Agnes Vol. 2 — page 197: what you’re looking at

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

190 Setpehasretet e wigs Aingy Geis = OR este Agee rrgpOre = had been a horrible dream !—I mean our sundrance and severance. Lut I will mako up for it, Winnie ! —yes—yes, ny dear child, I will make up for it! So now to business.” Mr. Barrington arranged the writing-matoriale before him; and glancing up at Ormaby, he said, ** Will you dictate the will, Mr. Hargrave P—for J am rather nervous——”’ “You had better do it yourself, Mr. Barring- ton,” responded the nobleman “It need not be long—-merely oa few lines. But I suppose you have got the will you drew up on behalf of Gus- tavus ?” ‘Yes, yes,” answered the old man; “and I Grew it up myself too. I will destroy it first.” 1c ia of no consequence,” said Ormsby. “ All you have to do ia clearly and succinctly to express your present intentions-—-to the efiget that gour granddaughter Winifred Dalham, wife of Roderick Dailam, Esq., is appointed your sole executrix, aud that by this present will all previous ones are cancelled and revoked.” “To be sure! to be sure!” said the old man; “that is the right form—and—and—I will soon eraladinet eC Sie ase 4 accomplish the task. Of course you will witness | AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE, , ws = ee eolah-age aoe = = ce ee | let et eee ante OBE Nab mee ES Seger try PEEh Tey | deed any cried Winifred : and she rushed forward to sustain the old man as he sank buck in his chair, Lord Ormsby hastened to pour out the wine: Mrs. Slater lost not a moment in procuring other reatoratives— water, vinegar, sul volatile, and so forth; and in a few minutes Mr. Barrington ap- peared to be recovering. “You feel better now, dear grandfather P” whispered Winifred, whose countenance brightened up after having for some minutes expressed the most painful anxiety. “Yea, yes—-I am better now,” he murmured, | but it was in a fecble tone,—“a great deal better ! Dear, dear Winnie! thank God you are with me! I—I—nmight die without you! Do not leave me, Wianie!~—Ob, pray do not leave me!—no, not even for a minute !” “J will not, dearest grandfather—TI will not,” she replied in an earnest tone. “Dear girl! But let me see? what were wo about? Ah! JI recollect! The will! the will! Yes, yes, dear Winnie—all my rivhes must be yours! I alwaye meant it—and now it shall be done! Jet me sign the paper.” the document, Mr. Hargrave ?” | For heaven’s sake, my lord,” whispered Wini- “Yes — I and Mrs. Slater,” responded the | fred to the nobleman, “if you think there is the nobleman: then drawing Winifred aside, he said | least danger arising from this state of excitement in a low voice, “It is needless, as indeed i¢ would to which my poor grandfather is worked up-———” presently be impossible, to maintain any further “ No-—he seome better now,’ anawered Ormaby, myatory with you, because it¢ is not the name of | after having steadily surveyed the old man’s cuun- Hargrave which is anon to appear in attestation of | tenance for a few moments. “At all events this that document !—it is another name !—one which | is a warning and an indication that no time ought perhaps you may have accidentally heard mentioned to be lost !” In connexion with the parentage of a young lady “Come, dear Winnie,” said the old man, “ you who is sincerely attached to you? But J will not must be by my side while [ do this, There! prop keep you in suspense: J allude to Miss Kvelyn— mo up like that! Ab! my right arm feels strong and I am her father, Lord Ormesby.” again, and my hand is firm as I grasp the pen; It were impossible to describe the astonishment | because—because I am going to do an act of jus- with which Winifred gazed upon the nobleman; ; tice. Yos—that iait ! It is astonishing ha! and then an expression of radiant joy overspread | ha!” and he chuckled gaily, “ how much stronger her pale interesting countenance, as she said, “ Oh, | I feel at this moment! There! now for the ink! then, mv dear friend Agnes is supremely happy | Let me see? This is thd place for my signature— now !—fur doubtless, my lurd, you have revealed | and the witnesses sign there. Dear, dear Winnie ! yourself tu pour daughter P” how could I ever have thought of doing otherwise ‘Yea--Agnes 18 supremely happy,” answered than that which J] am now about to do P” the nobleman. “Jor the preseut it suits me to Mr. Barrington was on the very point of com- retain an incognito, and therefore the secret which mencing his signature—the tip of the pen had is abuut to be revealed in this house will remain touched the paper, when his head suddenly fell contined to yourselves. Of course | make an ex- forward—a moan escaped hia lips—and the blood ceptor au behalf of your husband.” from his mouth gushed over the document which * It is ready ! it is ready!” were the words which lay wesigned before him. A cry of anguish burst euing from the lips of old Mr. Barrington, at thie | from Winifred’s \ips— Lord Ormesby sprang for- moment broke in upon the discourse that was | ward in alarm — and Mra. Slater rushed to tho taking place betwixt his granddaughter and bell to summon the servant in order that a surgeon Orinsby. Po mizht be immediately sent for. “ Go and fetch Mrs. Slater,” said the nobloman In a condition of complete unconsciousness, and to Winifred, “while 1 glance over the docu- apparently in a dying state, the old man was borne ment.” to his couch—by the side of which Winifred again The draft of the will was made with perfect took her place. Her heart was filled with the accuracy, though the writing was in\g@e-nervous deepest woe—not because there was every reason trembling hand. By tho time Ormsby had perused now to appreLiend the total alienation from herself the paper, Winifred returned to the room accom- , and her husband of the vast property which was panied by the kind-hearted landlady, to whom sho | still the subject of litigation — but because she had taken the opportunity of hastily whispering | dreaded lest death had already numbered the hours the real rank and hame of Lord Ormsby. {th . “ Winnie—dear Winnie,” said the old man, “] devotedly loved ? mom she had 40 unselfishly and —— I — feel very faint—give me a glass of wine ” “ Good heavens, dear grandfather! you are in- WOO <S