Immediately after Mr. Walton's funeral Miss Eulie had written to a
brother-in-law, then, in Europe, full particulars of all that had
occurred. This gentleman's name was Kemp, and he had originally married
a sister of Miss Eulie and Mrs. Walton. But she had died some years
since, and he had married as his second wife one who was an entire
stranger to the Walton family, and with whom there could be but little
sympathy. For this reason, though no unfriendliness existed, there had
been a natural falling-off of the old cordial intimacy. Mr. Walton had
respected Mr. Kemp as a man of sterling worth and unimpeachable
integrity, and his feelings were shared by Miss Eulie and Annie, while
Mr. Kemp himself secretly cherished a tender and regretful memory of
his earlier marriage connection. When he heard that his niece, Annie,
was orphaned, his heart yearned toward her, for he had always been fond
of her as a child. But when he came to read of her relations with
Hunting, and that this man was in charge of her property, he was in
deep distress. He would have returned home immediately, but his wife's
health would not permit his leaving her. He wrote to Miss Eulie a long
letter of honest sympathy, urging her and Annie to come to him at
Paris, saying that the change would be of great benefit to both.
This letter was expressed in such a way that it could be shown to
Annie. But he inclosed another under seal to the aunt, marked private,
in which by strong and guarded language he warned her against Hunting.
He did not dare commit definite charges to writing, not knowing how
much influence Hunting had over Miss Eulie. He felt sure that Annie
would not listen to anything against her lover, and justly feared that
she would inform him of what she heard, thus putting him on his guard,
and increasing his power for mischief. Mr. Kemp's hope was to act
through Miss Eulie, and get both her and Annie under his protection as
soon as possible. He knew that when he was face to face with Annie he
could prove to her the character of her lover, and through her compel
him to resign his executorship. Therefore he solemnly charged Miss
Eulie, as she loved Annie, not to permit her marriage with Hunting,
and, as executrix, to watch his financial management closely.
Miss Eulie was greatly distressed by the contents of this letter. Mr.
Kemp's words, combined with Gregory's manner, destroyed her confidence
in Hunting, and made her feel that he might cause them irretrievable
disaster. She knew her brother to be a man of honor, and when he wrote
such words as these, "If Mr. Walton had known Hunting as I do he would
rather have buried his daughter than permit her to marry him," she was
sure that he did not speak unadvisedly.
"Moreover," Mr. Kemp wrote, "I am not giving my mere opinion of
Hunting. I have absolute proof of what he is and has done."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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