Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-03-16

swept his face, as. with Il sudden
movement, she turRed and left the
prints of her wicked white teeth on
his check! The next instant she had
flown, While her tantalizing laugh
fioated back to the solitary man IN
the library.
Doctor Gersham wGs great lover
of music; and IL handsome orgau, his
property, occupied one corner OF the
parlor.
One afternoon in the early spring.
the doctor was singing, and accompa
nying himself on the organ. Tie had
thought himself the sole occupant OF
the room, and driited. presently. into
grand cid hymns, solemn chants, ssai
wierd dirges. The deep voice rose
magniffcently. Surely Doctor Ger
sham might well be proud OF his
voice. lie paused to look at some
music in the rack, and there was a
moments silence, broken suddenly
by low sob. The doctor turned
and saw Queenie curled up in the re-
cess of a window. Never be. ore. dur
ing all his acquaintance with her, had
he seen the child in tears. He
crossed the room and took her in his
arms
"Why, little Queenie? What is it,
dear?"
All, naughty Queenlel Why did
you not tell him how his music had
stirred your willful heart? But, no;
she gasped and buried her face in her
white apron as she answered:
why, you see, Tom has gone off
ceiling. and wouldn't let me go though
l wanted to so much!'
The doctor laughed.
Quee nie, you are an incorrigible
sinner! Who will be responsible for
all your fibs?r
"You wiIl-won't you, doctor?"
turning her soft cheek to his
For "A moment he strained close her
N lis arms; then putting her away
from him, he went silently to his own
room.
Thus the days went on. Some
times Doctor Gersham half hoped
that Queeie was learning TO love him.
But no sooner did he endeavor to
win one serious word from her :han
she was of, with her head full of
some new mischief
Mrs Hyde looked on, not daring TO
interfere, for she sympathized with
the doctor, and knew, in the depths
of her womanly heart. that he was
just the one to guide and protect her
wild little niece. But she was also
well aware that II Queenie yielded
herself to him. it would not be
through the dictation OF a third
person.
One morning in the the early part
or June, while Queenie was dusting
and arranging the parlor, Mrs. Hyde
looked in at the door and said re-
gretfully:
~Queenie, dear, Doctor Gersham is
going To leave US next week. He will
return To his former home in Virgin
la. l do not suppose we shall ever
see him again"
She ceassd abruptly; for Queenie,
dropping her duster, ha6 vanished,
with flushed face and quivering
mouth; and, "a moment after Mrs.
Hyde heard the sound OF the girls
chamDer-door As it closed behind
her.
The lady raised the duster aud
went on with the work, while signiii-
cant smile hovered about her lips.
Strange child. She loves him.
aud will not confess il, though there
Is not the shadow of a reason why
she should not"
That afternoon, Queenie, wander
ing along the piazza, came upon ID ,c-
tor Gersham stretched at full length
on a settee. He appeared to be
sleeping, and Queenie paused 10 look
az iIiIn, showing, 70: once, all Eer
little soul in the expression of her ei-
oquent eyes.
She bent over him, her cheek
flushing and her breath coming
quickly, and
Doctor Gersham, lying in half
dream, felt the pressure or warm,
tender mouth full Oh hisl
He opened his eyes slowly, and saw
Queenie's white dress just nuttering
around the corner OF the house.
Doctor Gersham knew better than
TO follow her. He went up to his
room quite happy.
She loves me-" with quiet smile.
And he remembered her words OF IA
few months before:
The man whom L kiss OF my own
free will, will be my future husband"
Doctor Gersham laughed softly to
himself.
"Ah, my little ladyl You and
will have "A reckoning this evening"
But he was mistaken; for Queenie
was missing at tea-time. Mrs. Hyde
informed him that she had gone to
visit girl friend i the village, and
would not return for several days
Not until the evening before the
doctors departure for the South did
she make her appearance, and it was
a very solemn little face that he saw
when he confronted her in the June
twilight. and led her into the garden.
where the old appletre vas drop
ping its tinted blooms.
Little Queenie seemed suddenly
TO have lost her roguishness and self
possession, and looked the very pic
ture of shame and discontinue, with
her crimson face and heavy-lidded
eyes.
The doctor evidently had no idea
of letting her escape him.
"Queenie, am going to tell you
about a strange dream l had the
other day"