The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-05-03
THE RECOVERED TREASURE,

Helen Tracy's wistful blue eyes we're
Lifted to her husbands face as he came
into the sitting-room with his overcoat
on. He was tall, stately looking man,
with high forehead and clear brown
eyes, and the pleasantest of smiling
mouths; but Helen's face had some.
what in its blonde, oval beauty that re-
minded you of the hunted fawn or the
Wild bird stricken down by the sports
mans shot. She was fair as lily, with
hair OF bright, rippled gold and large,
violet dark eyes-such a one as you
might fancy Saxon Rowena to have been,
in short.
Yes, but shall soon be home, Nell,
30 don't worry yourself about me.
Harry is asleep, see."
AS he spoke he glanced towards a
velvet-cushloned sofa, where a beauti-
full child of scarcely three summers Law
nesting in the flushed, lovely sleep Of
infancy, with his dark curls thrown
back from the dimpled cheeks and one
hand underneath the head.
Yes he has been in the garden all
the afternoon, ana fell asleep almost the
minute his nurse brought him in"
Dr. Tracy stood moment looking
down upon the child.
"How pretty he grows. All, Nelly,
We have the most precious treasure
Heaven ever gave to his children in this
boy"
Mrs. Tracy's lips quivered-the dewy
shadow crept into her eyes.
"Oh' Henry, if only had my little
Bertha, too |"
"Still brooding on your lost one.
Helen9 My dearest, had hoped that
time was healing up that wound in your
breast. Is it wise, is it discreet, thus to
forget the bounties Heaven has given
you in the enc gift He has withdrawn 2"
II 1 could only be certain that she
was indeed lost, Henry" sobbed tho
fair haired woman. elf could have
planted daisies above her grave, and
counted her growing years in heaven
but cannot. She may be in want-she
may be Ill or suffering, aud so power
less to aid her."
There can be no doubt that she ia
dead, Helen," soothed the husband.
"Were it otherwise, your brother-in-law
would long since have communicated
with you"
Ii could only believe tiff could
only ease this aching at my heart" re-
lterated Helen. do not think me un-
grateful, Henry, but indeed I cannot
forget my little lost Bertha"
At this moment Harry sat up on the
sofa, loudly claiming his mothers atten-
tlon; and DR.. Tracy went away with the
pleasant recollection that Helen was
smiling back to her boys smiles. All
where was there ever magnetism like the
touch of child's hand to soothe the
ache OF heart or head9
The flaming crimson belt of the late
sunset glowed suddenly above the leaf
less October woods; the tall trees that
skirted the lonely road on either side
seemed to stand like gaunt sentinels.
DR.. Tracy buttpned his ,overcoat one or
two buttons higher as he drove along
the solitary highway, and felt the raw.
piercing chill of the evening air; and ali
the time he was thinking of Helen's
words.
She was widow when he married
her, this fair Saxon beauty-a widow
whom the death of her handsome for
elgn swindler Of O husband had set free
from bondage almost worse than slav-
cry. francesca Petroni died; but Paolo
Petroni, his brother, lived, dark, de-
Mgnlng man. Bertha, their infant child,
mad been consigned, by Francesco's de-
sire, to his brother's care, during the
illness that proved fatal to him. All
the widows subsequen efforts to re-
gain possession of her little one were
futile.
"My dear sister-in.law," said the
italian to her one day, when her appeals
and entreaties had been most persistent.
there is one way, and but one way, for
you to receive back Bertha"
"And that is -
To receive me also-as your hus-
bandi"
Paolo Petroni never forgot nor for
gave the. recoiiing movement, the
look Of horror with which the English
wiSow received his unwelcome pro-
posal.
"You viii compel him to give my Lit.
tie one 70 me, Henry, !" the poor young
mother hsd said. on the day that made
her for the second time q wife. But
when Henry Tracy, armed with all the
force OF the law, went to Milan to de-
mand possessidnof his little step -daueh-
ter, ioi PGolo Petroni had utterly dis
appeared, and Bertha With him.
search, inquiry, Investigation, Z roy ed
equally vain; and from that day To this
"a period Of fun SIX years--neither DR..
Tracy nor mis- wife had ever, heard one
word Of tho little italian infant whose
smile had been the first CLEAN Cf lioht
that had fallen across the troubled S3de
Of poor Helen Petroni's g foreign life.
It was one of those strange. inexplic-
able romances Of real life that We