inquired : 
 
 "And to whom am I indebted for the pleasure of your 
 presence ?" 
 
 '' I brought Arthur here in accordance with our agree- 
 ment," began Mr. Skinner, but quickly recognizing by the 
 angry glance of Mrs. Graham that he had made a mistake, 
 he awkwardly hesitated a moment and then continued — 
 " so that he might pay you the money he had collected." 
 
 Arthur could hardly repress a smile as he recognized Mr. 
 Skinner's blundering attempt to open the conversation. 
 
 " You must mean the power of attorney," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, smiling at Mr. Skinner's confusion, " for we have 
 had a full settlement of all that he has collected, and I 
 think Arthur so understands it." 
 
 ''I hold a receipt for all that I have collected," replied 
 Arthur. 
 
 " 0, yes, I mean the power of attorney," replied Mr. 
 Skinner, hastily correcting himself. ''I told him that it 
 
FOILED. 251 
 
 would not reach him for a few days, as we had met with 
 some delays." 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, inquiringly. 
 
 ''It looks very much as if his attempt at reconciliation 
 would fail," thought Arthur, while Mrs. Graham^s face 
 plainly showed the disgust she felt at the blundering man- 
 ner in which Mr. Skinner was handling the matter. 
 
 " I cannot mention the former misunderstanding now," 
 thought Mr. Skinner, " for it would only complicate mat- 
 ters ; and as she shows no disposition to aid me, I must see 
 Arthur alone and tell him all our plans and get his consent, 
 and then I can settle the matter with her." 
 
 " I only wanted you to confirm what I have already told 
 him," said Mr. Skinner, with a look that she could not 
 misunderstand ; and rising, he continued : '' As you have 
 done so, I think we had better be going." 
 
 "I am sorry that you find it necessary to hurry away," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, a little sarcastically, and then turn- 
 ing to Arthur she asked: ''And when shall I see you 
 again ?" 
 
 " I cannot say," replied Arthur, " I have but little time 
 for calling." 
 
 " I should be pleased to see you at any time," said Mrs. 
 Graham, graciously. 
 
 " I shall remember your invitation, and will call when I 
 have any imjiortant business I wish to transact, and will be 
 free to tell you what it is," replied Arthur, with ill-con- 
 cealed merriment. 
 
 Mrs. Graham's only answer was a smile, as she recog- 
 nized the application of his reply. 
 
252 FOILED. 
 
 " I thought you said Mrs. Graham would invite us to 
 take tea with her ?" said Arthur, witli a half malicious smile, 
 when they were out of her hearing. 
 
 '' So I did, Arthur, but I must have counted without my 
 hostess ; but we can adjourn to some other table, and with 
 a host equally as agreeable. I was not well pleased with 
 her reception of us, and would not have staid if she had 
 asked me. But let us go in here and get a table by our- 
 selves, where we can talk the matter over while we are eat- 
 ing," and followed by Arthur he entered one of the 
 elegantly furnished restaurants which abound in every 
 large city, and motioning Arthur to a table in one of the 
 most secluded corners, took a seat facing him. Here he 
 felt at ease, and met with more success in bringing his 
 conversation to bear upon the subject he desired to make 
 known. 
 
 ''Mrs. Graham knew why we called," began Mr. Skin- 
 ner, ''but she was so much embarrassed by the memory of 
 past occurrences that she would give me no opportunity to 
 approach the subject." 
 
 " "Was she the only one who felt that way, Mr. Skinner?" 
 inquired Arthur, with a knowing smile. 
 
 "I do not wonder that you felt it," replied Mr. Skinner, 
 without appearing to understand Arthur's meaning, "but 
 I was so intently watching her in hopes that she would 
 open the way for me that I did not notice it." 
 
 "But I could not help but notice your embarrassment," 
 replied Arthur, laughing, " it was so very apparent." 
 
 " I was more provoked than embarrassed," replied Mr. 
 Skinner, testily. 
 
FOILED. 253 
 
 '• I thiuk it would be very interesting to witness one of 
 your conferences in relation to estate matters if you are 
 always so formal as you were to-day. " 
 
 "0, we have no trouble in that way/' replied Mr. Skin- 
 ner ; *' but I think it was her doubts of how you were dis- 
 posed to act that made her so formal. You see she is very 
 proud and dislikes to appear to be the first to make conces- 
 sions, but as soon as she knows your intentions she will 
 readily assent and once more become friendly/and this mu- 
 tual understanding was what I was anxious to bring about ; 
 for, as I told you this afterucon, it is much better for all 
 of the interested parties to agree and work peaceably 
 together, but in the case of yourself and Mrs. Graham it is 
 absolutely necessary ; your interests are identical, they lie in 
 the same channel, and you must gain or lose together." 
 
 Mr. Skinner^s manner had changed, and he was now 
 so earnest in what he was saying that Arthur wondered what 
 the cause could be. " He has some object in trying to im- 
 press me in this way/"* he thought, ''or something of im- 
 portance to tell me, and I will wait and see. " 
 
 ''I have told Mrs. Graham the same as I have just told 
 you," continued Mr. Skinner, ''and she fully realizes its 
 great importance ; and if now you 'and Mrs. Graham were 
 to become friends once more, and work together, it would 
 result in a gain to each of you of many thousands of 
 dollars." 
 
 " I cannot see how," replied Arthur, doubtfully, " unless 
 you mean that we would be saved the expense of litigation, 
 and I would not be required to pay this fearfully high 
 rent. " 
 
254 FOILED. 
 
 " That would be one way, Arthur ; for, as I told you, 
 Mrs. Graham is not inclined to press that matter except as 
 a last resort. But this is not the most important reason ; 
 for if you and Mrs, Graham could agree, she would, no 
 doubt, let you continue without paying rent, just as Mr. 
 Graham intended you should." 
 
 ''How did you find that out?" demanded Arthur, 
 quickly. 
 
 "0, I don't remember just how I found it out, Arthur ; 
 but never mind that now." 
 
 " Then you do know that there was an agreement that I 
 should pay no rent for that store ?" demanded Arthur. 
 
 '' I understood in some way that you Avere to have the 
 store rent free so long as Mr. Graham lived, or something 
 of that kind," replied Mr. Skinner, uneasily. 
 
 " If you understood it at all, you understood that it was 
 forever," said Arthur, decisively. 
 
 " Well, we can discuss that at some other time," replied 
 Mr. Skinner, anxious to change the subject. 
 
 " I do not care to argue the point, Mr. Skinner ; I am 
 satisfied to know that Mrs. Graham understands it as it was, 
 and now I know that she does, even though she has denied 
 it." 
 
 "That is a matter that is very easily settled, Arthur," 
 continued Mr. Skinner; "for if you and Mrs. Graham 
 can agree, I know she will be willing to carry out that 
 agreement and take your word as to what it was ; but a 
 much more important matter than that is for you to agree 
 how you would like to have the property divided. It will 
 soon become necessary for the court to appoint three or 
 
FOILED. 255 
 
 more persons to divide and apportion it to the parties inter- 
 ested. Now, if yon and Mrs. Graharu could decide uj^on 
 these persons, and choose only those whom you could de- 
 pend upon to do as you desire, it would be no difficult mat- 
 ter to have the court appoint them." 
 
 "In other words," interposed Arthur, with a knowing- 
 smile, " it would be the same as in the appraisement of the 
 j^ersonal property and widow's award." 
 
 "After this was accomplished," continued Mr. Skinner, 
 without noticing Arthur's interruption, "you and Mrs. 
 Graham could decide upon the pieces of property you de- 
 sire to take and have these appraisers set a very low valua- 
 tion upon them — very low ; and the small portion that re- 
 mains for the others, the charity folks, as Mrs. Graham 
 calls them, let their portion be apjjraised very high. In 
 this way you and Mrs. Graham will get nearly all of the 
 property, while the small portion allotted to the others will 
 fully meet their expectations ; for Mrs. Graham has already 
 made them believe that there will be but little coming to 
 them, as the estate is greatly in debt. In this way you and 
 Mrs. Graham will get the difference between what they will 
 receive and what the will gives them. Now, Arthur, is'nt 
 that a splendid scheme?" inquired Mr. Skinner, as he 
 leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands in glee. 
 
 "But, sir, this is nothing less than robbery !" said Ar- 
 thur, in astonishment. 
 
 "Aye, so it is, Arthur ; but you get your full share of it." 
 
 "And does Mrs. Graham consent to this?" demanded 
 Arthur. 
 
 " 0, yes ; I obtained her consent before I came to you." 
 
256 FOILED. 
 
 ''You explained it to her just as you have to me, and 
 she gave her consent ? "inquired Arthur, earnestly. 
 
 " Yes, fully ; and she not only consented, but urged me 
 to see you. 0, she is all right ; you need have no fears con- 
 cerning her," replied Mr. Skinner, as he leaned forward 
 and looked earnestly at Arthur. 
 
 " I have believed her to be capable of almost any crime, 
 now I know her to be !" said Arthur, with passionate em- 
 i:)hasis. 
 
 Mr. Skinner started back in amazement at this unex- 
 pected denouement, and after surveying Arthur for a 
 moment, said, hoarsely : " Then you will not accept this 
 oSer?'' 
 
 " No, sir, I will not ! These peoi^le that Mrs. Graham pro- 
 poses to rob are my relatives, and I shall see to it that they 
 know of this," reiDlied Arthur, his eyes flashing with in- 
 dignation. 
 
 " That is a very pretty theory, Arthur, and quite senti- 
 mental," rc'iolied Mr. Skinner, sneeringly, '' but it is far 
 from being good business policy ; for these same relatives, 
 if they had the chance that I now offer you, would accept 
 it at once, and this, too, regardless of their relationship to 
 you or your wife. Now, Arthur, don^t foolishly decide 
 this matter while your blood is up, for it is only once in a 
 lifetime that such an offer is made. You need take no part 
 in it, and need not inquire where it comes from, or how. 
 Mrs. Graham and I will manage that, and you need only to 
 quietly acquiesci. It is too important a matter to be lightly 
 disposed of, and you should well consider it before you de- 
 cide." 
 
FOILED. 25^ 
 
 " I will not even consider it," said Arthur, vehemently ; 
 "and you can tell Mrs. Graham that I say she is but little 
 better than a common thief. " 
 
 "Beware how you decide, Arthur," replied Mr. Skinner, 
 now thoroughly enraged. " If your business is worth pre- 
 serving, or if you hope to get any portion of this estate, 
 take heed before it is too late, for Mrs. G-raham has you in 
 her power. You have experienced some of the misery she 
 is able to inflict upon you, and she only waits for your de- 
 cision to make that misery ten fold more woeful and ruin 
 you beyond all hope of recovery, or aid you to obtain all 
 that you can desire or money buy ; and she has directed me 
 to say that in case you did not consent that you should feel 
 that power." 
 
 " You speak truly when you say that we have felt the 
 misery she can bestow,'" replied Arthur, now deathly pale ; 
 ' ' and though I liave smiled at it, they are the smiles that 
 only make wrinkles. I have grown to feel and expect the 
 cares and worries of a man much older than I am, and all 
 because of this power she wields with so heavy a hand, and 
 which you now threaten shall be increased ten fold. I tell 
 you this that you may know that I realize the full extent 
 of your threat, and yet, knowing all this, I defy her! And 
 though she had ten fold her power, and were thrice the 
 devil that she is, I would not league with her — tell her that ! 
 Good-night, sir," and Arthur, hot with passion, left him to 
 his reveries. 
 
 Mr. Skinner's eyes followed Arthur as he left him, and 
 wlien he disappeared from sight his eyes sought the floor 
 while his countenance showed the dejection he felt. He 
 
258 FOILED. 
 
 sat in this position he knew not how long, until he felt the 
 presence of some one standing near him, and hastily Look- 
 ing np, saw an amused smile playing over the features of 
 Mr. Blood, as he stood with one hand resting on the back 
 of his chair, 
 
 ''Been having a row, Skinner ?" 
 
 ''Yes," replied Mr. Skinner, relieved at the opportunity 
 of giving expression to his thoughts ; "tv/o of them." 
 
 " One would be enough for me," replied Mr. Blood, witli 
 exasperating coolness, " if they were all as fierce as the one 
 1 just witnessed ; but what was the other." 
 
 " Well, that scheme I told you of some time ago," began 
 Mr. Skinner, moodily, "resulted in an appointment at 
 Mrs. Graham's. I took Arthur there, and she nearly froze 
 us with her icy formality and Vv^e adjourned here. I thought 
 I had the thing all fixed, and was sure he was favorably 
 inclined, and so told him everything, and up to the last 
 moment had no doubt but that he would jump at the 
 chance. When I had finished, he raised a great hubbub 
 , about these folks being relatives of his, and denounced the 
 -whole scheme as one of robbery." 
 
 "Well, he was aljout right, was he not ?'' inquired Mr. 
 Blood, sardonically. 
 
 "But he is a big fool to let so great an opportunity pass — 
 don't you think so, Mr. Blood ? " 
 
 " Yes — as the world goes, I think he is ; but this all comes 
 from interfering with my client, Mr. Skinner." 
 
 " But I told you all about it," replied Mr. Skinner, hastily, 
 "and urged you to place it before him; you declined, until I 
 had first obtained liis consent." 
 
FOILED. 259 
 
 "Yon did not get it, did you ? " said Mr. Blood, with a 
 quizzical smile. 
 
 " No," replied Mr. Skinner, bitterly, as lie rose to leave. 
 ''He has upset the whole thing by prating of his relatives, 
 and if he informs them of it he will no doubt receive a 
 reply that will teach him a well deserved lesson." 
 
 " And is he going to do this ?" inquired Mr. Blood. 
 
 ''So he says." 
 
 "Well, you must have had a sorry night all round," said 
 Mr. Blood, consolingly. 
 
 " Yes, but hereafter I shall let Mrs. G-raham do her own 
 dirty work ; I am done." And Mr. Skinner drew his hat 
 down close over his eyes and stepped out into the darkness, 
 a prey to his thoughts. 
 
 "Ha, ha!" chuckled^ Mr. Blood, "Arthur must have 
 struck him pretty hard to upset him so completely." 
 
 "What made you so late, Arthur ? " inquired Edith, as he 
 entered the house. 
 
 "I took supper with Mr. Skinner, and he unfolded a 
 scheme for robbing the relatives, the boldness of which 
 greatly astonished me, and wanted me to give my consent 
 to join in it with Mrs. Graham. I let him tell the whole 
 story, and found out that Mrs. Graham fully understood 
 the matter and had consented to it, and then I let him 
 know what I thought of it. When he found I would not 
 consent to it he threatened me with Mrs. Graham^s hot 
 wrath, and gave me the choice between wealth or ruin. I 
 denounced him and defied her and left. But what surprises 
 me more than her dishonesty, is that they should find it 
 necessary to have me join with them. I cannot account for 
 
260 FOILED. 
 
 it, unless I have gained some advantage that I do not know 
 of ; for up to this time she has been haughtily confident of 
 success, and now needs my help or she would not seek it. 
 If she does, I pity her." 
 
 '' The relatives should be informed of this as soon as 
 possible," said Edith, her face flushed with indignation at 
 the thought of Mrs. Graham's intentions, *'and, Arthur, 
 you should go to them and explain the matter, so that they 
 will b6 able to protect themselves." 
 
 ''I have been thinking of that," said Arthur, thought- 
 fully, ''and I am very much inclined to believe that it is 
 my duty to go and tell them how Mrs. Graham proposes to 
 rob them, and after talking the matter over, we can decide 
 what should be done. For if Mrs. Graham cannot rob 
 them now, she will only delay in doing so until your interest 
 in the estate is settled and we are out of her way, and do it 
 then. 
 
 *' It is very plain to me that it is a duty we owe to them 
 as relatives and friends," said Edith, earnestly. 
 
 " Yes, I think so, and I shall go," said Arthur, deter- 
 minedly. 
 
 *' How soon can you start ? " inquired Edith, anxiously. . 
 
 '' 0, there's no such hurry as that, Edith," replied 
 Arthur, much amused at lier haste. " Mrs. Graham can do 
 nothing at present, and I will have plenty of time to see 
 them." 
 
 " Well, don't put it off too long," replied Edith, anxious 
 for the fate of her friends. 
 
CHAPTER XYIII. 
 
 THE LIE DID ITS WORK WELL. 
 
 " If yon are no better lawyer than diplomat, I fear we 
 shall fare but poorly at your hands," said Mrs. Graliam 
 the next morning, as with a smile she entered Mr. Skinner's 
 office. 
 
 ''Your manner would have chilled an iceberg," replied 
 Mr, Skinner, gruffly, for he was in no mood for jesting. 
 "Arthur was all right when we came to your house, but 
 you hardly noticed him and I could see that he felt it." 
 
 '' I took my cue from you," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 pleasantly, " and your face gave me no indication that his 
 decision had been favorable. You looked as downcast and 
 disheartened as it was possible for your face to express, and 
 I acted accordingly." 
 
 "But you gave me no aid, even when you realized that 
 I would fail if you did not," replied Mr. Skinner, testily. 
 
 '' But you were to do all the talking and I was only to 
 play the hospitable hostess, and I am sure you have no 
 reason to find fault with my part," said Mrs. Graham, 
 with an amused smile. 
 
 ''Well, the scheme has been spoiled," said Mr. Skinner, 
 
 moodily. 
 
 261 
 
263 FOILED. 
 
 ^'0, no ; not so bad as all that, Mr. Skinner," said Mrs. 
 Graham^ banteriugly. " I will invite him to come next 
 time, and then you will see how the matter should have 
 been managed at first." 
 
 "Yon may try it if you desire," replied Mr. Sivinner, 
 with assumed indifference, " but you will not try it the 
 second time, I can assure you of that." 
 
 " 0, it is the lack of experience that makes the difference," 
 said Mrs. Graham, with an air of conscious superiority. 
 "There is need of confidence in yourself to handle these 
 delicate points with grace and telling effect, and this only 
 comes by experience. If women were only allowed to prac- 
 tice in our courts, I think I know of some who would put 
 many of you lawyers to the blush ; " and Mrs. Graham's 
 complacent smile made it evident of whom she was thinking. 
 
 " The blushing would probably be on the other side 
 when you had been denounced as a thief and your proposi- 
 tion spurned, as was done by Arthur last night," said Mr. 
 Skinner, as he settled back in his chair. 
 
 "Do you mean that Arther has refused to acce^Dt our 
 offer ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, anxiously. 
 
 " Yes'm," reijlied Mr. Skinner, nodding his head know- 
 ingly. 
 
 "And did you tell him what I said I would do?" 
 demanded Mrs. Graham, fiercely. 
 
 " I did ; and it had about as much effect as pouring 
 water on a duck's back," replied Mr. Skinner, with pro- 
 voking indifference. 
 
 " I must see him and place the matter in its proper 
 light, and then he will accept it quick enough," replied 
 Mrs. Graliam, confidently. 
 
FOILED. 263 
 
 "You are very rash to make the attempt," replied ^Iv. 
 Skinner, " but I admire your spirit." 
 
 "Money is all he cares for," replied Mrs. Graham, con- 
 temptuously ; "and either you did not explain it to him 
 properly or he suspicions our intentions to divide with 
 him." 
 
 " I am afraid you will learn that there are some things 
 that he cares more for than money, Mrs. Graham ; but you 
 can try,'' replied Mr. Skinner, carelessly. 
 
 "If you go on in this strain, Mr. Skinner, I shalllose 
 what little confidence I have had in you," said Mrs, 
 Graham, imperiously. "I am surprised that you do not 
 know that money is what we are all seeking for, in a more 
 or less direct way, as the case may be, and Arthur is no 
 exception. All his actions in opposing us have shown that 
 money was the motive that u.rgcd him on. His fir3t 
 attempt Avas to defeat me in obtaining my award ; failing 
 in thjit, to have it reduced. To tell me now that he would 
 not accept the portion thus saved to Edith, would be to 
 tell me something that no sane 25er3on would beJievt', 
 Money is what he desires, and when his confidence is 
 restored and he understands our offer he will be only too 
 willing to accept it, and that, too, without questioning." 
 
 " Well, Mrs. Graham, there is no argument like stub- 
 born facts," replied Mr. Skinner, wearily. "After you 
 have tried it you will be able to decide if my judgment is 
 correct." 
 
 " You will see," replied Mrs. Graham, complacently. 
 
 " In the meantime, v/hat shall we do with the power of 
 attorney ?" inquired Mr. Skinner. 
 
364 FOILED. 
 
 " You must get it to Arthur as soon as possible/' 
 replied Mrs. Graluim, earnestly; " it will help to make him 
 feel more kindly and he will be that much more easily 
 won. '' 
 
 "I will send it to him at once," said Mr. Skinner. 
 " And when will you see him and obtain his consent ?'' 
 
 " I shall leave it for a while, as I must deal with tliis 
 matter carefully," replied Mrs. Graham, as she arose to 
 leave; "but you need have no fears on that score, for I 
 will manage that." 
 
 "And what about his rent ?" 
 
 " Not a word must be said about that until the other is 
 settled," replied Mrs Graham, quickly. " It might spoil 
 all our plans to mention it now." 
 
 " I only wanted to know your opinion and what you 
 desired me to do," rejilied Mr. Skinner, curtly. 
 
 " It will be time enough to arrange these matters when 
 we have decided this other and more important one," 
 replied Mrs. Graham; "and until that is decided I want 
 nothing done to cause Arthur trouble or make him feel 
 that we are not friendly." 
 
 " All right," replied Mr. Skinner ; " I will send him the 
 power of attorney at once and let all the other matters rest 
 until I hear from you." 
 
 And, very much to his surprise, Arthur soon afterward 
 received the coveted papers that gave him at least one point 
 of advantage in his unequal contest with Mrs. Graham. His 
 astonishment was in no way abated when he recalled his 
 conversation with INIr. Skinner and the threats he had 
 then made a^-ainst him. Those had made him abandon 
 
FOILED 265 
 
 all hope of ever getting possession of the papers, and it was 
 not until after he had carefully examined them that he could 
 believe them to be what he desired ; but finding that they 
 were, he placed them where they would be secure, and 
 began his work. 
 
 ''I am going to visit your aunt Hattie, Editli ; would 
 you like to go with me ?" said Arthur one evening when 
 he returned home. 
 
 " What business takes you there ?" inquired Edith with 
 some little surprise. 
 
 " I am going to see if I cannot get some explanation of 
 her actions toward you, replied Arthur, determinedly. " I 
 do not find it hard to understand why those whom we 
 know but slightly, and even some close friends, avoid us, 
 but aunt Hattie's actions I cannot understand. She can 
 hardly forget that her dead sister was your mother, and 
 why she should so willingly believe the report of this 
 woman I cannot comprehend. The least she could have 
 done would have been to seek you and hear your defense. 
 This would be the proper thing to do if she were only a 
 friend, but how much more to be expected in one v;ho 
 bears this closer relationship. It seems strange that she 
 could believe this woman's falsehoods, even though she had 
 much better proof than her unsupported word ; but still 
 more so when I remember that at Mrs. Graham's hands 
 your aunt has ne.ver received favors or anything more than 
 cold indifference, and I cannot understand why she should 
 so willingly desert you and cling to her. To do so, she 
 must stifle all feelings of kindred and be dead to all sense 
 of Justice, and I am going there to solve the mystery if I 
 can."' 
 
266 FOILED. 
 
 " I will go withyou/^ replied Edith, " for I have felt the 
 loss of her friendship more than that of any one else. 
 Since my mother's death I have always gone to her for 
 counsel and advice. No one has so nearly filled my 
 mother's place as she. I have always believed her to be 
 my friend, and would not believe that she would turn 
 against me, if by her actions she did not prove it." 
 
 Fortunately they found aunt Hattie at home, and as 
 they entered, Edith said : '* We have not seen you for so 
 long a time, auntie, that Vv^e thought we would call and 
 find out the reason." 
 
 " Yes, it has been some time since I have seen you, 
 Edith," replied aunt Hattie, whose manner betrayed no 
 change of feeling toward her niece', ''but I am getting old 
 and find it is not so easy to get about as I did formerly ; 
 but that need not have kept you from coming to see me." 
 
 "If I had known that this was all that kept us apart I 
 should certainly have been here long ago," replied Edith, 
 her old love quickly returning at the sight of her aunt. 
 
 " What else could there be, Edith ?" asked aunt Hattie, 
 quietly. 
 
 " Well, I don't know, I am sure," replied Edith, doubt- 
 fully. 
 
 ''What Edith means," said Arthur, in explanation, "is 
 that she feared your friendship was lost to her, for she was 
 told that you said you did not care to see her again, " 
 
 "And who told you that, Edith?" said aunt Hattie, 
 with some little surprise. 
 
 " Mrs. Graham," said Edith, in a low voice. 
 
 "I don't think I ever said so," replied aunt Hattie, 
 
FOILED. 267 
 
 thoughtfully, ''and I am sure I do not feel so ; for how- 
 ever much I may condemn your course, I cannot forget 
 that you are my sister's child." 
 
 "I found it hard to believe ; but so many of our friends 
 have deserted us that I feel sure of no one but Arthur, and 
 your long silence seemed to confirm Mrs. Graham's words." 
 
 "1 never believe in deserting a friend," replied aunt 
 Hattie, gravely, ''even though they sometimes do wrong." 
 
 " You speak of wrong-doing, auntie, as if I had wronged 
 you," said Edith, quickly. 
 
 "Not me, Edith; but I fear you have done wrong in 
 trying to break your father's Avill," replied aunt Hattie, 
 sadly. " Stewart Graham was one of the most just men I 
 ever knew, and he gave you all that he thought was right ; 
 and in respect to his memory you should have hesitated a 
 long time before you publicly scandalized his name by 
 showing your dissatisfaction with what he gave you." 
 
 " Why, aunt Hattie ! " replied Edith in astonishment, 
 " I have not tried to break father's will. Who told you 
 that I had?" 
 
 "It is not worth our while to quibble over the meaning of 
 words, Edith," replied her aunt, gravely. "Your father's 
 will should have been law to you, and it does seem that you 
 were at least unwise to rush so hastily into court and at- 
 tempt to obtain more than in his judgment you were en- 
 titled to." 
 
 "But I have not done this," said Edith, hastily. "I 
 am and always have been perfectly satisfied with what the 
 will gave me. I have never tried to obtain more than the 
 will gave me, have I, Arthur ? Why don't you speak and 
 
268 FOILED. 
 
 tell her I have not ? " and her eyes filled with tears as she 
 realized the injustice of the accusation. 
 
 " May I ask if you speak of your own knowledge ? " said 
 Arthur, as with an effort he controlled his indignation. 
 
 " It is true that I know this only by what I have heard/' 
 replied aunt Hattie ; ''but it has never been denied, sol 
 believed it to be true." 
 
 " Did you ever give Edith an opportunity to deny it ?" 
 demanded Arthur. 
 
 ''I have not seen Edith since I first heard it," replied 
 aunt Hattie, uneasily. 
 
 ''Aud who first told you this story ?" inquired Arthur, 
 earnestly. 
 
 " It is so long ago I cannot remember," replied aunt Hat- 
 tie, doubtfully ; " but it was either Mrs. Graham or uncle 
 Webster, but I think it was Mrs. Graham.'' 
 
 "And when she told you this did you not feel indignant 
 that she should slander your niece in this manner ?" in- 
 quired Arthur, in astonishment, ''and was not your first 
 impulse to see Edith and know its truth ?" 
 
 " Yes, it was ; bat why did Edith employ a lawyer ?" 
 replied aunt Hattie, loth to admit her error. 
 
 " These are questions, aunt Hattie, that should have 
 been asked before you condemned Edith. You heard what 
 Mrs. Graham had to say, and without inquiring into its 
 truth you condemn Edith and determine to keep from see- 
 ing her." 
 
 " But Edith could have come to see me," persisted aunt 
 Hattie. 
 
 "Yes, and Mrs. Graham was smart enough to know it, 
 
FOILED. 269 
 
 and so she informed Editli that you said you did not wish to 
 see her again." 
 
 " But I did not say that/' replied aunt Hattie, positively. 
 
 '^0, it was not necessary that you should," replied Ar- 
 thur ; it did its work just as well, for all that." 
 
 ''But you do not think that Mrs. Graham would tell 
 what is not so, do you, Arthur ? " 
 
 "I know she has done so several times already, and I 
 have no doubt but that she will many times more/' replied 
 Arthur, bitterly. ''Did you know that Mrs. Graham 
 claims more than the will gave her ? " 
 
 ''I know she did claim the award/' replied aunt Hattie, 
 "but she did not feel certain that Stewart intended her to 
 have it and so she gave it up, for she told me so." 
 
 "Aunt Hattie," said Arthur, earnestly, "can you con- 
 ceive of a more defenseless position than that in which you 
 have placed Edith by thinking and acting in this way ?' 
 And is it not against all laws of justice or common sense 
 to condemn Edith upon the statement of a person whom 
 you now admit has done all that you charged Edith with 
 doing, and has tried to get more than the will gave her ?"' 
 
 "But Edith did wrong in employing a lawyer," persisted 
 aunt Hattie, "for that always means fight." 
 
 "Let us suppose a case," continued Arthur, who was 
 now determined to know if aunt Hattie could be convinced, 
 "and start with your admission that Mrs. Graham did claim 
 more than was right ; another person equally interested 
 hears of it and is denied the privilege of investigation, 
 would you condemn this person for employing a lawyer tO' 
 investigate where she could not, and have him do all he 
 could to prevent this wrong?" 
 
^170 FOILED. 
 
 " Well, I don't know much about law,"' replied aunt 
 Hattie, uneasily, " but I know that when a lawyer enters a 
 case trouble is sure to follow, and I am opposed to it. If 
 I had been Edith I would have saved this expense and dis- 
 grace, for even if Mrs. Graham was disposed to, she could 
 not harm Edith, for the law protects her, and Mrs. Graham 
 could not change the law." 
 
 Arthur could not repress a smile of scorn as he noticed 
 the vain attempt of aunt Hattie to justify her actions, and 
 asked : 
 
 '' Will you tell me why you credit Edith with more power 
 than Mrs. Graham ? for if Mrs. Graham could not change 
 the law, why do you claim that Edith can ? If the law 
 protects Edith, wdiy would it not protect Mrs. Graham ?" 
 
 "All I know is, that Edith has been unfortunate in 
 obtaining bad advice," rei^lied aunt Hattie, positively; "and 
 if she had not employed this lawyer there would have been 
 no trouble." 
 
 " It is useless to talk on this matter any longer,'' replied 
 Arthur, now thoroughly disheartened. "I have brought you 
 a copy of the court records. This will furnish you with 
 the facts in the case, and give you all the arguments that 
 we care to show you. If you will read it, you will find 
 that Edith has from the first defended, and is now defend- 
 ing, her father's will, while you will find that Mrs. Graham 
 has not given up her award, but is fighting to maintain it. 
 I should be pleased to hear what you have t-o say after you 
 have read it." 
 
 Being assured that she would consider it, and trusting 
 thiit in the quiet and seclusion of her home aunt Hattie 
 
FOILED. 2? J 
 
 would at last arrive at a correct understanding, Arthur and 
 Edith left lier, only to have their hopes blasted by receiv- 
 ing the records a few days afterward, without a word of 
 comment, while the real thief cried ' stop thief ! ' with 
 renewed confidence. 
 
 "Have you noticed," began Mrs. Brandon, when the 
 ladies were again gathered at the sewing society, "that of 
 hite Mrs. Graham has figured quite conspicuously in the 
 courts ? " 
 
 " I heard that the daughter had employed a lawyer and 
 was making her considerable trouble/' replied Mrs. Fore- 
 man, "but I know nothing more than this." 
 
 "We heard rumors of that some weeks ago," said Mrs, 
 Oray, quietly, "but I have no knowledge of how true it is." 
 
 "You heard what Mrs, G-rahamsaid," replied Mrs. Adell. 
 "^ 'and that confirmed it." 
 
 " I mean that I have no personal knowledge that it is 
 true," replied Mrs. Gray. 
 
 " You have no reason to question Mrs. Graham's 
 veracity," said Mrs. Adell, positively. 
 
 '" What did Mrs. Graham say ?" inquired Mrs. Rivers, 
 with much apparent interest. 
 
 "As it can do no good," hastily interposed Mrs. Walling- 
 ford, " I don't think I would repeat it." 
 
 " Neither can it do harm," replied Mrs, Brandon ; "for 
 if Mrs. Graham has no objection to telling it, we certainly 
 can have none. " 
 
 " Did not Mrs. Graham request you to say as little as 
 possible on this subject ? " replied Mrs, Wallingford, 
 inquiringly. 
 
372 FOILED. 
 
 "0, she said she wanted it kept as quiet as possible," 
 replied Mrs. Brandon, laughing, '' but we all understand 
 Avhat that means." 
 
 " But do you think that Mrs. Graham Avould be pleased 
 to know that you were informing others of this matter ? " 
 persisted Mrs. Wallingford. 
 
 *' Why, Mrs. Wallingford, your innocence would provoke 
 a smile were it not that I believe it to be assumed," said 
 Mrs. Adell. "You know as well as any of us that when 
 Mrs. Graham came here and told us that Edith was trying- 
 to rob her of her share of the estate by breaking her 
 father's will, that she did it for the purpose of letting us 
 know the facts in the case, so that we could judge Edith's 
 course correctly ; and the more it is talked of the more it 
 accomplishes her purpose. " 
 
 " And is Edith trying to break her father's will ? " in- 
 quired Mrs. Rivers, earnestly. 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Brandon, *' that is what Mrs. Gra- 
 ham tells us, and it is undoubtedly true." 
 
 " Is it not unwise, Mrs. Brandon, to talk of Edith in 
 this way?" inquired Mrs. Wallingford. "Even though 
 she has done all that you charge her with, she is still 
 entitled to protection from her friends ; and as no good can 
 come from circulating these reports, charity on our part 
 should make us try to conceal them ; and then if you 
 should find that you had been mislead and that Edith had 
 not done this, would you not have cause for regret ? " 
 
 " 0, you are too sentimental," replied that lady, laugh- 
 ing. '' After Edith has done all she could to rob Mrs. 
 Graham, it comes with but poor grace to plead for 
 sympathy. 
 
FOILED. 273 
 
 ''But if she has not done as you say, wliat then Y' per- 
 sisted Mrs. Wallingford. 
 
 " But there is no question of that, Mrs. Wallingford," 
 interposed Mrs. Adell. 
 
 "There is not only a question of its truth, but I have the 
 proof that it is false," replied Mrs. Wallingford, firmly. 
 '•' This proof is so positive as to admit of no doubting, and 
 should forever silence any farther questioning of Edith's 
 actions." 
 
 "' Do you mean that Mrs. Graham has told us what is 
 not true ?" inquired Mrs. Adell. 
 
 "I will tell you what I know, and where you can find 
 the proofs of all I say," said Mrs. Wallingford, " and you 
 can draw your own conclusions." 
 
 This gave promise of such rich developments that Mrs. 
 Wallingford was quickly surrounded by eager listeners, ■ 
 among whom Mrs. Adell was not the least anxious to gathef' 
 every word. 
 
 "After Mrs. Graham's visit to the society," continued 
 Mrs. Wallingford, "you will remember that I made the 
 suggestion that it was unjust to condemn Edith without 
 first hearing what she had to say. Acting on this principle, 
 I visited Edith, and she earnestly denied having any inten- 
 tion of breaking her father's will." 
 
 " 0, but we could have told you that before you called," 
 interposed Mrs. Brandon ; "we knew she would do so from 
 the first." 
 
 "Finding her denial so positive," continued Mrs. Wal- 
 lingford, without noticing the interruption, " I had Mr. 
 Wallingford search the records of the court in order that I 
 
 18 
 
274 FOILED. 
 
 might decide justly between Mrs. Graham's statements and 
 Edith's. 
 
 "And what did he find ?" inquired Mrs. Brandon, earn- 
 estly. 
 
 " He found that what Edith said was true ; and more 
 than this, that the false charges she made against Edith 
 were true of Mrs. Graham herself : that instead of Edith 
 trying to rob her, she was endeavoring to take from Edith 
 that which her father had willed should be hers. Now, 
 you may jorove these statements or not, just as yon desire ; 
 but you should allow this slander against Edith to go no 
 farther than it has. And to clear myself from any appear- 
 ance of doing Mrs. Graham a wrong by repeating this, I 
 will say that I have told her just what I have told you, and 
 she has not denied it. Had she done so, or had she shown 
 a disposition to check these untruthful stories, I should 
 never have mentioned the matter to you ; but I think you 
 will agree with me now, that under these circumstances no 
 one with a knowledge of the facts should again repeat this 
 .slander against Edith. If you would for a moment con- 
 ;sider Edith as the daughter of either one of you, with both 
 father and mother in their graves, and the woman who had 
 taken your place in your husband's heart or home acting 
 toward your child as Mrs. Graham is acting toward Edith, 
 you would hesitate before you would aid her, and your 
 mother heart would be pained at the sight of a Christian 
 church being made the fortress of the oppressor, with all 
 its power and influence turned against your innocent and 
 uncomplaining child, until she is forced to give up even 
 this source of comfort and sever the ties of memory that 
 
FOILED. 275 
 
 center there as the place of worship of lier father and 
 mother. We chiim to be Christians, let us prove it by our 
 acts. " 
 
 "The fact that Edith does not attend church is only a 
 proof of her guilty conscience ; at least that is the way it 
 appears to me," replied Mrs. Adell, with assumed indif- 
 ference. 
 
 ''That would be to assume that the innocent are always 
 callous and unfeeling," replied Mrs. Wallingford, quietly. 
 
 " If Edith believes she has not done wrong, she could 
 easily show her belief by facing an unjust opinion and liv- 
 ing it down," rei^lied Mrs. Brandon ; " and I agree with 
 Mrs . Adell that it seems to be a proof of guilt that she does 
 not do so." 
 
 "Some persons could do that, but others could not," 
 replied Mrs. Bartley ; " in proof of which, we have only to 
 watch the actions of those concerning whom a scandal is 
 made public. Of these, you will find some who care but 
 little, and outwardly show no signs of pain ; but generally 
 you will find that it makes them seek the seclusion of their 
 home until the matter is forgotten or they die of broken 
 hearts. To assume that those who show no concern are 
 innocent, would be an unjust conclusion against many sen- 
 sitive souls whose innocence we cannot question ; and with 
 all due respect to Mrs. Graham, I believe we have in her a 
 fine example of one who, right or wrong, could face the 
 world and defy its opinion ; and while I admire it when in 
 Ike right, I cannot believe that those who have not this 
 disposition are necessarily guilty." 
 
 "Well, I am not ready to believe that Mrs. Graham ia 
 
;276 FOILED. 
 
 all in the wrong, and Edith the demure and saintly creature 
 that she is painted," said Mrs. Adell, with some little 
 asperity. 
 
 " I think tiie truth of the matter will be found to lie 
 between the two extremes,*' said Mrs. Rivers, as she re- 
 sumed her sewing. 
 
 " We should have some consideration for Mrs. Graham's 
 desolate condition," said Mrs. Foreman, "and make some 
 allowance for her actions. " 
 
 *'I have no desire to say what is unjust of Mrs. Graham," 
 replied Mrs. Wallingford, "but I think you can readily 
 recognize the justness of my defence of Edith." 
 
 '"'It strikes me that you are a little bit prejudiced in 
 favor of your client," replied Mrs, Brandon, smiling, "but 
 you make a splendid advocate for her cause. May I depend 
 on your services to defend me, Mrs. Wallingford, if I am 
 ever brought to judgment at the bar of public opinion ? " 
 
 " If I know you to be unjustly accused, you certainly 
 can," replied that lady, quietly, as she gathered her sewing 
 together jDreparatory to taking her leave. 
 
 "I admire her more and more," began Mrs. Gray, when 
 Mrs. Wallingford was out of hearing; "she is so practical 
 and common sensed." 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Adell, with a toss of her head, 
 "but terribly prejudiced against Mrs. Graham." 
 
 "Then you do not believe all she says about the court 
 records ? " said Mrs. Gray, inquiringly. 
 
 "0, some of it is no doubt true," replied Mrs. Adell; 
 " but when Mr. Wallingford searched the records it was for 
 the purpose of finding Mrs. Graham guilty, and of course 
 he onlv found what he desired." 
 
FOILED. 377 
 
 "0, dear," said Mrs. Gray, despairingly, "1 am all in 
 doubt again. First I believed Mrs. Graham, then Mrs. 
 Wallingford convinced me that Edith was right, and now 
 I don't know what to think." 
 
 ''^That is because you believe every story you hear," said 
 Mrs. Adell, laughing; *' but Mrs. Wallingford 's arguments 
 have not changed my opinions in the least," 
 
 '^It maybe that Mrs. Eivers was right when she sug- 
 gested that the truth lies between the two extremes," said 
 Mrs. Gray, doubtfully. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 FAR FROM BEIXQ WORLDLY AVISE. 
 
 Arthur had now made his arrangements to visit his uncle 
 Ralph, and as he desired to leave all his business in order, 
 he sought Mrs. Graham that he might give her the money 
 he had collected. The servant ushered him into the parlor, 
 and when Mrs. Graham made her appearance, Arthur 
 wasted no time in formalities, but proceeded at once with 
 the business in hand. 
 
 "As I am going out of the city," began Arthur, "1 
 thought best to settle with you for the rents I have col- 
 lected." 
 
 "Money is always acceptable, Arthur," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, pleasantly. " But what calls you away so sud- 
 denly ?" 
 
 " I an; going to visit uncle Ralph, ^'replied Arthur. " But 
 unfortunately I have not much money for you this time, 
 as the bills for repairs have taken nearly all I have collected.^' 
 
 "Repairs !" exclaimed Mrs. Graham, her brow contract- 
 ing with displeasure ; " and what authority have you to make 
 repairs ? " 
 
 "I don't really know that I have any, except what the 
 power of attorney gives me," replied Arthur, doubtfully. 
 
 278 
 
FOILED, 279 
 
 " But the city authorities gave me notice to put in a new- 
 sidewalk, and as heretofore I have always made all neces- 
 sary repairs, I had no idea that you would object to it now. " 
 
 " But that, sir, was never for so large an amount as this," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, surveying the figures on the bill. 
 
 ''But the repairs were needed; you -must admit that," 
 said Arthur, confidently, *'and the price is reasonable, is it 
 not?" 
 
 ''It is true that I have allowed you to make some repairs 
 and bring me the bills in place of the money ; but I w^ill not 
 allow you to assume my duties to this extent," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, indignantly. 
 
 " But, Mrs. Graham, I am at a loss to understand why 
 you object," replied Arthur; "for if I had not done this 
 you would have had to do it ; and if the repairs had not 
 been made soon, the city would have put in the sidewalk 
 and taxed you more than double what it costs now, and I 
 cannot see w^hat you would gain." 
 
 "You are simply my servant in this matter," said Mrs. 
 Graham, contemptuously, "and I do not care to argue the 
 question with you ; but you might as well understand now 
 as at any other time that I am the only one who has the 
 power to attend to these matters." 
 
 "Then you will not accept these bills instead of money ?" 
 inquired Arthur. 
 
 "No, not until I see my attorney and hear what he has 
 to say," replied Mrs. Graham, bluntly. 
 
 " I am very sorry that you have decided upon this cor. rse," 
 said Arthur, "for the reason that I would like to have lliis 
 business settled before I leave." 
 
280 FOILED. 
 
 "I will take the money," replied Mrs, Graham, conde- 
 scendingly, "and yon can hold the bills until I decide." 
 
 " 0, no ; that is not my way of doing business/"'' replied 
 Arthur, determinedly ; "you must take all or none." 
 
 "Do you refuse to deliver this money to me ?" demanded 
 Mrs. Graham, excitedly. 
 
 "Unless you accept these bills, I do," replied Arthur, 
 firmly. 
 
 " I shall see my attorney about this matter," replied Mrs. 
 Graham, in a threatening manner," and you will hear from 
 me again." 
 
 "In that case," replied Arthur, coolly, "I will bid you 
 good day." 
 
 Mrs. Graham felt disconcerted at Arthur's firmness, and- 
 lookcd as if she would willingly recall her decision ; but 
 Arthur gave her no opportunity to again refer to the sub- 
 ject, and her pride prevented her from making any advances, 
 and when the door closed upon his retreating form she was 
 in no pleasant frame of mind ; but one thing she had deter- 
 mined upon : she would write to uncle Ealph and inform 
 him of Arthur's intended visit, for the purpose of poisoning 
 their minds, and advise them to beware of his plausible 
 words. This done, she started for Mr. Skinner's, to seek 
 consolation and advice. 
 
 "I am afraid I have been unwise in allowing Arthur to 
 collect these rents," began Mrs. Graham, as slie seated her- 
 self near Mr. Skinner. 
 
 "How so ?" inquired Mr. Skinner, in surprise. 
 
 "He has made some very expensive repairs, and now 
 demands that the estate pay for them. I declmed to accept 
 
FOILED. 281 
 
 the bills, and lie refused to pay me the money unless I 
 accei^ted both." 
 
 "What rejjairs did he make ?" inquired Mr. Skinner. 
 
 *'The principal item was for a new sidewalk. I heard of 
 it some days ago from Mr. Fletcher, who keeps watch of 
 how Arthur is acting." 
 
 " Were the repairs necessary ?" inquired Mr. Skinner. 
 
 "0, I don't object to the repairs, or the price ; but I do 
 not propose to let him act as if he had the right to do this 
 without first asking my consent," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 determinedly. 
 
 "He has made the repairs and jiaid for them, has he 
 not ?" said Mr. Skinner, inquiringly. 
 
 "He has." 
 
 "And they were necessary and the price reasonable ?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Mrs. Graham, a little in doubt as to Mr. 
 Skinner's intentions. 
 
 "'Well, Mrs. Graham, it puzzles me to know exactly what 
 you desire. You cannot expect that he will pay for these 
 repairs out of his own pocket, and he would not do it if 
 you did, and I doubt very much if you could force him to ; 
 for he has been allowed to do this before, and you have but 
 recently given him the authority to continue doing so, and 
 until yon revoke that power he is aiTthorized to do just 
 what you are objecting to ; and even if you had the power 
 to prevent him, it would be unwise to use it at the present 
 time, when you are hoping to reconcile him toward your 
 scheme." 
 
 " But if what you say is true, I have no authority at all," 
 replied Mrs. Graham, in an injured tone. 
 
282 FOILED. 
 
 " Not until you revoke his/' replied Mr. Skinner. " But 
 the business is handled well, gives you no trouble, and 
 should continue Just as it is. Your personal pleasure in 
 seeing him bow before you should be deferred until you 
 have decided this other matter, or you feel that you can do 
 without him ; for Arthur is not easily trod upon, you know 
 that." 
 
 '^But I have told him that I would not consent; how 
 can I get over that ?" inquired Mrs. Graham. 
 
 " I would advise you to tell him that this time you will 
 accept these bills, but that hereafter he must first ask your 
 consent before he pays any bills or contracts for any repairs." 
 
 " That is what I want," replied Mrs. Graham, evidently 
 relieved at this solution of the embarrassing position she 
 had placed herself in. " So long as he has to acknowledge 
 my authority I will be satisfied." 
 
 " Mr. Blood, what can I do when a woman refuses to' 
 accept my money ?" said Arthur, as he abruptly broke in 
 upon the reveries of tlie attorney. 
 
 '' Well, Arthur, that is so rare a case as to require some 
 thought," smilingly replied Mr. Blood. 
 
 " Well, the facts are simply these," continued Arthur : 
 " Mrs. Graham tried to collect the rents and failed. She 
 then gave me the authority to collect them and attend to 
 all the business, just as I had formerly been doing. The 
 city served me with notice to put in a new sidewalk. I 
 did so, and presented the bill to her, and she positively re- 
 fused to accept it in place of the money I had collected, 
 and claimed that I had no authority to make repairs. She 
 then proposed that I pay her what money I had and hold 
 
FOILED. ;^83 
 
 the bills until she consulted her lawyer. This I refused to 
 do ; was I right ?" 
 
 " Have you been giving Mrs. Graham all the money you 
 have collected ?" inquired Mr. Blood, earnestly. 
 
 " Yes ; why ?" said Arthur inquiringly. 
 
 "And Edith has received no jDart of it ?" 
 
 '*No, sir ; not a cent. 
 
 ''That is not right, Arthur, and hereafter you must give 
 Edith all that you collect. Keep a close account of it, and 
 when Mrs. Graham asks you for it you tell her that you 
 have paid it to the proper person and hold her receipt." 
 
 ''But can I do this ?" inquired Arthur, eagerly. 
 
 "Certainly you can." 
 
 "And Mrs. Graham cannot jorevent it ?" 
 
 " Not in the least." 
 
 "Well," said Arthur, in astonishment, "I guess Mrs. 
 Graham made a mistake when she refused to accept tlie 
 bills. And, Mr. Blood, can I pay my store rent in the same 
 way ?" 
 
 " Certainly, Arthur ; but I thought Mr. Graham gave 
 you your store rent free." 
 
 " So he did ; but Mrs. Graham made up her mind that 
 she wanted five hundred dollars a month for it, and I 
 thought she was asking at least its full value," replied 
 Arthur, smiling. 
 
 "She was trying to make your position too warm for your 
 comfort, that was all," replied Mr. Blood. "But if you 
 keep up this quiet but firm resistance, she will come to time 
 before long." 
 
 " She has, somewhat, already," quickly replied Arthur, 
 
284 • FOILED. 
 
 *' for her lawyer conceived a fine scheme by which the rela- 
 tives were to be robbed of nearly all that belonged to them, 
 while Mrs. Graham and Edith were to share equally in the 
 plunder — " 
 
 ''And you sj^oiled their scheme by failing to consent/' 
 interrupted Mr. Blood, as he leaned back in his chair and 
 laughed heartily at Arthur's look of amazement. 
 
 "^How did you find that out ?" demanded Arthur. 
 
 " 0, Skinner came to me before he saw you and told me 
 the whole scheme. He was very enthusiastic, and felt cer- 
 tain that he had found a remedy for all the trouble. I did 
 not relish the prospect of losing a good paying case, and 
 when he asked me what I thought of it, I told him that he 
 must first obtain your consent and then I would consider 
 it. Several days passed and I had almost forgotten it, 
 when one evening I saw my client in the company of the op- 
 posing counsel, and to all appearances on the best of terms 
 with him. Aha ! thought I, so Arthur has consented, and 
 Skinner has stolen a march on me. But I kept a close 
 watch upon you two conspirators " — and Mr. Blood's eyes 
 twinkled merrily — ''until I was nearly tired out, when, to 
 my surprise, you jumped up, and as I thought prepared to 
 strike him. You might as well have done so as far as he 
 was concerned, for as I slowly approached him I could see 
 that you had spoiled liis plans and left him entirely dis- 
 heartened, so I sat down and tried to cheer him up." 
 
 "Yes, I have no doubt you helped matters," replied 
 Arthur, laughing — " very much after the pattern of Job^s 
 comforters." 
 
 "Well, he informed me that he had told vou of Mrs. 
 
FOILED. 285 
 
 Graham's full asseut having been obtained, and how you 
 seemed willing to acquiesce until the very last moment, and 
 then knocked it all to pieces by positively refusing to join 
 them." 
 
 ''He was very foolish to talk like that about Mrs. Gra- 
 ham," said Arthur, in surprise ; "but what puzzles me is 
 that she should find it necessary to have me join her." 
 
 ''She begins to fear you, Arthur," said Mr. Blood, "and 
 sees that her plans must fail if you oppose her; and now if you 
 refuse to pay her what you collect, she will weep more gen- 
 uine tears than she ever has over her husband's death. But 
 you must be constantly on your guard, for those you con- 
 sider your friends are also hers, and ready to carry news to 
 her of all you say and do. What you tell me concerning 
 her refusal to accept of those repairs does not surprise me, 
 for one day as I was riding by your store I saw two gentle- 
 men on the opposite side of the car who seemed to be greatly 
 interested in something that was taking place there, 
 and presently one of them said, 'Aha ! a new sidewalk in 
 front of Arthur Howard's ; I warrant he expects the estate 
 to pay for it. ' And now, when you tell me that Mrs. Gra- 
 ham declines to accept the bills for repairs, I feel sure that 
 it is upon the advice of these men. This is only one instance, 
 'tis true, but it should serve to make you watchful." 
 
 " I have been aware of this for some time," replied Arthur, 
 "and it is partly for the purpose of unraveling a mystery 
 in regard to my uncle Ralph's family that I intend to go to 
 them in a few days and tell them the true condition of 
 affairs, so that we may decide what is best to do." 
 
 "That is Ralph Gerald, is it not ?" inquired Mr. Blood. 
 
 "Yes, sir ; my mother's brother," replied Arthur. 
 
286 FOILED. 
 
 ''You can accomplish but little with them/' said Mr. 
 Blood, " they are prejudiced against you, and I am afraid 
 your journey will be useless. The way I know of this is, 
 that some time ago I received a letter from my sister, who 
 lives near them, and in it slie stated that your cousin Flor- 
 ence had told her that Edith was trying to rob them of 
 their share, and if she succeeded they would get nothing." 
 
 "It is an outrage," said Arthur, indignantly, "that 
 Edith should be not only subjected to the annoyance that 
 Mrs. Graham causes her, but that these relatives, for whose 
 protection we are doing all we can, should thus slander 
 her ; but when I tell them a few facts their eyes will open 
 to the truth and they will see their mistake." 
 
 "Don't be too sanguine, Arthur," said Mr. Blood, quietly, 
 "for that courts disappointment. I fear that they are 
 very far from'being worldly wise." 
 
 "What do you mean by 'worldly wise'?" queried 
 Arthur. 
 
 " 0, 1 mean that they are country folks and not acquainted 
 with city ways and the sharp practices that we who live in 
 the cities so well understand." 
 
 "Then the cities are the world ?" interposed Arthur. 
 
 "Yes, in that sense I suppose they are," said Mr. Blood, 
 with a smile. " But it is not to their discredit that they 
 should not be ever on the alert to detect fraud and dissim- 
 ulation as we who live in cities must be. In fact, I rather 
 admire the blissful ignorance of a farmer's life when I com- 
 pare it with the distrust and suspicion that we meet with in 
 our cities." 
 
 " No one would find faulfe with vour taste if he had Mrs. 
 
FOILED. 2S? 
 
 Graham in mind as a fitting representative of tliose who 
 are worldly wise," said Arthur. 
 
 "I am afraid you do not show Mrs. Graham the proper 
 amount of filial love," said Mr. Blood, with mock serious- 
 ness. 
 
 "No, I may not," said Arthur, carelessly. " But I want 
 to take issue with you on a point that yon have just ad- 
 vanced, which is, that a farmer's life is one that makes him 
 more blissfully ignorant and susceptible than his sharp and 
 all wise city brother." 
 
 "But such is the case, Arthur. I do not wish to be 
 understood as saying that they are not naturally as bright 
 and intelligent as the average person we meet in our cities, 
 but their surroundings are such that they quickly drift into 
 that condition of mind where everything seems true to them 
 as is nature in all her dealings. They are not to blame for 
 this, and I do not know that it is to their discredit ; in 
 fact, as it looks to me now, I think I rather like it." 
 
 "But I contend that this is not the case," persisted 
 Arthur. 
 
 " It has been universally conceded — until now," said Mr. 
 Blood, with a quizzical smile, as he inquiringly looked at 
 Arthur. 
 
 " But that don't prove it to be true," was the quick 
 reply. 
 
 "' No. But if you demand the proof, I can cite you thou- 
 sands of cases where these country folks come to our cities 
 and are duped and robbed by city sharpers." 
 
 "That may all be, but that is only proving that they are 
 not acquainted with us as tliieves. Come, Mr. Blood, that 
 
288 FOILED. 
 
 is no argument in favor of tlie statement that those who 
 live in cities are allwise and proof against delusions, while 
 those who do not are most easily deluded." 
 
 ''Well, take any one of the gamins that run wild in our 
 streets, and let him take a green farmer's boy in tow, and 
 how long before he would have him believing the most 
 absurd things, regardless of their truth or sense ?" 
 
 ''And that same boy," said Arthur, quickly, " could take 
 this city gamin to his home and make him believe that spar- 
 rows are hawks or that robins are birds of paradise ;, 
 but that would only prove that each was unacquainted with 
 the surroundings and life of the other. Tlie rugged 
 frontiersman could take the sharjjest financier or merchant 
 that we have, and show him more of nature than he ever 
 dreamed of knowing, and yet that merchant or finan- 
 cier could tell him more than he ever knew of stocks 
 and bonds, their rise and fall, and it would prove 
 no more than the cases you have mentioned. But 
 let that merchant or any other man say aught against his 
 friend, and he would not be believed so readily as is Mrs. 
 Graham, when among these worldly-wise men and women 
 of this great city she circulates these false and cruel state- 
 ments. 0, no, Mr. Blood, the fact that we live in city or 
 country does not make us proof against the slanderer's 
 tongue." 
 
 " But my sister writes me that your uncle's family have 
 such great faith in uncle Webster that they will listen to 
 neither reason nor argument." 
 
 " The same thing is true of Edith's aunt Hattie," replied 
 Arthur, bitterly, "and she lives in the city. But if I go all 
 
FOILED. 289 
 
 that distance to see them they certainly will not refuse to 
 hear what I have to say." 
 
 " They may not ; but don't be disappointed if they do,'* 
 was Mr. Blood's warning, as Arthur disappeared. 
 
 Tired and travel-stained, Arthur at last reached his uncle 
 Ealph's, and Mr. Blood's words instantly came to his mind 
 as his eyes detected the stealthy glances that passed between 
 the members of the household, and gave him warning that 
 his tusk would be neither pleasant nor easy of accomplish- 
 ment. But Arthur was not to be repulsed by any slight 
 difficulty, and manfully determined to overcome their 
 prejudices if it were possible. 
 
 "^We have been expecting you for several days," began 
 his cousin Florence, as she and his aunt Lucy seated them- 
 selves on the opposite side of the dingy little parlor whose 
 inhospitable portals were but seldom thrown open to wel- 
 come the visiting guest. 
 
 ''And how did you know that I was coming ?" inquired 
 Arthur. 
 
 "Mrs. Graham wrote us that — " 
 
 Her mother's warning gestiire and contracted brow 
 stopped her further reply, while an awkward silence settled 
 slowly down upon them all. 
 
 ''Where is uncle Ralph ?" inquired Arthur at last, in 
 hopes of breaking the silence. 
 
 "He has gone to the village," replied Mrs. Gerald, who 
 now assumed charge of the conversation. 
 
 "And cousin Tom, where is he ?" 
 
 "He's outside, somewhere," answered that lady, curtly. 
 
 Whether it was the damp, cold air of the room, or the icy 
 
 19 
 
290 FOILED. 
 
 coolness of his reception, Arthur could not tell, but he 
 shivered jDerceptibly and felt chilled through and through. 
 
 Mrs. Gerald noticed this, and asked : " Would you like 
 to have us build you a fire, Arthur ? " 
 
 " Suit yourselves in regard to that," replied Arthur, un- 
 certain as to the kindliness of intention that prompted the 
 sug'gcstion ; '"I shall stay but a short time." 
 
 "Florence, you might build a fire, it does seem a little 
 cool in here,'' and Mrs. G-erald drew her cnpe more closely 
 about her shoulders. 
 
 As Florence left the room, Arthur determined he would 
 make short work of his mission and be gone ; so turning to 
 Mrs. Gerald, he said : 
 
 '^I suppose y<ni know my purpose in coming ?" 
 
 *'Yes, I understood you were to be out this way visiting 
 and would probably call on us," replied Mrs. Gerald. 
 " How did you leave Edith ? " 
 
 ''I left her quite well," replied Arthur, a little taken 
 aback by the abruptness of her question. 
 
 "And how is uncle Webster ?" 
 
 "Ho is quite well, I believe." 
 
 "He must be getting quite well along in years, and I 
 feared he might not be quite as strong as formerly," said 
 Mrs. Gerald, feeling more secure now that the conversation 
 had been turned in this direction. 
 
 " He shows his age considerably," replied Arthur, earn- 
 estly, ''and is not the vigorous man you remember so 
 many years ago. He has gotten well into his second child- 
 hood and is easily influenced." 
 
 "How is Mrs. Graham ?" hastily inquired Mrs. Gerald, 
 lis Florence returned totlio room. 
 
FOILED. 291 
 
 ''She seems to be prospering," replied Arthur, "and if 
 her prosiDerity continues, uncle Ealph's family can expect 
 but very little from the estate." 
 
 ''0, 1 must attend to the dinner," said Mrs. Gerald, hasti- 
 ly rising and leaving the room. 
 
 Florence had been bending down trying to induce the 
 unruly stove to do its duty, and when her mother passed 
 from the room she asked, while her up-turned face showed 
 her anxiety : ''And do you understand these court 
 matters ? " 
 
 "Yes," rejDlied Arthur, "and I will tell you all about it 
 if I can get half a chance." 
 
 "Florence!" 
 
 And Mrs. Gerald's shrill voice sounded throvighout the 
 room. 
 
 "I want you in the kitchen," said Mrs. Gerald, who now 
 appeared at the door, while her face indicated her fear that 
 she might have been out-generaled. 
 
 " I am afraid the fire will not burn," said Florence, de- 
 murely, as she reluctantly left the room. 
 
 "Well," thought Arthur, " this is the most uncivil treat- 
 ment I ever heard of, but I will see it through ; it is no 
 gentle hint to leave, but I shall not be too sensitive." 
 
 "You must excuse us, Arthur," began Mrs. Gerald, as 
 she returned to the room, " we are doing our own work and 
 cannot spare as much time to entertain company as we wish 
 we could." 
 
 "I apjDreciate the circumstances," replied Arthur, "but 
 I will not detain you long if you will only listen to what I 
 have to say." 
 
"We have no desire to talk on that subject/^ rej)lied 
 Mrs. Gerald, decisively. 
 
 "But it is of interest to you as well as Florence," said 
 Arthur, looking appealingly at his cousin, who had again 
 returned to the room and was apparently greatly interested 
 in the progress of the fire. 
 
 "We have no interest in the matter in any way," said 
 Mrs. Gerald, firmly. 
 
 " But you are mentioned in the will," persisted Arthur. 
 
 "That makes no difference," replied Mrs. Gerald, pro- 
 voked at Arthur's persistence; "we do not feel enough 
 interest in the matter to waste our time in discussing it." 
 
 "Will you decline to take your portion ?" inquired Ar- 
 thur, pointedly. 
 
 "Whatever belongs to us we will trust to the Lord to 
 bring to us," replied Mrs, Gerald, resignedly, " but we will 
 not seek for it." 
 
 "A woman eminently suited to Mrs. Graham's purposes/' 
 thought Arthur. 
 
 " But if you knew that you would get nothing unless you 
 demanded it, what then ?" 
 
 " I have told you that we do not care to discuss it," re- 
 plied Mrs. Gerald, curtly. " We are not wholly selfish 
 and with no other thoughts than to possess that which does 
 not rightfully belong to us. We have no desire and no in- 
 terest in this matter in any way." 
 
 "But you have interest enough in the matter to wrongly 
 accuse my wife of attempting to rob you," said Arthur, in- 
 dignantly, " and you feel very bitterly toward her because 
 you think she has done this ; and after Florence has charged 
 
FOILED. 293 
 
 my wife with trying to rob yon, it is not right for you to 
 decline to hear what she has to say in defence. If you 
 would only hear me, I could tell you where you can find 
 the proof that Edith has defended your interests as well as 
 her own, and is willing to continue to do so. In fact, she 
 could not help but do this, even if she desired. I can prove 
 to you til at Mrs. Graham not only intends to rob you, as 
 she has already done, but that she made me a proposition 
 to rob you of thousands of dollars and divide with Edith. 
 Your faith in uncle Webster is sadly misplaced. He is 
 honest in purpose, and intends to do right ; but Mrs. Gra- 
 ham has him completely under her control, and he knows 
 no will but hers. If, as you say, you have no interest in 
 this matter, will you not be just to Edith, and at least be- 
 lieve that she has done you no harm, until you have some 
 better proof than Mrs. Graham's statements?" 
 
 ''We do not care to talk of the matter, ^^ replied Mrs. 
 Gerald, doggedly ; "it is not worth our while.'' 
 
 " Then I shall leave you," said Arthur, indignant at 
 the treatment he had received ; " and in after years, if you 
 find that you get little or nothing in place of the 
 thousands that are Justly yours, do not censure Edith, for 
 she has been watchful of your interests, and her kindest 
 endeavors you meet by sullen silence. Your apparent in- 
 difference does not deceive me, for your anger at Edith for 
 what you believe she has done shows only too plainly that 
 you are not only interested, but anxious to obtain all that 
 is yours. You are blinded by prejudice now ; but some 
 day your eyes may be opened, not only to the injustice of 
 your charges against my wife, but to the terrible mistake 
 you are now making." 
 
294 FOILED, 
 
 Arthur was inclined to take his defeat philosophically, 
 though lie felt his disap]3ointment keenly ; and as he 
 traveled homeward, his thoughts often returned to his queer 
 experience. 
 
 "Mr. Blood spoke truly when he said that they were 
 prejudiced against us and would not listen to reason,^' 
 thought Arthur. ''I know it now, but I could hardly 
 have believed the density of their ignorance without hav- 
 ing had this experience. The time must come when they 
 vfill see that we desired to help them, and save them 
 from being robbed by Mrs. Graham, but they are far too 
 stubborn to ever admit its truth." 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 "HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A WOilAN SCORNED." 
 
 On his arrival home, Arthur had but little to say of his 
 visit to his uncle Ralph's ; and after recounting the main 
 points of interest, he dropped the subject and tried to blot 
 it from his memory. 
 
 Mrs. Graham had evidently kej^t a close watch upon his 
 movements, for only a short time after his return he re- 
 ceived word from her that she wished him to call, as she 
 desired to talk with him. 
 
 " I may as well go at one time as another,"' thought Ar- 
 thur ; and so, soon after receiving her note, he was ushered 
 into her residence, where, seating himself, he awaited her 
 appearance. 
 
 " Well, Arthur, I trust you had a pleasant and profita- 
 ble journey," said Mrs. Graham, pleasantly, as she entered 
 the room where he was sitting. 
 
 "Pleasant and profitable, I may say, in all respects ex- 
 cept where your handiwork showed itself too prominently," 
 replied Arthur, looking fixedly at her. 
 
 "You see," continued Mrs. Graham, exultingly, "I 
 heard something of your visit before I had the pleasure of 
 seeing you." 
 
 295 
 
296 FOILED. 
 
 "I am not at all surprised at that," gravely replied 
 Arthnr. 
 
 ''Then I judge we begin to understand each other," said 
 Mrs. Graham, carefully watching the expression of his 
 face. 
 
 "For myself, yes," replied Arthur, calmly meeting her 
 searching eyes ; " how is it on your part ? " 
 
 ''At times I think I fully understand you,"' said Mrs. 
 Graham, almost mournfully, " I know your every motive 
 and desire ; and then again, Arthur, you puzzle me ex- 
 ceedingly." 
 
 "And in what way do I puzzle you ?" inquired Arthur, 
 a little surprised at her concession 
 
 " In not always following the line of action that pays you 
 best, and is also the easiest," rej^lied Mrs. Graham, slowly, 
 and with low, musical intonations. " Tliere was a time 
 when I counted you as one of my most trusted friends ; 
 when I would have risked my all for your safety and pro- 
 tection. Those were pleasant days to me, Arthur, and the 
 memory of them is not unpleasant even now ; but betvreen 
 those memories and our feelings now, a dark chasm 
 seems to open, in which I see the mangled and distorted 
 forms of all that makes life enjoyable and friendship last- 
 ing ; and when I look into its horrible depths my eyes seem 
 to deceive me, and I struggle to arouse myself as if from 
 some horrible dream. But no ! the realization that it is 
 only too true is more horrible than the dream itself. I 
 have tried to find the secret by which this change has taken 
 place, only to be more and more perplexed by probing for it. 
 'J' could easily believe that it is I that have changed, were it 
 
FOILED. 297 
 
 not tluit I find I cannot willingly lose your friendship 
 without an effort to restore it and renew the pleasant times 
 once more. And, Arthur, if by any act of mine I have 
 caused this change in your feelings toward me, you should 
 prove your friendshij) by believing me when I say that I 
 have always desired to be your friend, and only when you 
 have made me desperate have I consented to try to force 
 you to again be friendly. You do not need me to tell you 
 that if you had remained so it would have been easier for 
 you, and in many ways you would have been better off. And 
 it is with the certainty in my mind that you recognize this, 
 and see your friends and relatives leaving you, that you 
 have even felt the necessity of leaving your church because 
 it became unbearable to you, that you have had to bear 
 the expense of all this litigation, that you even risk the loss 
 of everything worth keeping, when you might, if so dis- 
 i:)Osed, exchange all this for happiness, wealth and friends — 
 this is what surjirises me. It cannot be explained by 
 stubbornness ; for even that Avould yield to a pressure so 
 great as this. Can you explain why you persist in this 
 course ? for I admit that I was never so mistaken in a per- 
 son in all my life as I have been in you." 
 
 '''If you thought, Mrs. Graham, as I believe you have, 
 that I had implicit confidence in you and was ready and 
 willing to follow your commands, I am not surprised to 
 hear you say that now you find yourself mistaken. There 
 was a time when this might have been — when I was com- 
 pletely in your power, ready to wear the harness that sat so 
 lightly and pleasantly upon me that I did not realize its 
 presence ; but t4iat letter you wrote me concerning the 
 
298 FOILED 
 
 trouble between Bertha and I, tanglit me a lesson, and 
 I have learned much — aye, too much, since then." 
 
 " Did Mr. Graham know of that letter ?" inquired Mrs. 
 Graham, anxiously. 
 
 " Yes, he knew its full contents," replied Arthur, quietly. 
 " I handed it to him to read, and never more regretted an 
 act than I did that; for when I saw what the tiue condi- 
 tion was, I wished that my eyes could have been opened to 
 your true character in some other way." 
 
 " It was a very foolish proceeding," said Mrs. Graham, 
 flushing slightly; 'Mjut, Arthur, that is past and gone. 
 My question, why you still persist in disregarding your 
 own interests, remains unanswered." 
 
 "It is very easily explained," replied Arthur. "I be- 
 lieve that I am in the right." 
 
 ''Eight or wrong has nothing to do with it, Arthur," 
 said Mrs. Graham, hastily. ''You are losing everything 
 you have and everything you can hope for, and right or 
 wrong make but ajDoor showing against such a loss." 
 
 "You will please allow me the right to choose," said 
 Arthur, quietly. 
 
 "Certainly," replied Mrs. Graham, graciously. "But I 
 desired to be sure that you fully understood the situation, 
 and if possible that we might agree and both be benefited 
 thereby." 
 
 " On that subject I supposed I had given your lawyer a 
 sufficiently positive answer," rejDlied Arthur, curtly, aggra- 
 vated that this subject should again be brought to his 
 attention. 
 
 " Yes, but that was before these relatives had treated 
 
FOILED, 399 
 
 yon so cavalierly/' persisted Mrs. Graham. "You then 
 believed them to be your friends ; now you know where 
 they stand. They have insulted you and S2)urned your 
 kindest offers. You have done your duty, and if they 
 choose to act in this way you certainly have no reason to 
 feel that you should further protect them." 
 
 ''When I denounced this scheme as one of robbery," 
 said Arthur, with flashing eyes, ''I did so because it was 
 nothing else ; and though these relatives whom I sought to 
 protect, insulted me and spurned my offers, that does not 
 change the fact. I believed it then, and I believe it now. 
 I trust, Mrs. Graham, that I have made myself so thoroughly 
 understood that you will never dare to mention this subject 
 to me again ; if so, let us change the subject. Why did 
 yon send for me ?" 
 
 ''I confess I cannot understand you," said Mrs. Gra- 
 ham, resignedly, as she realized that she had made no im- 
 pression upon Arthur. 
 
 "Is that all you desired to say to me ?" inquired Arthur, 
 provoked at her persistence. 
 
 "No," said Mrs. Graham, slowly, as if she found it hard 
 to take her mind from off the more important subject. 
 "No, I sent for you to tell you that after consulting with 
 Mr. Skinner, we have decided that for this time we will 
 accept the bills for repairs instead of the money, but in fu- 
 ture we shall decline to do so." 
 
 "As I understand you, then," said Arthur, slowly, "you 
 have decided to recede from your former position, and will 
 now accept the bills for repairs." 
 
 " Yes, that is the decision," replied Mrs, Graham, a little 
 
300 FOILED. 
 
 nettled at Arthur's way of putting it, '' but for this time 
 only. " 
 
 "Well," said Arthur, with evident satisfaction, ^'^upon 
 a consultation with my attorney, we have decided to pay 
 you neither bills nor money from this time forth." 
 
 ''Do you mean to say that you decline to pay me the 
 money you have collected ? " demanded Mrs. Graham, her 
 face flushed with passion. 
 
 " Well, you see," rej^lied Arthur, apparently unconcerned, 
 '* when you go fishing for legal opinions you can never tell 
 just what you will catch. I asked my attorney how I could 
 force you to take the bills as well as the money, and his re- 
 ply was that I had no business to give you either, and that 
 I must do so no longer. And the queerest part of it is, 
 that I would never have known the law was so strange were 
 it not for your bringing up the question ; but now that I have 
 found it to be so, it suits me exactly, and I trust that it suits 
 you." And as he waited for her reply, a smile played about 
 his countenance that showed that he felt that for once, at 
 least, he was the victor. 
 
 "I am sorry that you have arrived at this decision, Ar- 
 thur, " said Mrs. Graham, as she leaned back in her chair 
 and nnri'owly surveyed him. ''It is certain to cause you 
 trouble', though of the outcome I have no doubt." 
 
 "And do you intend to oppose the law ?" inquired Ar- 
 thur, in mock alarm. *'It is not I that you would be 
 figliting, but the law." 
 
 "I cannot say, now," replied Mrs. Graham, cautiously; 
 "I must see Mr. Skinner before I decide." 
 
 "I suppose that I will hear what your decision is?" 
 said Arthur, inquiringly, as he arose to take his leave. 
 
FOILED. 301 
 
 " Yes/^ replied Mrs. Graham, decisively, "you will hear 
 from me in due time." 
 
 Mrs. Graham's face plainly showed her perplexity as she 
 hastily entered Mr. Skinner's office and inquired : 
 
 "What course should I pursue, Mr. Skinner, if Arthur 
 should fail to pay this money he has collected ?" 
 
 "■ 0, 1 think a pretty sharp demand from me would bring 
 him to time," replied Mr, Skinner, carelessly. 
 
 " "Well, then, I want you to demand it from him at once, 
 and in terms that he cannot misunderstand," said Mrs. 
 Graham. 
 
 " Is he behind in his payments ?" 
 
 " Yes, not only that, but he refuses to pay at all." 
 
 "What is that?" said Mr. Skinner, turning quickly 
 toward her. 
 
 " I say that he has not paid me a dollar of all the money 
 lie has collected since he received this power of attorney, as 
 you call it, and now repudiates my claim to it," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, excitedly. 
 
 " That is a different matter entirely," said Mr. Skin- 
 ner, thoughtfully. "If he knows his rights we must deal 
 differently with him. Let me see. You say he said you 
 had no right to receive these rents, what else did he say ?" 
 
 " He said he asked Mr. Blood how he could force me to 
 take the bills as well as the money, who replied that he 
 should never have paid me either one, and to do so no 
 longer. " 
 
 "This is bad business," said Mr. Skinner thoughtfully, 
 "very bad." 
 
 " I regret that we gave him the power of attorney," said 
 
303 FOILED. 
 
 Mrs. Graliam, sadly; "it has been the cause of all this 
 trouble." 
 
 '' Not entirely," replied Mr. Skinner, thoughtfully, ''for 
 if you had not been so anxious to have Arthur bow down 
 and acknowledge your power, he would not have found it 
 necessary to seek advice from Mr. Blood. That was the 
 main cause of the trouble ; and it is not , good policy to 
 place the error where it does not rightfully belong ; it is 
 apt to lead to a wrong decision in trying to overcome the 
 difficulty." 
 
 " But if I had collected these rents myself, and not given 
 him this power of attorney, this question could never have 
 arisen," persisted Mrs. Graham. 
 
 "Yes, but that is no more an explanation of its cause 
 than to say that if the child had never been born the man 
 could never have committed murder ; and though it is nec- 
 essary that the murderer should be born before he can 
 commit murder, it does not follow that this was the cause 
 why the murder was committed," replied Mr. Skinner, with 
 a malicious smile. 
 
 " I am not in the mood to discuss fine points of law, 
 or listen to plausible theories on abstract conditions of mat- 
 ter, " replied Mrs. Graham, angrily. ' ' What I want is that 
 you shall force Arthur to pay this money, and that, too, 
 at once." 
 
 " I was only getting even with you for the remark you 
 made recently that there were some women who would put 
 us lawyers to the blush," replied Mr. Skinner with evident 
 satisfaction. " But now, in regard to forcing Arthur to pay 
 you this money, I have my doubts if we can do it." 
 
FOILED. 303 
 
 " But you said a moment ago tliat all 3'ou had to do was 
 to demand it and he would pay it at once," said Mrs. 
 Graham, with a sneer. 
 
 ''Yes, Mrs. Graham, but I did not know then that he 
 knew his rights." 
 
 "What rights ?" demanded Mrs. Graham. "You seem 
 to forget that I am the executrix of this estate and lie is 
 not." 
 
 " Yes,'" replied Mr. Skinner, " tliat is all very true; but 
 the daughter has a right to her share of the rents and you 
 cannot deprive her of it. I was afraid this might be the 
 result when you told mo of your refusal to accept the bills 
 for repairs, and it has lost us more than you can easily re- 
 alize, and all because of your insane desire to have Arthur 
 acknowledge your power. He has defeated you at your 
 own game, and that, too, on the ground of your own choos- 
 ing. Do you realize the extent of your loss ; do you see 
 that he no longer need fear your demands for rent ; that he 
 has now the very sinews of war that we desired to keep 
 from him ?" 
 
 Mrs. Graham's first imimlse was to resent this severe cas- 
 tigation that Mr. Skinner gave her with so prodigal a hand, 
 but a sense of her dependence upon him made her cautious 
 in her reply. She could not afford to quarrel with him, 
 and yet the humiliating position in which she was placed 
 was keenly felt by her, as she replied : 
 
 " But he will have to account for all he has collected in 
 the final settlement, will he not ? " 
 
 " Yes," said Mr, Skinner, with a sneer, " but that is 
 poor consolation now ; you will have to do the same ; but 
 
304 FOILED. 
 
 if he could get no part of it until that time, it would be a 
 very different matter." 
 
 '^ This is only idle talk," said Mrs. Graham, petulantly. 
 " I came for advice as to what to do, and not to have you 
 read me a homily upon my indiscretions." 
 
 "We have only one hope," replied Mr. Skinner, "and 
 that one gives but little promise of success." 
 
 " And what is that ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, eagerly. 
 
 "That is to have Webster Graham send Arthur a very 
 carefully written letter, and request him to pay this money. 
 By so doing we may induce him to pay it rather than have 
 trouble. It will not do to threaten him outright ; but a 
 little care in writing the letter will convey the intelligence, 
 and if he is not fully informed of the strength of his posi- 
 tion, he may give in. You had better write the letter 
 yourself, and send it to Mr. Graham, so that he can copy 
 it and send it to Arthur. This is the only chance we have, 
 and it must be handled delicately ; but you understand 
 that as well as I. And if it is handled properly, we may 
 regain the advantage that your foolish actions have lost 
 us." 
 
 " I shall write to Webster at once," replied Mrs. Graham, 
 rising to leave. 
 
 " Have you spoken to Arthur of that other matter ?" 
 inquired Mr. Skinner. 
 
 "Yes, but he has not decided to accept it yet," replied 
 Mrs. Graham, edging her way uncomfortably toward the 
 door. 
 
 " He has not declined, has he ?" inquired Mr. Skinner, 
 determined to know the truth. 
 
FOILED. 305 
 
 " Why do you ask ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, curtly. 
 
 " Because you promised to tell me how you succeeded." 
 
 " But I did not promise to toll you beforehand, did I ?" 
 inquired Mrs. Graham, with a quizzical look at her ques- 
 tioner. 
 
 "'No, that is true." 
 
 " Well, I shall let you know the very moment he accepts," 
 said Mrs. Graham, with a slight tinge of sarcasm in her 
 voice, " so that your suspense may be ended." 
 
 " If he thinks I am going to give him another opportu- 
 nity to scourge me, he is mistaken," said Mrs. Graham, 
 half aloud, as she made her way home. '^I have to sink 
 all sense of self-respect as it is, and yet I cannot do without 
 him. The idea of Stewart Graham's widow being brow- 
 beaten and insulted in this manner by her own attorney !" 
 and Mrs. Graham's cup seemed filled with wormwood and 
 gall, as she ground her teeth with impotent rage. ^'And 
 Arthur, he for whom I have done so much, and to whom I 
 have been so kind, is now, no doubt, exulting over his vic- 
 tory. If I had him liere I could strangle him !" And her 
 clenched hands and rigid muscles gave but a slight indica- 
 tion of her horrible thoughts. Could one have removed 
 the heavy veil that covered her face from the world, they 
 would, no doubt, have been horrified by the picture of in- 
 human fiendishness there portrayed. But Arthur wl3 
 beyond her grasp, and her dependence upon Mr. Skinner 
 made it impossible for her to wreak her vengence upnn him; 
 and so, like a human tigress, she mechanically moved along 
 the streets of that great city, unconsciously following the 
 path to her home. Tears would have been a relief, but 
 
 20 
 
306 FOILED. 
 
 they refused their consolation. Her feelings were too in- 
 tense, her hatred too all absorbing, to give place to tears. 
 Could she but vent her feelings upon some object of her 
 hatred, she would more easily have controlled them. But 
 no, there was no one near. And without seeming to feel 
 the exertion, she at last accomplished the task of walking 
 to her home. As she entered, Bertha noticed her fearful 
 paleness, which, with the intense fire that gleamed in her 
 «yes, made her fearful that Mrs. Graham was seriously ill. 
 
 " Why, Mrs. Graham, what is the matter T' anxiously 
 inquired Bertha, as she caught a sight of her face. " Are 
 you ill ?" 
 
 ''Stop your idiotic chattering!" said Mrs. Graham, as 
 her features moved mechanically. 
 
 "^ Can^t I help you in some way?" inquired Bertha, 
 alarmed at her condition. 
 
 *'Xo, get out of the room — leave me — your presence is 
 hateful to my sight !" 
 
 Bertha stood irresolute a moment, but the sight of her 
 old friend's condition fixed her resolve, and she step})ed for- 
 ward, saying, " Let me help you remove your wrappings, 
 Mrs. Graham." 
 
 Bertha's touch- upon her arm was the spark that was 
 needed to rouse her to action, and violently flinging her off, 
 Mrs. Graham sprang at one bound into the center of the 
 room, her flushed face ■ and flashing eyes unmistakal)ly 
 showing her fury. 
 
 " Keep your hands off of me !" said Mrs. Graham, 
 fiercely — " don't you dare to touch me again ! I will be 
 minded in my own house, even though I am scorned and 
 
FOILED. 307 
 
 insulted by the world ! I am mistress here, and you shall 
 obey me !" 
 
 " But, Mrs. Graham, I am your friend," replied Bertha, 
 appalled at the sight. " I only desire to aid you. I am 
 afraid to leave you, for I fear that you will lose your 
 mind." 
 
 " Friend ! — yes, a most valuable friend !" sneered Mrs. 
 Graham, with bitter emphasis. " You come here and live 
 on my charity for years — a most valuable friend indeed \" 
 and she laughed a low, unearthly laugh, that made Bertha 
 tremble. " Begone, you beggar ! I am done with you. I 
 have no farther use for you or your simpering ways. The 
 very sight of you is loathsome to me. Do you hear me ? — 
 Begone !" 
 
 '•But, Mrs. Graham, where can I go ?" said Bertha, in 
 despair. 
 
 " I do not know or care !" said Mrs. Graham, fiercely. 
 " Get out of my house, and never enter it again !'' 
 
CHAPTEK XXL 
 
 WHAT IS THE LAW GOOD FOR ? 
 
 When Arthur left Mrs. Graham he was impressed with the 
 certainty that she would not long remain inactive; and to 
 him, as the days passed, her long silence seemed portentious 
 of evil. But while he was yet in doubt as to what her next 
 move would be, he was favored with a very long letter from 
 Webster, in which he was politely requested to see Mrs. 
 Graham and pay her the money he had collected. 
 
 " Aha !" thought Arthur, '' I guess they see the point, 
 and begin to realize that the law protects Edith, to a slight 
 extent, at least. I will answer the letter, however, and 
 give the old gentleman an intimation of how I regard his 
 actions in this matter." And sitting down, Arthur wrote ; 
 "Dear Uncle Webster: 
 
 '' I have just received your letter requesting me to pay 
 Mrs. Graham the money I have collected, and in reply I 
 must say that for several reasons I cannot comjily with 
 your request. My wife, though seemmgly ignored in all 
 your calculations, is entitled to a portion of her father's 
 estate. Her lawyer says she is entitled to a proportionate 
 part of all the rents from the property, and advises her to 
 demand her share. Acting upon this advice, I have turned 
 over to her all that I have collected, and therefore I have 
 no money for which I should account to Mrs. Graham ; 
 
 308 
 
FOILED. 309 
 
 and even if I had, I seriously doubt the propriety of Mrs. 
 Graham receiving all of this money, for I have twice been 
 solicited to join with her in a scheme by which not only 
 yourself but all the other relatives were to be robbed of by 
 far the largest part of their share in the estate. This would 
 of itself make me certain of her dishonesty, even though 
 she had not already taken the amount of the widow's award 
 in excess of what rightfully belongs to her. 
 
 " Now, I write this with a full understanding that this at- 
 tempted robbery is too vile in its character for you to be- 
 lieve her capable of considering, much less urging upon 
 me ; and yet, if you will give me the opportunity, I will 
 prove its truth beyond a question by Mr. Blood, to whom 
 Mr. Skinner uufolded the scheme, never doubting for a 
 moment that I would not accept. Now, I ask you, in all 
 earnestness, if it is not your duty to investigate this matter, 
 in order that you may the more thoroughly guard the in- 
 terests of yourself, as well as those whom you were expected 
 to protect. 
 
 '•'In making this charge, I fully realize the feeling of 
 disgust that takes hold upon a man when a woman is thus 
 spoken of. I take this responsibility and risk of being 
 misunderstood, and hurl these charges at you in the hope 
 that their very hideousness may so far awaken you to a 
 proper sense of your duty as to make you investigate them; 
 and if I fail to prove their truth, then give this letter to 
 the world as my just punishment. Can I say more ? Can 
 I do more to awaken you from this deathlike stupor into 
 which your perfect confidence in Mrs. Graham's integrity 
 has placed you ? Will you not hold out a helping hand to 
 those to whom your brother left you as guardian and jiro- 
 tector, or will you still maintain this stolid indifference to 
 your duty and continue to support and aid this woman ? 
 Your answer will be awaited with much anxiety by, 
 " Yours sincerely, 
 
 "Arthur Howard." 
 
310 FOILED. 
 
 As might have been expected, Arthur, a few days after- 
 ward, received this characteristic letter, addressed to — 
 *•' My Dear Nephew : 
 
 " I have only to say that you have been unfortunate in 
 seeing things in a wrong light, and as far as personalities 
 relating to others are concerned, I have nothing to say. 
 Some of your charges are so glaringly inconsistent as to be 
 unworthy of the attention of any sane man, and if your 
 aim was to prejudice me against the person you so greatly 
 malign, I can only say that you have most signally failed. 
 When a man lets his temper get the upper hand of him, I 
 always pity him. I am not disposed to enter into any angry 
 discussion of points which we do not see alike. Your sus- 
 picions are of too low a character for me to indulge in, and 
 asking that you will please excuse the plainness of this let- 
 ter, I remain, 
 
 " Your very bad 
 
 " Uncle Webster." 
 
 *' Well, that settles one more hope," thought Arthur, as 
 he finished reading the letter. " I wonder what this lump 
 of goodly imbecility would call the thing itself, if the sus- 
 picions are of too low a character. He sits in his farmhouse, 
 the wickedest thing around him being the robin who steals 
 his cherries, and descants upon the high and low character 
 of suspicions, while, in fact, he has as little knowledge of 
 the material of which the successful imitation of a society 
 lady is made, as old dog Tray had of city politics. I can 
 plainly see that there is no hope for help from him, for 
 Mrs. Graham holds undisputed possession." 
 
 '^I should like to know what the law is good for, Mr. 
 Blood, if it allows Mrs. Graham to steal from the estate 
 with perfect impunity, and then charge Edith with doing 
 it all ?" 
 
FOILED. 311 
 
 Arthur had entered Mr. Blood's office, and with a thought- 
 ful and worried expression on his face taken a seat close 
 by the attorney, who always seemed ready to lay aside liis 
 work that he might be entertained by Arthur's ardent words 
 and vehement denunciation of Mrs. Graham's course. To 
 him it was rest and recreation ; and though he often laughed 
 at the crudity and unshapeliness of his ideas, he enjoyed 
 the moments spent in conversation with him ; and as 
 Arthur continued, he sat watching him with a -quizzical, 
 good-natured smile, that plainly showed his enjoyment of 
 the scene. 
 
 "The law is wrong somewhere, Mr. Blood," said Arthur, 
 earnestly ; for you know as well as I that she is not entitled 
 to this award, and yet you tell me, and every one else that 
 I have talked to says, that we cannot prevent this robbery. 
 Why is it ?" 
 
 "You are an impulsive fellow and no mistake," said 
 Mr. Blood, admiringly; "but with all your energy and 
 pluck you have no hope of defeating Mrs. G-raham in 
 her attempt to take her award. The law gives it to her, 
 and you cannot help yourself. It would please me to be 
 able to tell you differently, but as this is the case, I cannot.-" 
 
 "Bat father Graham's will says she must take what he 
 gives her in place of all these claims ; how, then, can she 
 take what he expressly says she shall not ?" inquired Arthur, 
 bitterly, 
 
 " If she respected his wishes, Arthur, she would not desire 
 to take this award ; but you are not dealing with that kind 
 of a woman. 0, no, she loves money far too well for that." 
 
 " But does the law have no power where she decides tD 
 
313 FOILED. 
 
 take more than is hers ?" inquired Arthur, in amazement. 
 
 ''None whatever/' replied Mr. Blood, positively. " The 
 plain words of the statute are, that whether a man dies with 
 or without a will, his widow shall have her award. This 
 is one of the oldest of our statutes, and comes down unal- 
 tered from the old English laws, which are really the foun- 
 dation of our own; and this word ' shall ' admits of no 
 misunderstanding, and is mandatory — there is no getting 
 around it. Now, I tell you this with the hope that you 
 will fully realize the uselessness of spending more time and 
 thought upon this matter; and while no one feels more 
 keenly than 1 the injustice that it has wrought, I must 
 advise you to give up all hope of changing it, or preventing 
 Mrs. Graham from taking this award." 
 
 "But what is the use of making a will ?" persisted Arthur. 
 
 " Well, this is one of the i^eculiarities of the law/' replied 
 Mr. Blood, smiling at Arthur's perplexity. "But come, 
 now, Arthur, it is of no use to worry over it ; you may as 
 well give it up now as later; for you can do nothing to 
 prevent this robbery. 
 
 "It seems strange," said Arthur, musingly, "very 
 strange ; for here is a clear case of theft, and yet there 
 is no law to prevent it, while you tell me that the 
 law sanctions it. Mr. Blood, I have always been 
 taught to respect the law ; I have been taught that tlie law 
 l^rotected the honest citizen and punished injustice and 
 crime ; that while in some cases the jjenalty seemed too 
 severe, it was for the common good, so that all might be 
 forced to obey its commands. Now this beautiful theory 
 comes tumbling about my head like a house of cards, when 
 
FOILED. 313 
 
 you tell me that it not only allows this woman to commit 
 this robbery but aids and supports her in so doing, while 
 the woman or child who steals to keei^ from starving is 
 crushed under the weight of its condemnation. I demand 
 of you why this is. We both know that the charge has 
 often been made that lawyers connive at wrongs in order 
 that they may the more readily fill their pockets with ill- 
 gotten gold, and I ask you if here is not a case that gives 
 the people good reason for believing such statements to 
 be true ?" 
 
 "I can only say,'' replied Mr. Blood, 'niiat I am not 
 responsible for the laws." 
 
 "If you are not, your brother lawyers are," replied 
 Arthur, quickly; "for no calling has a greater number 
 represented in our legislatures, and to their opinions of 
 new laws and to their decisions all others give a ready 
 assent. " 
 
 " But I was only sj)eakingof myself," replied Mr. Blood, 
 with an amused smile ; "and so far as I know, it has been 
 the custom for years, and is the regular order of the court, 
 to set aside an award for the widow whenever she asks for 
 it, and this, too, regardless of the will." 
 
 "And does the court then jDroceed to carry out the other 
 provisions of the will ?" inquired Arthur. 
 
 " 0, certainly ; just the same as if the widow had made 
 no claims for her award." 
 
 " But if the court goes this far," said Arthur, bitterly, 
 "why should it hesitate about giving the widow dower 
 and liomestead, and then, if there is anything left, give 
 her what the will provides for her? " 
 
314 FOILED. 
 
 " 0, that is only done when the widow decides that she 
 will not abide by the will," quickly replied Mr. Blood. 
 
 "And how do you know but what Mrs. Graham has de- 
 cided that she will not abide by the other provisions of the 
 will ?" inquired Arthur, earnestly. " Suppose she decides 
 she will take her dower, what then ?" 
 
 ''0, she cannot do that now," replied Mr. Blood, "for 
 more than a year has passed since the will was probated, 
 and she must renounce the will within a year or else abide 
 by its provisions." 
 
 "Well, I should say she had renounced the will ; what 
 more could she do ?" persisted Arthur. 
 
 " You would not make a bad lawyer yourself, Arthur," 
 said Mr. Blood, laughing. " You would be strong on 
 the cross-questioning, though I fear your arguments would 
 not stand. ^' 
 
 " But that does not answer my question," replied Arthur, 
 determined to fully understand the matter. " What I 
 want to know is, if Mrs. Graham has not renounced the 
 will by taking this award ?" 
 
 " 0, no, my dear fellow, not at all," quickly rej)lied Mr. 
 Blood. "The law requires that her renunciation shall be 
 in writing, and filed within one year, or not at all." 
 
 " And what would have happened if she had made a 
 written renunciation of the will ?" inquired Arthur. 
 
 " In that case the court would give her an award, and, 
 during her life, give her a dower right to one-third of the 
 property, after which it would revert to Edith; or, in jDlace 
 of this life interest in one-third of the property, wc could 
 have its value appraised and ]iaid to her in money." 
 
FOILED. 315 
 
 '' And what would be the amount she would receive un- 
 der these circumstances ?" inquired Arthur. 
 
 '' I cannot say, exactly,"' replied Mr. Blood, thoughtfully, 
 "but I think it would be only about a fourth of what the 
 will gives her." 
 
 "If that is so, you do not believe she ever intended to 
 renounce the will, do you ?" 
 
 " Not if she is well informed in regard to her position, 
 and I judge she is," replied Mr. Blood, confidently. 
 
 " But do you not think that she intended to take all the 
 law gives her," inquired Arthur, "and then take all that 
 the will gives her besides ?" 
 
 " I have no doubt of it." 
 
 " And you think that the law is with her in doing so ?" 
 questioned Arthur. 
 
 " Yes," replied Mr. Blood, "to the extend of her award, 
 I do." 
 
 " "Well, I don't," said Arthur, positively. " A moment 
 ago you said that my arguments were not good ; now I am 
 going to give you the law as it appears to me, and it may 
 help you to see things as I do." 
 
 " Well, take the floor and make your speech," said Mr. 
 Blood, as with a laugh, he threw his feet upon his desk and 
 leaned back in his chair. " I am resigned to my fate." 
 
 "This positive giving of this award to the widow," be- 
 gan Arthur, his thoughts all concentrated on the one theme, 
 "is, to my mind, applicable only to those cases where the 
 will does not provide for or give an equivalent." 
 
 " 0, but that is not law," interrupted Mr. Blood. 
 
 " I am not talking law," retorted Arthur, " I am talk- 
 ing common sense." 
 
31G FOILED. 
 
 " Well, that's foreign to the subject/' smilingly replied 
 Mr. Blood ; " but go ahead." 
 
 ^' Where there is no will/" continued Arthur, " we both 
 agree that the widow should have her award. In cases 
 where there is a will, she is still entitled to her award if she 
 desires it, but when she takes her award she must give up 
 the will ; for I will not believe that the law intends or 
 countenances such an outrage as allowing a widow to choose 
 all that is good under the law and then allow her to take all 
 that is good under the will. The law protects her against 
 an unjust will, but she must decide between the two; and, 
 having decided, she can take only what the law gives her, 
 and nothing by the will, or what the will gives her^, and 
 nothing by the law ; but she cannot take both ways." 
 
 Mr. Blood's feet had dropped from his desk, and he 
 had stealthily crept forward, as if fearful that he might not 
 hear every word, until his face was directly under Arthur's, 
 as he stood calmly but earnestly expressing the conclusions 
 of months of hard and aggravating thought upon this all- 
 absorbing subject. 
 
 '^Say that again, Arthur," said Mr. Blood, quickly — 
 '' say it again ; you may be right. " 
 
 " She must decide between the two," replied Arthur, al- 
 most fiercely ; " and having decided which one she will 
 accept, she can take only what it gives." 
 
 When Arthur ceased speaking, Mr. Blood leaned back in 
 bis chair, his eyes downcast — busy with his thoughts. 
 
 Arthur too much feared a hasty decision to be anxious 
 for a quick reply, and quietly waited as the old lawyer 
 wrestled with the knotty problem. At last Mr. Blood 
 
FOILED. 317 
 
 aroused himself, and said : " There may be more in what 
 you have said, Axtimr, than you imagine ; but leave me to 
 think it over, and I will tell you my decision/' 
 
 Arthur was much surprised when he returned to his 
 store to find Mr. Skinner awaiting his arrival, 
 
 '' I came," said Mr. Skinner, with great apparent friendli- 
 ness, " to see if I could not induce you to change your pur- 
 pose in regard to your refusal to pay Mrs. Graham this 
 money, for it will cause all of us much unnecessary worry 
 and expense if we cannot come to some just understanding 
 in the matter." 
 
 ''And what do you expect me to do ?" curtly inquired 
 Arthur. 
 
 " Well, if you would pay this money to Mrs. Graham, 
 that is about all that we could ask," replied Mr. Skinner, 
 hesitatingly. 
 
 "And why should I give Edith's money to Mrs. Graham? " 
 inquired Arthur. 
 
 " So that she can pay the expenses of the estate," confi- 
 dently replied Mr. Skinner. 
 
 " I will see that they are paid on this part of the prop- 
 erty," replied Arthur, decisively, ''and Mrs. Graham can 
 pay the other portion." 
 
 " But she does not get enough to pay all the expenses, 
 Arthur, and she must have this." 
 
 " She gets more than enough to pay all legitimate ex- 
 penses," replied Arthur, firmly, " and if she desires to hire 
 lawyers to help her steal, she can pay for their services as 
 best she can, but Edith will not give her money for any such 
 dishonorable purpose." 
 
318 FOILED. 
 
 " You spcuk of this money as if it already belonged to 
 your wife/' said Mr. Skinner, carefully feeling his way. 
 
 "And if you are anything of a lawyer, you know that 
 such is the case," quickly replied Arthur. 
 
 " Yes, in one sense, it does," replied Mr. Skinner ; "but 
 Mrs. Gruliam is responsible for it, and she should receive 
 it, and in the final settlement she Avill give it to your wife." 
 
 " No, thank you, Mr. Skinner, we have got our hands 
 upon it now and feel sure of that much, at least ; and I 
 hardly need tell you that we have not the most implicit 
 faith in the honesty of either Mrs. Graham or her attor- 
 ney," and Arthur turned upon his heel and was about to 
 leave him, when Mr. Skinner placed his hand ujDon his arm, 
 and detaining him, said : 
 
 " Would you be pleased to see this estate remain un- 
 settled for years, and Edith kept from enjoying her share 
 of it?" 
 
 " No, I would not," replied Arthur, positively. 
 
 "Well, that is just what will happen if you do not pay 
 her this money," said Mr. Skinner, impressively. 
 
 "Not with my consent," said Arthur, determinedly. 
 
 " You can't help yourself, for Mrs. Graham has it in her 
 power to do this, and assures me that she will unless you 
 turn over this money at once." 
 
 " I shall do all that I can to prevent it, and if I can- 
 not, then we will abide the consequences," said Arthur, 
 firmly. 
 
 "You are very unwise," replied Mr. Skinner, "for you 
 compel Mrs. Graham to resort to very severe measures ; and 
 if she once determines to injure you, she is in a position to 
 make you feel it." 
 
FOILED. 319 
 
 " Yon can tell Mrs. Graham that for once, at least, she has 
 encountered a will as strong and firm as her own, and that 
 her threats do not alarm nor her friendship flatter m-e," re- 
 plied Arthur, as he coolly turned and left the attorney. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THEN YOU MUST TAKE THE CONSEQUENCES. 
 
 " The line of thought that your words started," began 
 Mr. Blood, as Arthur seated himself in his office, " has 
 led me to see very clearly that Mrs. Graham has made a 
 terrible mistake in claiming this award, and I would advise 
 you to file a bill demanding the division of this estate, 
 and setting forth the facts of her taking this award, and 
 that she has taken it in opposition to the expressed desire 
 of her husband, and therefore, as she has broken her hus- 
 band's will, she is only entitled to her dower and can take 
 only what the law gives her ; that, as she has no interest in 
 the will, she must now no longer obstruct the partition of 
 the estate. This will result in a serious loss to her, or I 
 am greatly mistaken.''' 
 
 "And will she have to give up her award ?" inquired Ar- 
 thur, delighted at the prospect. 
 
 '' Either that or lose much more." 
 
 "And are you certain that one of these two will be the 
 result ? " 
 
 "As certain as I can be," confidently replied Mr. Blood. 
 
 "And the tide has really turned," said Arthur, almost 
 inaudibly. " Can it be ?" 
 
 320 
 
FOILED. 321 
 
 *' Yes," answered Mr. Blood, "it has been a long strug- 
 gle, Arthur, but victory is surely yours. But conic, this 
 is no time for reveries, now is the time to act ; shall I pre- 
 pare the papers ?" 
 
 "I hardly know," replied Arthur, lost in contemplation 
 of his long and bitter contest now so suddenly crowned 
 with promises of success — " I hardly know what to say. 
 She is a woman ; and while I admit that I would have no 
 objection to seeing her lose it all, as a just punishment for 
 the pain and suffering she has caused Edith, I must take 
 no unfair advantage of her in any way, for if I did there 
 would always be those who would cry shame." 
 
 '^That is very pretty in theory, Arthur, but unfortu- 
 nately we are dealing with a very practical woman in a very 
 practical world. She would not hesitate were she in your 
 place, and why should you ?" 
 
 "Because she is a woman," said Arthur; " and though no 
 one would censure her if she used every means in her power 
 to gain an advantage over me, I must deal fairly with her." 
 
 " 0, a poor, defenseless widow ! Ha ! ha !" chuckled Mr. 
 Blood. " But, Arthur, it seems to me that she makes a 
 foeman worthy of your steel." 
 
 " Yes, she would make me bite the dust if she only had 
 the power," said Arthur, bitterly, "and that, too, without 
 a pang of remorse ; but if I were to retaliate, I would lay 
 myself liable to the charge of cruelly oppressing the defense- 
 less." 
 
 "0, come, now, Arthur, you must throw off these feel- 
 ings," said Mr. Blood, appealingly. "I am anxious to get 
 at that Skinner and teach him some points of law that he 
 
 21 
 
322 FOILED. 
 
 does not know, and we'll do it, too, l^efore we are through 
 with him — eh, Arthnr !" 
 
 "I trust so," doubtfully replied Arthur; ''but before 
 we begin I must give Mrs. Graham one more opportunity to 
 relinquish this award." 
 
 " Well, 1 think you waste your powder, that's all," 
 retorted Mr. Blood, who, it was plain to see, was now san- 
 guine of success and eager for the fray. 
 
 '•'I shall see her and give her this last chance," said 
 Arthur, determinedly, " and then if she does not consent 
 you may punish her to the full extent of the law. Then if 
 the world objects, I can at least feel that I am not at fault," 
 a,nd leaving Mr. Blood he found his way to Mrs. Graham's 
 home, entering which, he quietly awaited her appearance. 
 
 Sitting there, he could not fail to recognize many famil- 
 iar objects that recalled to his mind associations that made 
 him feel a sadness that oppressed him ; and as he looked 
 back over the many changes that had taken jolace since first 
 he entered those doors, it seemed that in that short time he 
 had met with the experiences of a long lifetime, in which 
 joy and sorrow, grief and care, were strangely blended. 
 Mrs. Graham's appearance was all that was needed to com- 
 l^lete the contrast between her as he saw her now and as she 
 first appeared to him when she so kindly met him at the 
 door. 
 
 "I came," began Arthur, abruptly, "to ask you some 
 |Very pointed but most important questions ; you can answer 
 them or not, as you desire." 
 
 "I am, as I always have been, entirely at your service 
 when I can aid you," replied Mrs. Graham, with a stately 
 inclining of her head. 
 
FOILED, 323 
 
 Apparently without noticing her manner or words, 
 Arthiir continued : "I am desirous of knowing exactly how 
 you consider this award that you have taken — is it your in- 
 tention to take it as a loan, and in the final settlement 
 have it deducted from your share of the estate ?" 
 
 All the force and hatred of Mrs. Graham's nature seemed 
 concentrated in the look that she turned upon Arthur, 
 as for a moment she fiercely glared at him, and then, 
 firmly compressing her lips, answered.: 
 
 "Under no circumstances." 
 
 "Do you believe that father Graham intended that you 
 should take more than he gave you in the will ?" 
 
 "That makes no difl:erence," declared Mrs. Graham, pas- 
 sionately ; the law gives it to me and I will have it !" 
 
 "Do you intend to take this award in excess of what the 
 will gives you ?" 
 
 "I do!" 
 
 " Then, Mrs. Graham, you must take the consequences," 
 said Arthur, resolutely. "I will bid you good-day." 
 
 Had Arthur shov/n more concern in her rej^lies, or urged 
 her to change her course, Mrs. Graham would more easily 
 have understood his purpose, and his last words would 
 not have carried so ominous a meaning. As it was, she 
 found herself after his departure in a most uncomfort- 
 able frame of mind. "If he intends this as a threat," 
 muttered Mrs. Graham, when the door closed upon him, 
 "he may well be mysterious and fear my wrath, for I still 
 hold possession of the property and to me he must come at 
 last ; and even though I wreck the whole estate, he shall 
 come. But no, it hardly seemed like threatening, he was 
 
324 FOILED. 
 
 too sad for that. And, bye the bye, he is showing the 
 effect of all this care and worry. Fool that he is, why does 
 he rebel— why could he not have told me more of his plans ? 
 0, I feel an uneasiness that I cannot dispel. I am sure he 
 means to do me some harm, and I must watch him more 
 closely from now to the end." 
 
 ''You may draw up the papers, Mr. Blood," said Arthur, 
 as he entered his office and wearily seated himself. '' I have 
 seen her, and she leaves no doubt in my mind of her inten- 
 tions." 
 
 '•Just as I thought," replied Mr. Blood, sententiously. 
 " You will have to conquer her before you will have peace." 
 
 "I am afraid there will be more pieces than peace," 
 replied Arthur. 
 
 Mr. Blood carefully prepared the papers, and after filing 
 them in court quietly awaited their effect upon the enemy. 
 
 When Mr. Skinner saw them, he hastily summoned Mrs. 
 Graham, and motioning her to a seat, said : 
 
 "I find that Mr. Blood is making a desperate effort to 
 defeat you in the courts. He has just filed a bill in which 
 it is claimed that you have rejected the will, and now can 
 take only what the law gives yon." 
 
 "But I have not rejected the will," said Mrs. G-raham, 
 indignantly. "I am perfectly willing to take what the 
 will gives me, and always have been." 
 
 " 0, you need feel no worry about it," hastily replied 
 Mr. Skinner. " I only wanted to know if I should defend 
 the suit." 
 
 " Certainly. You must not only defend it, but you must 
 defeat them, if you can." 
 
FOILED. 325 
 
 "0, it will be no trouble to do that/' replied Mr. Skin- 
 ner, confidently ; '' they cannot possibly succeed." 
 
 " But this is what you said when they opposed my tak- 
 ing the award/' persisted Mrs. Graham; '^ but notwith- 
 standing your assurances, they did defeat us, at least in 
 part, and your only excuse has been that you did not antic- 
 ipate so strong an opposition. I feel certain that Arthur 
 has not consented to begin this suit until he was fully as- 
 sured that he had some hope for success ; and this explains 
 his firmness and seeming confidence when he called at my 
 house and asked me if I intended to give up my award, and 
 when I told him that I did not, he said that I must take 
 the consequences." 
 
 " 0, that was only an idle threat, Mrs. Graham, You 
 need have no fear of anything that he can do," . 
 
 *' No, it was not a threat," replied Mrs. Graham, posi- 
 tively, " I was inclined to think so at first, but I now be- 
 lieve it to have been a last effort to induce me to give up 
 this award before he began this suit." 
 
 " Well, they die hard," said Mr. Skinner, musingly, 
 " but they will have to come to it in the end," 
 
 Notwithstanding Mr. Skinner's assurances of safety were 
 oft repeated, they failed to convince her ; and Mrs. Gra- 
 ham's sense of guilt and knowledge that the charges made 
 against her were only too true, made her fear the result, 
 and she vainly sought for some* evidence upon which she 
 might depend. 
 
 "lam far from being convinced," said Mrs. Graham, 
 • despond ingly. "It seems to me that we are in great 
 danger." 
 
326 FOILED, 
 
 "Let me show you tlie law on this point," said Mr. 
 Skinner, ''for it is very plain, and will no doubt quiet 
 your fears. There it is," and Mr. Skinner handed her the 
 volume, and with his finger indicated the important clause. 
 
 " That seems plain enough,'^ replied Mrs. Graham, as 
 she closed the book and laid it upon the desk : " but don't 
 you think I had better give up this award and not run this 
 risk ?" 
 
 "It would only show that you were fearful of the 
 result," said Mr. Skinner, petulantly, " and could do 
 no possible good. I tell you that there is no chance for his 
 succeeding, and you might as well keep all you have as to 
 give it up now." 
 
 " I would not consent to give it up if I felt certain he 
 could not succeed," replied Mrs, G-raham, earnestly, 
 
 " Well, I advise you to keep it, that's all," said Mr. 
 Skinner, provoked at her unbelief, 
 
 " If we have reason to be so sure of success, what can 
 Arthur hope to gain ?" inquired Mrs. Graham, anxiously. 
 
 " He is playing for a big stake this time, Mrs. Graham," 
 replied Mr, Skinner, impressively. "It will be no child's 
 play for either of us, but the result is assured before we 
 begin," 
 
 "But if he should succeed, what benefit would he derive 
 from all this care and expense ?" urged Mrs, Graham, 
 
 " But he cannot succeed^ — there is no chance for him. 
 The law is clearly and distinctly against him, and he has 
 not the shadow of a chance upon which to build a hope." 
 
 "But if he should," persisted Mrs, Graham, "what 
 could he gain ?" 
 
FOILED. 327 
 
 "If by auy possibility he should defeat you, you would 
 not get enough to be worth fighting for," replied Mr. 
 Skinner, impressively. '' But, Mrs. Graham, you need 
 have no fear of that." 
 
 But Mrs. Graham did fear it, and many were the times 
 when, lost in contemplation of what the future might have 
 in store for her, she writhed in agony at the thought. 
 
 Had she been able to grasp the invisible foe and test his 
 strength, she would not have faltered for a moment ; but 
 the calm, firm resistance that she was being met witli was 
 maddening. 
 
CHAPTER XXm. 
 
 FOILED. 
 
 Mrs. Granam had dallied with the law as a child plays 
 with fire — charmed by its brilliancy and power. Never 
 having experienced the pain that it was able to inflict, she 
 was fearless in its handling, until in terror she now saw the 
 harmless plaything spring suddenly into a raging conflagra- 
 tion that threatened to destroy her hopes and turn them 
 into ashes of agonizing despair. Far too shrewd a woman of 
 the world was she to idly fold her hands in imagined safety 
 while a doubt remained as to the security of her position. 
 Though oft repeated, Mr. Skinner's assurances of victory 
 could not remove her doubts. The very thought that 
 Arthur might be able to defeat her, and all that she had 
 planned these many years to possess might be swept from 
 her sight and beyond all hope of recovery, was torture to 
 her mind ; and in the short time between the filing of the 
 papers and the day for hearing of the case in court, Mrs. 
 Graham almost experienced the tortures of the damned ; 
 and as Arthur, filled with anxiety and doubt for the result, 
 entered the court room, he could not fail to notice the 
 change in her appearance. But if he hoped that she would 
 be easily conquered, he was destined to meet with disap- 
 
 328 
 
FOILED. 329 
 
 pointmeut ; for as privation makes the lean and hungry 
 tigress ten-fold more ferocious, so Mrs. G-raham's hatred 
 had only been intensified during these days of anxiety and 
 doubt. But during all these days she had never once 
 thought of yielding ; had she done so, no doubt she would 
 have spurned the thought almost before it gathered form. 
 ISTo, the same unpitying hand that he would feel if she were 
 victor, would be as firmly put forth to stay her from 
 supplicating mercy or making an appeal for aid. This 
 Arthur quickly realized as he recognized the quick, pene- 
 trating glance of defiant hatred with which her eyes met 
 his as he seated himself near Mr. Blood. 
 
 Mr. Skinner laughed and chatted with the attorneys who 
 were near him, and was so confident of success as to be en- 
 tirely indifferent to the importance of the case ; while Mr. 
 Blood sat with thoughtful brow, silent and alone. But the 
 entrance of the court quickly aroused him, and when Mr. 
 Skinner arose, he was on the alert to catch and carefully 
 weigh every word he uttered. 
 
 '' In this case," began Mr. Skinner, airily, '''the plaintiff, 
 Edith Howard, feels aggrieved because the widow of Stewart 
 Graham has taken her award, and files this bill for the pur- 
 pose of obtaining the decision of the court as to the widow's 
 title to it. This is an expensive and very troublesome way 
 of settling a trivial question, that could easily have been 
 decided if she had sought good counsel and advice, and 
 would not have taken the valuable time of the court for its 
 hearing. I am surprised that her attorney should allow 
 her to take this course, or consent to draw or file so non- 
 sensical a bill as this that is now presented for your consid- 
 
330 FOILED. 
 
 eration. I can only account for it by supposing that he is 
 not acquainted with or does not comprehend that well- 
 known statute that we naturally expect the merest tyro in 
 law to be fully conversant with^ and for his information I 
 will read it as it is found in the revised statutes, chapter 3, 
 page 113, and paragraph 74 : ' Whether her husband died 
 testate or intestate, the widow shall in all cases, in exclu- 
 sion of debts, legacies and bequests, be allowed the follow- 
 ing described property * * * as her sole and exclusive 
 property forever, which shall be known as the widow's 
 award.' 
 
 "Now, your Honor, until this statute is repealed or mod- 
 ified, I can see no reason why I should take the time and 
 attention of the court in advancing arguments in favor of 
 the widow's right to her award, and I feel called upon to 
 demand that this case be thrown out of court as too trivial 
 and childish in its character to merit your attention, and 
 that this widow shall be relieved from the necessity of a 
 further defense of her right to take her award. " 
 
 The uneasiness manifested by the court gave certain evi- 
 dence that he was wearied by the prospect of having to listen 
 to Mr. Blood's arguments upon a point of law concerning 
 which his decision had already been made, and impatient at 
 the thought that such well recognized rulings should again 
 be brought in question. Against such odds Mr. Blood's 
 arguments seemed certain to be unavailing. 
 
 As Mr. Skinner seated himself with a satisfied air, Mr. 
 Blood arose with the quiet composure of the old and well- 
 seasoned veteran who, sure of his jDosition, willingly abides 
 his time, and addressing the Judge, said : ''With all that 
 
FOILED. 331 
 
 the attorney who represents the defendant has said in regard 
 to the law that bears upon this case I fully agree. I would 
 not take one argument away from those presented by him. 
 But while he has left them half formed and uncertain in 
 their bearing, I desire to co,rry them to their logical con- 
 clusion, and show to the court that for years the decisions 
 on this point have been one-sided and yery unjust. Let us 
 in this case view both sides of the matter and see if we can- 
 not come to a more just decision. The opposing attorney 
 states his case, which in substance is, that with or without 
 a will the widow shall have her award. All right ; we agree 
 to that ; and now say that in this case if, after weighing 
 the value of what the will gives her, she finds that it does 
 not suit her and decides to take this award, she can only do 
 so by giving up the will and accepting what the law gives 
 her. This is her privilege, and is what is intended by the 
 statute when it says, in effect, that an unjust will shall not 
 deprive her of her award. But the justice that protects 
 her against an unjust will also protects the daughter against 
 an unjust and grasping widow ; and while a widow cannot 
 be forced to give u}:) her award, she is forced to decide 
 which she will accept ; for it is not her right to take so 
 much under the law as is to her advantage and at the same 
 time take all that the will gives her. If she accepts the 
 will of her husband she must abide by its conditions ; and 
 as this widow by taking her award has refused to accept 
 the will, it operates as a bar to her acceptance of any part 
 of it. Therefore, so far as Sarah J. G-raham is concerned, 
 she has no interest in the will, and is not in a jiosition to 
 farther obstruct or delay a partition of the property. This, 
 
332 FOILED. 
 
 your Honor, is law, and that, too, the very best, for it is 
 supported by all that is just and right. 
 
 The court had lost his uneasiness, and was now earnestly 
 attentive. He was evidently hearing something new and 
 strange, as he leaned forward eagerly devouring every word 
 as it fell with clear, deliberate intonations from the lips of 
 Mr. Blood. 
 
 Mr. Skinner presented a pitiable picture as he sat in a 
 state of doubt and uncertainty, while Mr. Blood, seemingly 
 grown in stature, towered above him like an avenging con- 
 queror, as he thundered forth his powerful arguments. And 
 it was apparent that Mr. Blood fully realized the exalted posi- 
 tion to which he had attained, where he was not alone the 
 victor, but the instructor of the Judge uj^on the bench ; and 
 as he sank into his seat and received the congratulations of 
 his brother attorneys who had happily been detained, his 
 eyes shone with the intensity of his realization of his great 
 victory. 
 
 After some moments sjDent in silent deliberation, the 
 Judge arose, saying : " I am satisfied that a widow must 
 decide which course she will pursue, whether to abide by 
 the will and give up all that she would otherwise receive by 
 law, or give uj^i the will and receive what the law says shall 
 be hers. This I am satisfied is good law and perfectly just. 
 Its application to this case must be that, as the widow has 
 already taken under the law, she must abide by the result 
 and give up all the benefits of the will. This is my de- 
 cision." 
 
 '*'But, your Honor,'' said Mr. Skinner, jumping to his 
 feet, excitedly, "^do you realize the terrible penalty this 
 
FOILED. 333 
 
 would inflict upon my client, and tliis, too, when she has 
 done no more than ever^' other person i^laced in the same 
 position has done, and all in strict conformity to the rul- 
 ings of our courts for liundreds of years ?"' 
 
 " I hesitated," replied the Judge, '^ on only that one point. 
 I know this decision is the first of its kind, and I hesitated 
 to inflict this punishment, fearing that it might be unjust ; 
 but now it is clear to my mind that the widow fully under- 
 stood the wishes of her husband as expressed in his will 
 when he inserted the clause, ' in lieu of all claims that she 
 may or might have in and to my estate ; ' and if with this 
 understanding she decided to take her award in excess of 
 what the will gave her, simply because she believed the 
 law gave it to her, she must not now complain if the law 
 takes its course."' 
 
 "Will the court enter an order that the estate be divided 
 in accordance with this decision, and the daughter be 
 placed in possession of her property ?" inquired Mr. Blood, 
 as calmly as if the victory had been less complete. 
 
 '^'' Yes, the court will so direct." 
 
 Mr. Blood, with a satisfied smile, gathered his papers 
 together, and with Arthur silently left the room, while 
 Mr. Skinner, sorrowfully turning to Mrs. Graham, said : 
 
 " We are beaten ; our jilans have utterly failed." 
 
 For a moment Mrs. Graham made no reply ; she was too 
 nearly overcome by the force of the blow, though not en- 
 tirely unprepared. The wound had been too deejoly cut, 
 the pain too sharp and keen, for her to feel resentment or 
 anger. After a raj)id glance at the changes that the deci- 
 sion would make with her, she turned to Mr. Skinner and 
 mournfullv said : 
 
334 FOILED. 
 
 '' It is all because Edith emiDloyed a lawyer. If she had 
 not done that, we would have Ijeen safe." 
 
 " Yes," replied Mr. Skinner, " we have been foiled by 
 
 A LAWYER I" 
 
 '■' I wish now that I had never taken that award," said 
 Mrs. Graham, sadly, "^it has cost me too dearly." 
 
 " It would have saved you from this defeat," said Mr. 
 Skinner. " But no one ever thought of interpreting the 
 law in the way that Mr. Blood has done, and I feel that the 
 judge would have decided in our favor if it had not been 
 for that. But it seems to be unjust that you should be the 
 one upon whom the whole force of the law should fall witli 
 such crushing weight." 
 
 " Yes," sorrowfully replied Mrs. Graham, " I seem to 
 be the one who must always suffer for the errors that others 
 have committed." 
 
 When Arthur stepped from the court room into the sun- 
 shine of the open day, he began to realize the completeness 
 and certainty of his victory, and felt the quiet joy stealing- 
 over him that one must feel who is suddenly liberated from a 
 dark and dismal prison cell and again feels the pleasure of be- 
 iug free. But his anxiety had been too great for him to out- 
 wardly express his joy, as with a light heart he sought 
 Edith, to whom, as she opened the door, he said : 
 
 " We are the victors, Edith, and the contest is over." 
 
 '••' Are we entirely free from Mrs. Graliam ?" inquired 
 Edith, hardly able as yet to believe the truth. 
 
 ''Yes," replied Arthur, joyfully, '"'we are completely 
 , separated from her, and she can dictate terms to us no 
 longer. For as Mr. Blood said she would, she has grasped 
 more than she could retain, and has paid the penalty." 
 
FOILED. 335 
 
 " She must have found that she was accouutable to more 
 than her God and the judge," said Edith, hiughing. 
 
 ^'' Yes, and she has learned a good many lessons since she 
 made that foolish boast. And now, Edith, since we are so 
 far separated from her let us make it complete, and let her 
 drop out of our life and thoughts." 
 
 '''And never speak her name again," added Edith, 
 
 •'Yes, that is a good suggestion," said Arthur. ''We 
 will never speak her name again. " 
 
 " Never !'' said Edith, firmly. 
 
 And in a short time after their last contest in court 
 Artliur had the pleasure of seeing Edith in possession of 
 her property, and completely and forever separated from 
 the evil influence that had followed her during the many 
 years since Mrs. Graham's first appearance in her home. 
 
 To them Mrs. Graham was now as if she had never been, 
 — the blotting of her name and memory from out their 
 lives was complete. A fitting end for such a life. 
 
 Arthur and Editli had seen too much of the hollow 
 mockery of so-called friendships that are founded upon the 
 unstable and insecure foundation of selfishness and worldly 
 pride, and willingly passed over that dark chasm that often 
 makes us falter and grow pale as we contemplate its hollow 
 depths. The experiences they had met with carried them 
 above and beyond its influence, leaving them Avell content 
 in the possession of the friendshij:) of those who had ju'oved 
 themselves true friends in their time of need. These friends 
 were kept in fond remembrance by them through all the 
 many years of quiet, peaceful happiness that followed. 
 
 Mrs. Graham left the court room entirclv overcome Ijv the 
 
336 FOILED. 
 
 completeness of her OTerthrow. To her the world seemed 
 dark and cheerless now, and all her plans seemed hopelessly 
 crushed by the decision of the court. She grew distrustful 
 of even her closest friends, as silent and alone she sat in 
 her desolate home and contemplated the wreck that lay 
 about her. 
 
 What were friends to her now, since that which she loved 
 more than they was lost to her forever ! What comfort in 
 the thought that Edith's life had been made miserable by 
 reason of her acts, now that Edith was enjoying the fruits 
 of her folly ! What comfort could she derive from the 
 thought that the relatives had always supported her in all 
 that she did, now that she had lost all ! 
 
 Though beaten, foiled and desperate, Mrs. Graham had 
 one hope left. The property belonging to the relatives 
 still remained in her charge, for her, as executrix, to ap- 
 portion ; and now that Arthur's prying eyes were removed, 
 she felt secure in carrying out her long deferred plan 
 of robbery ; and turning upon their portion, she, with 
 Mr. Skinner's aid, was at last successful in taking from 
 them by far the largest part of that which had been left 
 them by the will, so that when aunt Lucy received the por- 
 tion allotted to her by Mrs. Graham, its diminished pro- 
 portions made her wonder that so much strife and trouble 
 had taken place over so small an estate ; and though Web- 
 ster received much less than was his due, his confidence in 
 Mrs. Graham remained unshaken. 
 
 Though still angered at her defeat and the loss of her 
 share of the estate, Mrs. Graham now felt that she had 
 gained her full proportion, as, in truth, she had. But in 
 
FOILED. 337 
 
 her attempts to take what belonged to others, she had 
 found it necessary to gather about her those counsellors 
 who, having no scruples against advising her to acts of 
 robbery, did not hesitate to turn upon her and make her 
 the victim of their greed ; so that one misfortune quickly 
 following another, it was not long before she saw by far the 
 larger portion of her ill-gotten wealth sink and disappear, 
 until in the commercial crisis tluit shortly afterward swept 
 the length and breadth of the land, her strained and weather- 
 beaten craft went down with many a nobler one for com- 
 pany, and she was left a shipwrecked mariner on the finan- 
 cial seas, deserted by those she had counted as her friends ; 
 until, with old age creeping on apace, desolate and alone — 
 
 "One sole desire, one passion now remains 
 To keep life's fever stiir within her veins, 
 Vengeance! dire vengeance on the wretch who east 
 
 O'er her and all she loved that rviinons blast. 
 For this she still lives on, careless of all 
 
 The wreaths that glory on his paths lets fall. 
 For this alone exists — like lightning's fire, 
 To speed one bolt of vengeance and etspire." 
 
 — MoORE. 
 
■1+1 
 
 c. 
 
w 
 
 l^J 
 
 
 
 u^ yt 
 
 ¥1 
 
 '^Sm%'' 
 
 t