The Unopened Letter

When Paul King married Kate Dwyer they were obliged to keep the wedding a secret. Paul was a law student, studying hard for the position awaiting him in his father's office. His father was a stern, irascible man. To have revealed the marriage to him would have mined all chances of success. So Paul put off this acknowledgment until success should arrive. After his admission to the bar, he went to the city, leaving his wife with her sister Jane, of the "unce guid", in the little college town. Jane was a prim, severe woman with rigid ideas on all subjects. When she learned of her sister's marriage, she was horrified. As the months went by with no word from Paul, Jane took no pains in telling her sister that Paul would never acknowledge her. When desired success came to Paul, he wrote a joyous letter to Kate, bidding her come. But it came too late. Jane holding their motherless daughter in her arms, received it just after the funeral, and directed it to be returned unopened, and when Paul arrived to see what the trouble was, Jane told him only that Kate was dead, saying nothing about the child. Years later Jane has moved to the city and opened a boarding-house; her niece Louise, now grown into a beautiful young woman, helps meet expenses by working as a stenographer in a factory office. Jack Osborne, son of the younger member of the firm of King and Osborne, meets Louise and falls in love with her. Louise is injured at the factory, and Paul institutes proceedings against the management. King and Osborne were the attorneys for the defense. The case was full of exciting points until Jane Dwyer, testifying, gave her name and explained that she was the plaintiff's aunt. Paul King turned white, attempted to continue, and broke down. A satisfactory verdict was awarded to Louise. After the trial Jane and Paul met. Jane's reproaches were softened when Paul told her what the unopened letter had contained and all Paul's anger was dissipated by his joy at the discovery of his daughter.