Gratia's Trials — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

142 GRATIA'S TRIALS. gentle dignity. ‘‘ Heaven always protects the innocent, and Heaven itself knows that I am as guiltless of the terrible deed as little _Ida herself. Yes, Scipio, I will come.” Mr. Parley’s examination elicited the fact that although all the preliminaries had been arranged for the new will in Gratia Kempfield’s favor, the paper itself had not been executed, and that consequently the will of ten years since—leaving the prop- erty equally to his two nephews and his niece, with a liberal provision for Ida, and a generous legacy to his sister, Julia Eloise Falconer—was still in force. ‘But she did not know but that the will was duly signed !” cried Alberta, forgetting her own triumph in her anxiety to fix” the stain of guilt upon Gratia Kempfield. ‘‘ She supposed his death would leave her sole heiress of everything, if it happened before he could have time to alter his bequest; and she said herself she would do anything for the sake of being rich.” There was a momentary hush throughout the room as Gratia Kempfield entered, looking very lovely with a crimson flush on either cheek, and eyes shining with repressed excitement. ‘The coroner himself, albeit he was a staid old gentleman, nearer seventy than sixty years old, could not but look admiringly on the young beauty, as she stood there graceful and silent, with the dreadful shadow of suspicion and mystery encompassing her around as it were. ‘You were engaged to marry Mr. Miller, Miss Kempfield, were you not?” he asked, courteously. ‘No, sir” «¢You were not?” ‘‘Up to nine o'clock last night, I was—after that time, our engagement was canceled.” ‘* By his wish 2” ‘*No, sir, by my own.” ‘‘Are you willing to state your reasons for annulling the mar- riage compact?” — | | = | cComicbooks.co