Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-06-04

L 4
good way" he added. now completely
lost in the destinations OF condoling CON-
position-"a very good, takin' sort OF
way is to tell it. and yet seem not 10 tell
1t; TO kinder ring in cold deck OF in
formation, and never let her see 20
shuttle the keerds. Suthin' like this, Ye
know; 'Honored miss: Enclosed please
find draft for $1,000; same would have
been sent before but for Wells-Fargo'
office being closed the day OF your iath-
er's funeral. The weather here is fine,
but we suppose is fur different with you
in the east, Is your deceased mother
often remarked to the writer. Business
is dull and ores are running light, most
o. the claims on the North Fork sharing
the fate of your fathers property You
see." continued Captain Rats, with the
glow OF successful authorship msntling
his check, "that kind of lctter mout be
written so that by the time she got
through with 1t. 1t would seem as II she'd
knowed il all before, and she couldnt get
nary soul to sympatbize with ber. aud
help her take ON
The feeling OF the majority was so
strongly in favor of the las, composition
that they all turned impstiently to the
only dissenter-Joe Fleet But at this
moment knock on the door checked
further discussion.
1t was Jack Foster. xpressman-sleri,
vigilsnt, familiar and iateiul-holding a
letter.
"For John Meritoe." said the Sierreu
Mercury, crisply, "As we don't have no
offs nor agent at his present address. we
deliver at his last residence" Ho tossed
the letter on the table. winked, and Was
gone.
II was TOR the dead mantle great first
cause Of their perplexity. For few mo-
men,s it lay there undisturbed. while tho
men looked at each other in silence
Then Capt. Rats, with decision and in
dependence new TO him, took ii up.
"Thar's no.one, boys. hez bettor right
to it than we has" he said. 81 propose
that we open it here aiore each other and
read it,"
"As to opening II. second the mo-
ton" said Joe Fleets voice. "but we'll
sec who it's from before we read 1t, add
ed that honorable man.
The letter was opened. /, was signed
Fanny Meritoe.'
The girl herself" said Fleet prompt
ly: "read it,
With a hesitatng voice. that al last
seemed TO almest simulate what might
have been the hesitsting youthful accents
of the writer. Capt. Rats began.
How shall describe i,' II was slm-
pie, il was girlish.i il WAS mos, sfectionate,
it was real. Against its candid trankness
and simplicity, poor Rats previous rhel-
oric assumed the. appearance of the most
mons.rous duplicity and deceittul sophis-
Try. Il was evident that the writer had
seen but little OF her real father. and that
the rather common place homely. often
somewhat despicable figure known to all
the men who now listened to her yearn-
ings was not the ideal parent OF her
dreams. At last Capt. Rats finished.
There was slight huskiness in the Cap
tain's voice. a sligh. dimness in his eye
sight as he ended. and a blur upon the
fair page that was not there when be be-
gan.
The Colonel had dropped his head be-
tween his two hands. Horton had never
taken his eyes from the paper. Fleet,
who had walked 10 the window and had
been apparently absorbed iu staring st
the staring sunlight without, suddenly
turned, advanced TO the table. and held
out both hands. In another moment
they were locked in his companions and
the four men, holding hands, closed
round the table and the letter that lay in
its center.
1--WE don't want no letter OF coincidence,
Captain Rats" said Joe Fleet, sturdIly.
''tor there ain't anythin' to condole for. ]
don't see just how it is, or how We can
fix il. but kno,o that that girls parents
amt dead. ez long, please God, ez we
aro living ~
The men pressed each others hands In
silence, until Captain Rats, with a burst
OF revelation, disengaged his, and sud-
denly brought it against his right leg
with resounding emphasis.
That's land il makes the whole
thing clsr. We don't write no letters OF
condolence-why' We goes straight on
and writes ez il We was the old man.
He's let on enough TO me about hisseli
and his affairs TO make it as easy as tallin'
off log. Well just chip in whar he's
left off. Wen take his hand as 1t is, play
out his little game, win or lose, and if
four sharps like US can't make il easy for
that child and rake in the pot every time,
we'll leave the board. Yes, gentlemen" +"
continued Rats, taking up the letter. on
answer this TO- night. myself. |. Captain
Rats, late Meritoe, deceased
PART u.-How THE TRUST WAS FULFILLED.
when ,ha comhined gnatdians of Ia