Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-07-16

day bring Frank Vernon to the cottage,
but he sent a message stating that he
was too unwell to leave the house.
When night again fell the wind was
still driving the heavy rain along the
shore, and the fury of the sea seemed
undated. The old man and his daugh-
ter sat in Their old positions beside the
fire. and listened to the storm without.
"Leah,' the old man said, breaking
the silence, "where is Stephen to-
night ?"
She had been busy with her own
thoughts, intently gazing into the glow
ing Goals. and she raised her face,
aglow with the freight, to his. Then,
with cry of alarm, she sprang from
her seat and caught his bead, which
was falling forward on his bosom, in
her arms.
Father speak to me. What is the
matter p she cried, gazing with great
dread at the set and rigid features and
lips, from which all color had fed,
leaving them white as ashes.
Leah" the old man gasped, "I am
diving. Quick-old Mr.. Hallam at the
old lodge. l must see him. Tell him
l sent for him, and he will come"
The gray head fell back upon the
chair as he spoke. The girl, nearly
frantic, and knowing not what to do,
kissed him in wild, frenzied way, and
then dashed out into the night and
storm.
II was d long way, more than a mile,
but she did not mind fatigue. She did
not feel it any more than she felt the
stormy sweep Of rain that drenched her
to the skin. Her mind had room only
for one thought-that she might be too
late.
She reached the house at last and de-
livered the message to Mr.. Hallam in
person, and then her Over-strained tao
ulties gave way, and she sank in s.
swoon on the floor. When she came to
her senses again she was lying in a
white-curtained bed in a room
finer than she had ever seen beforehand
bending over her was the stately young
lady who had come to her fathers cot
tage the night before.
"Has he gone? ?" she asked.
EYES," the lady answered, che is with
him now"
She would have risen at once and re-
turned through the storm through
which she had come, but the lady
was kindly resolute and firm, and
forced her to lie quiet and wait.
An hour passed-it seemed an eter-
nifty to Lean-when the door opened
and Mr.. Hallam entered, still dripping
with the rain He crossed the room to
the couch and took her hand in his.
"My poor child" he said, 'you can
not go home tonight; this is your home
from this time FORTH
She looked at him in dumb amaze
ment
"You are my daughter now" he said,
"and you must learn to look on me as
you would your father"
"And hep" she cried out, t1inging W
her arms with an unconscious gesture
of entreaty.
"You must bear it calmly, poor child"
he answered her. He is dead"
How it CHANGED that she should be-
come the adopted daughter of the
wealthy Nj. Hallam was much Of q
mystery to Leah, even when months
had passed, and, the sorrow for her
father beginning to wear off, she be-
came more accustomed to her new pO-
sition. Mr.. Hallam was kindness per-
sonifed; but from the rest Of the house
hold her quick instinct held her aloof.
They were all kind to her, but an indie
Enable something felt, though not ex-
pressed, that she was not in the "manor
born," and q sort of interloper, raised a
barrier between them. AS for visitors,
of whom there were many. of course
this had nothing to do; but still the
feeling was IN ner mind all the same,
and she became cold and reserved.
AS for Frank Vernon, he became fas-
cinated by her-so much so that it be-
came subject Of remark. At last he
proposed, and she accepted him.
She did not love him. but she liked
his society, and she loved no one else,
and felt proud of his talents and hand
some person, as any girl would have
done. She made a condition, however,
that their engagement should be kept a
secret until her brother Stephen, who
had gone on voyage ofseveral months
should return.
A week afterward Stephen came.
She was almost beside herself with de-
ISdU DIV SSSliIS AlIH. AO "Ooio AA1fC
been revelation to any one who only
knew her as the stately, Juno-like
beauty of the Lodge, to see her hang
about his neck and kiss him again and
again through her joyful tears.
At length she told him how Frank
Vernon had asked her to be his wife,
and she had accepted him. The
change that had come over him startled
her. His face grew pale as death to
the very lips, and wild mist swept
over his eyes-only for moment, how
ever, and then he brushed the back Of
his hand across his eyes and forced q
smile.
LEAH" he said, in voice that trem-
bled in spite of his efforts to keep
calm, eff it is for your happiness | will
try to bear it. [ have had dreams,
when [ kept my lonely watches, that
some time You might love me we'll
enough to be something nearer to me
than a sister. see what fool I have
been nOW-yOu a lady and an heiress.