TOO LATE.
Too late--their sorrow now is o'er--
Their trusting hearts have ceased to beat;
Beyond the clouds their spirits soar
To Heaven's beautiful retreat.
The clergyman was gray and bent with age, and it was some time before
his feeble sight could discover a corresponding entry in his private
memorandum book of marriages. At last he found it, and Dr. Seward
stooped and read, in the old rector's handwriting, the brief statement
of a marriage contract between one Lawrence Maynard and Elizabeth Louisa
Merril, the date corresponding to the one on the wrinkled certificate.
To make matters even surer, the two walked slowly across the street and
entering the gloomy doorway of a small, stone paved Chapel, passed on
into the vestry and carefully examined the record of events occurring
within its walls.
Again their search was successful.
Elizabeth Merril had been a lawful, wedded wife for nearly three years,
and deep in thought as to what course it was best to pursue, Dr. Seward
took leave of the venerable churchman and proceeded slowly on his way to
the home of the aged couple in G---- St.
He was as undecided how to act when he at last stood before the quiet
house as he had been when he left the Chapel, but as he ascended the
steps an exclamation of dismay escaped his lips.
From the old fashioned brass knocker on the door there fell an ominous
fold of black crepe, and before he could fairly recover from the shock
of its appearance, the door was opened from the inside and a prominent
lawyer of his acquaintance extended his hand and drew him into the
narrow hall.
"Just in time, Dr. Seward," said the lawyer in a subdued voice. "I was
about to send for you; Mrs. Merril has passed away and her husband is
fast following her. I have just drawn up his will and appointed you
joint administrator with myself in the settlement of his small estate.
He begged me to suggest some one and you were the first to enter my
mind. Don't refuse, old fellow, for the man is dying and there is no
time to look further if the matter is to be arranged before his death."
Confused, regarding his duty in the matter, Dr. Seward entered the
chamber of death, but his practiced eye saw plainly that the information
regarding Elizabeth came too late to be understood by the suffering man.
The will was rapidly signed and sealed, and as if only waiting to
complete this final act, the grey haired man turned feebly on his pillow
and closing his eyes, passed painlessly from life to death, as had his
devoted companion a few short hours before.
The funeral service was ended, and with uncovered heads, both Dr. Seward
and the friendly lawyer stood beside the new made graves in the little
cemetery.
Their duty to the dead was over, and now, as arm in arm they retraced
their steps to the silent house, Dr. Seward again related the
particulars of Elizabeth Merril's disappearance and his subsequent
discoveries, while the astute lawyer, bristling with legal eagerness,
listened and drew silent conclusions from the physician's limited stock
of information.
The purport of the simple will was as follows:--
The sum of five thousand pounds, together with the house in G---- St.,
with its furnishings, were to be kept in trust for their missing
granddaughter, Elizabeth Merril, in case the reports of her death should
prove unfounded, but if at the end of ten years no trace of her could be
discovered, both house and money were subject to the wills and
dispositions of the worthy lawyer and physician who were made joint
administrators by this last will and testament of the deceased.
Almost certain that Elizabeth Merril or Maynard still lived, the lawyer
promptly undertook the difficult matter of finding and restoring her, as
rightful heir, to the modest possessions of her lamented grandparents.
Meanwhile, Dr. Seward, acting upon a much desired plan, made prompt
arrangements for an extended vacation, and great was the surprise in his
mechanical household when he announced his intention of visiting
America.
He felt that Sir Frederic and Mrs. Sinclair should be consulted at once
regarding the secret marriage, so placing the valuable paper in his
steamer trunk, he boarded the fleetest greyhound and was soon far away
upon his long anticipated journey across the Atlantic.