West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-06-26


passed between them, evidently dsap
pointing the doctor, who crossing IN,
room to Helen, said hurredly.
Come this way one minute. Imnst pr
directly back to the city"
Her first impulse was To turn away from
him. Her second TO make him answer for
what she considered nothing less than An
insult She followed HIM without a word
to the front door. where he stepped outside
so as not 10 be overheard but one glance
at her face made him realize the useless.
ness of words
You must trust me, Helen he said.
until can eNpla N, - but she would not
listen making her own terms. And so they
parted
IF you ever want me, will come 10
you. Over and over she heard the words.
and hated herself for hearing them. as she
moved, smiling and brilliant, among her
guests. Her father was apparently at his
ease, but she knew from the red spot on
hls forehead that something had disturbed
him.
The Thanksg wing party was great
success. At precisely twelve O'Clock the
sleighs were brought to the door, and all
returned to the city, separating for their
several homes with many hearty congratu-
latlons TO the host and hostess.
MIR. Charlingtons face was still flushed.
Even the drive in the snowy air had not
lessencd his color Helen removed her
wrappings, and sat down facing him.
doctor Bolton had some news for YOU.
father. What was il 2"
He glowed at her angrily.
'Nothing pleasant for you to hear,
Helen"
81 have heard things before that were
not pleasant, was the answer, ''and /
have special reason for wanting to
know
doctor Bolton made a discovery i'm his
visit to-day. Your brother Edgar is in
Riverfork Hospital, brought there yester-
day, he tells me, from New York -
At the mention Of her brothers name
Helen sprang to her feet
And you--' she gasped.
IL am In no way responsible. Edgar
took his own course. | told him that IL
he left the house that night, he need
never return TO il. For once he obeyed
me-"
Father, father And you can be so
cruel 1t is Thanksgiving night"
'Did you forget that" ne sneered.
when you sent Bolton away with almost
the same words. heard them-acci-
dentally.
Appeal was useless, Helen knew. With.
out another word she left the room. Al
six O'Clock that morning she was driven TO
the hospital, and shown to her brothers
room. Doctor Bolton had spent the night
there; but that very hour Edsar had
passed beyond the need Of any human
friends. Helen stood rigid by her brothers.
bedside.
''He is TO be brought TO my father
house, she said, without looking toward
the doctor, who waited silently and with
out another word she passed him
At the door she hcstated an instant,
looking back at the living and the dead,
the only two she had ever loved on earth.
But Warren Bottoms face was hidden In
his hands, and, crushing the impulse that
had moved her, she made her way out
into the street.
Her father was alone at the breakfast
table.
edgar will be brought home to-day,
she said, sharply. ''You had your way
with him when he was alive, take inc
now he is dead" and she passed on her
solitary way upstairs.
The paths of Helen Charlington and
Warren Bolton never crossed each other.
lie heard of her often as a brilliant mem
Der of the society to which she pre-emi-
nently belonged. She knew nothing Of
him, as his work and time were given TO a
, class Of the community with which she
could have nothing in common.
Thanksgiving had never been observed
in the family after the day spent at the
seashore. Father and daughter passed il
separately, and if IL was an anniversary for
either, il was never spoken Of. II was
four years afterward that Helen, few
days before the annual holiday, announced
her intention Of spending il at the seaside
cottage. IL was really delightful month,
a prolongation of the Indian summer, but
Thanksgiving Day dawned az bleak and
cheeress as the heart Of the lonely woman
by the sea. Toward noon a storm came
up, the day wore away in a tempest, which
lulled at nightfall Helen, wrapped in her
solitary musings, and watching the roll Of
the enormous breakers on the beach, was
interrupted by her maid,
e"One OF the fishermen from the shore
would like to speak to you, Miss Charling-
ton
He entered as she spoke, AN old weather
beaten man, evidently in great distress.
cts my boy" he explained, 'hurt, my
lady. They brought him ashore, and the
Riverford doctor has come down to see
him, but it's a bit Of the brandy that's
wanting, lady, and thought maybe you
would have IL 70 give me-"
AS the maid left the room 10 get the
needed supply, she asked doctor Boil
ton r"
"Oh, yes, lady, The doctor who is 30
good 10 the poor fisher folks IIc always
comes when we need him, Cod bless him,
though les little Of the money he gets from
any Of us. "
The old man hurried away with the
brandy. A few minutes later servant
was dispatched with an immense basket of
provisions, and q note which ran
"WARREN, you said n ever wanted
you, you would come to me. II there is
/ less hardness In your heart than I'm our
family blood, come and spend Thanksgiv-
/ ing evening with
"HEfRN.' 80
Il was fully three hours later before
I Doctor Bolton stepped upon the cottage
piazza. 70 was duty FIRST then, as 10 had
always been. But woman met him ai
MM