Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-12-27
one subject to another, and the abrupt

one subject to another, and the abrupt
question did not surprise Edna.
mo; 1t has been seven weeks since l
heard from him. l wrote to him when l
removed here, informing him of my in
tended project, but have not received an
answer yet"
The doctor mediated, but said no more
on the subject, and after stay OF half
an hour he took his leave.
1T looks little suspicious, and yet l
don't hardly believe it," he sOliliquized,
as he went down the path. Il don't like
to be mistaken when L form an opinion
of any one, and if Leslie Holmes throws
Edna over because of her gO-ahead-a-
tiyeness, / shall lie, and he will deserve
to be kicked" and the doctor stepped
little brisker, as if he would find pleas
ure in i'm administering the punishment;
should it be necessary. "She's got the
true grit" meditatively, "and she's bound
to go ahead and win. She's a sensible
girl, remarkable sensible girl and
amt afraid to soil her finger to gain an
honest living. If Leslie marries her he
will get prize"
With this the doctor climbed into his
buggy, and disappeared down the road
in cloud of dust.
"What shall do, Edna? Every dol
lar is gOne-even the roof over my head
is not my own"
"All gone, auntie? 1t seems as though
something must be left"
mo; everything is swept away. 1t
was all entrusted to AckrOn, my bust
ness agent, and he speculated largely
and lost, and has left the country. The
debts had to be paid, of course, and it
took the last dollar in the world" and
Mrs. Horton sighed audibly behind her
Edna sat thinking. 1t was now
year since she had moved into her cot
tage, and she had been successful in her
enterprise beyond her most sanguine
expectations. She was not looking quite
as well as when we saw her last; trifie
thinner, and trifie paler, but that was
all.
"Aunt Helen," she said, looking up af-
ter a moments thought, you can come
here. / have much better facilities this
season for raising fruit than had last,
and with the ready market that is al
ways here, | shall have no difficulty in
supporting us BOTH"
~ ~ was OCttIcu. Anu mis-. hui tOll,
with great deal of respect and admira-
tlOn, which almost amounted to awe, for
her niece, which had been growing
steadily as her scheme progressed, took
up her abode at Edna's cottage; and Mr..
Clifford set about an investigation to
see If any OF the property could be re-
gained. Clifford was an able lawyer,
and the result was, that in two months
mn Mro Hor{or,
ed of her home and sufficient of the lost
to enable her to live at ease
once more.
And Edna? Despite her success, de-
spite her ''strOng-mindedness," there |
was more loneliness in her heart than |
she would have cared to own, as she |
stood alone on the lighted piazza the |
night after her aunt had returned to her |
home. In the fifteen months that had |
passed since she began her new life, she |
had heard no word from Leslie Holmes. |
She felt little bitter at times, and a |
little scOrnful. also, as slowly and reluct- |
antly the unpleasant fact that it had |
been as she half feared, forced itself up
]n her mind.
81 wOnder,,' she thought, 'if he is like
other men, who preach up wOmanly in
and usefulness, and then, as
soon as woman puts her pet theory in
70 practice, he turns in disgust from her /!
strOng:mindedness. If he is man he
will honor me for my independence, and
f he is not it don't matter"
So absorbed was she that she did not |
hear the click from the gate latch, nor
he quick step that came up the walk,
Until it was close beside her. She turned |
hen, confronting tall, bearded man,
1t sight of which she stopped, paralyzed
,y conflicting emotions.
EDNA, my brave little girlv'
"Oh, Lesliep'
Then she was in his arms. Then DR..
tray came up the path, all unconscious,
stopping in bewilderness as he beheld |
he apparatiOn before him.
'Why, bless my sOulp' he exclaimed in |
IF that ain't-yes, it's Les
lie Holmes! You young dog, what do
7Ou mean by putting in an appearance |
1t this late day?"
Better late than never" laughed Les
lie, as he shook the doctors prOffered |
hand. 81 should have been here long |
ince, but l heard Edna had moved away, |
md not knowing where, never wrote. |
changed my quarters over year ago, |
which accounts, suppose, for the fact |
hat did not hear from her."
"Humphr' said the doctor. 1T is a |
good thing you can render straight ac-
count. l suppose you came back rich, |
,ut can tell you that Edna Farleigh is |
! greater fortune to any man than there |
s i'm the mines of California"
Which was Leslie's opinion exactly.