The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-08-19

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.r nj 81
"Qulte well, thank you; sit down.
Edgar will be here presently"
Mrs. Foster spoke cheerfully, tho
her heart was full of misgivings.
"Haye you seen papa?" demand
ed little Wilhelmina, who had been
studying her uncle's face closely.
He lifted the child to his knee,
kissed her, without speaking. But
reading the growing anxiety in his
sister face, he answered her look
"Your husband is quite well, Mel
lie, .nd-perfectly safe 5at
"Then what have you come to tell
us?' asked Mrs. Foster, steadily.
"Send the children away" said
Mr.. Arnot, hoarsely. r.,.5 ,.F
But the elder girls, thoroughly
frightened, now clung to their moth
er; and Eddie, who had been so
quiet that his uncle had not seen
him until now, came ont OF his corn
er, and stood silently at his mothers
side. Mrs. Foster paid no attention
to them. She only looked into her
brothers face, with eyes that would
read the truth. -.s.c
"Your husband has been charged
that is, there are some who think
that--that he has used money that
was not his Owu; aud he is detain-
ed at his office at present--will he
detained from YOU until this natter
can be cleared up" he added, re-
luctantly, answering those question
ing eyes. ....
How dare they" cried Bella,
bursting into hvsterical sobs: "Oh.
papa, papa"
Eddie" said the mother, quietly,
"go to my room and get the ammo
MIA from my medicine closet. Addie
has tainted"
Uncle Henry lifted the young
GIRL and carried her to sofa, and
Bella checked her tears to help
them chafe the cold hands. No one
uoticiced that Wilbelmina had slip
ped out of the room. They sup
posed she understood nothing that
had been said; and they had only
just begun to miss her, when TWEEN
tv minutes later, she was walking
up the steps to her fathers office.
1.-TWO or three gentlemen were
taking earnestly in an outer room
They were her fathers busines
friends. and knew the little one well.
But she passed them without word,
and went on through the open door
into the inner room. Her father
was sitting, still and white, beside
the table; some gentlemen were
standing around it, and an officer
stood at respectful distance. The
child walked up to her father, and
placed her hand on his arm.
"Papa."
Mr.. Foster started and looked up,
aud then covered his face with his
hands.
ooh, Willy, my little Willy! What
made you Gomez?
81 came to be with you" said the
child, firmly; and then turning a
flashing face on the group around
the table:
Glow dare you say that my faith
er did anything wrong: How car
you be SO wicked?"
More than one head was turned
away to hide the starting tears, but
no one could find words to answer
the child.
"Why don't you tell them, papai
Why don't you say that you didn't
Everybody knows that you are good
Speak, papa!"
What would Edgar Foster have
given to be able to look into those
pure eyes and say that he was limo
cent! He shook as with an ague
and the clasp of WHY'S arms round
his neck, and the touch of her soft
lips on his cheek, was agony.
"Take her away! This is killing
me- he gasped, as she repeated
over and over, Speak, papa! tel
them you didn't"
But Willy only clung closer tc
him. and resisted the hands that
would have drawn her away from
her miserable father.
"Willy, mamma sent me to look
for you"
It was Eddie's voice, and the
strong man groaned, as he caught
sight of the boyish form on the
other side of the table. The boy
did not even glance at his fathers
face: and his own was flushed, yet
set and hard. He had heard his
sisters last appeal. and his father
silence stabbed him to the heart.
Mr.. Foster unclapsed Willie's
clinging hands, and carried her to
her brother. Take her home, my
bov" he said, huskily.
Eddie struggled for an instant
to control his feelings. and then
with a burst of childish sorrow
threw himself into his fathers's
arms. Those standing around turned
one after the other. and walked tc
the door, and the father and chill
dren we're left alone.
In that hour Of bitter anguish
Edgar Fosrer met a penalty tenfold
heavier than any that could have
come upon him for his early wrong
doings. But who shall say that
even at this late hour, remorse may
not be followed by sincere repent
ance, and the man yet be saved?