Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 283: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

COLONEL MAPLESON'S STORY. 279 he or she would inherit the fortune thus left; if either married during that time the same result was. to follow. I was at that time in my twenty-first year, Miss Everet was seventeen. ‘You can perliaps imagine something of my feelings upon learning the contents of this will. I had always expected to in- herit a share of my uncle’s property, for I was a favorite with him, and he had hinted that I was to be his heir; but I had - never dreamed of being hampered with any such arbitrary con- ditions. Iwas very indignant. So was my cousin, for, although we had always been the best of friends, we felt that this was a matter in which we should have been left free to choose for our- selves. However, the property was divided between us, and we found ourselves independent. I was an orphan, and had been entirely dependent on my uncle; I had jast completed my edu- cation, and was thinking of establishing myself in some business, when I suddenly awoke to the fact that I was rich and could live as I chose, provided, at the expiration of eight years, I would marry the woman my uncle had chosen for me. But I loved Annie Dale, and I knew I could not marry any one else while my heart belonged so entirely to her. I became so wretched and: unhappy over my situation, while at the same time I could not make up my mind to part with my newly ac- quired fortune, that I could not come here to Vue de |’Eau to live, where I should have to meet her constantly; so I had the house closed-and started off on a trip through the West. ‘‘During my wanderings I went to New Mexico, where I heard the most wonderful stories regarding the wealth of the Morena Mines. A bright idea suddenly came to me. I would invest in them—I would throw myself in the business of mining during the next few years; if what I had heard was true I could easily double, perhaps treble, what money I put into them before I should have to give up my fortune according to the conditions of my uncle’s will—the money thus earned would be legitimately mine. Iconld then make over to my cousin my share of Jabez Mapleson’s fortune, and be in a comfortable situation to marry the girl I loved. ‘Inspired with enthusiasm over this idea, I bought largely in the Morena Mines, and then bent all my energies toward the one object of my life. The first three years I was very success- ful, and if my luck continued, I knew that by the end of another three I might snap my fingers over Jabez Mapleson’s will, and secure the wife of my choice. But just at this time a terrible temptation presented itself to me. “Annie Dale’s mother had been a widow for several years, Her husband was a cousin of my uncle’s, and when Mr. Dale died, leaving his wife and child destitnte, Uncle Jabez had given them the use of a small cottage on his estate and increased the small annuity, which Mrs. Dale possessed, to a sum that enabled them to live comfortably with economy. Afterward, — COPMIEl Kool KS (E(0)