The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-09-27
CHAPTER ".

1t was true. The doctor said that the
powerful scent in the close air had pois.
oned the sleeping child, wearied out by
his days pleasure, and already weakened
as he was by the confined life and want
of fresh air in his town home. If he had
been stronger child, such thing might
not have happened. For the next two
days, Estelle did not leave the side of the
bed upon which they had placed the boy.
She neither ate nor slept-scarcely even
spoke. Madame would come in, her face
swollen and flushed with crying, half,a-
dozen times in the day, to see her and
take another look at the child who had
grown as dear to her as one of her own
might have been. She tried to induce
the girl to break the terrible watch which
she kept over the dead child. But it was
useless.
''There is tragedy there, voyez -vous,"
she said to the kind hearted doctor who
came again to see the Englishwoman.
chat child was more to her than were
most peoples. She has a story to her
life, but | would not ask. She came just
six months ago-one bitter day. She was
shivering, but only thought of protecting
the boy. She has lived here ever since,
working as only the poorest work. She
said her name was Estelle-she called it
Esther-or something, English, voyez
vous but l could not remember, so
called her Estelle. She gave no other
name, and she flushed scarlet as poppy
when she said it. 1t was droll having no
surname, but would not ask. She has
never had letter nor friend to see her.
She knows no one in Paris but the little
one" and madame melted into tears
again.
Up stairs, the woman, whose last
earthly tie seemed to have snapped with
the child's life, sat white and fearless by
the bed.
They took him away from her after
those two days. She came back quite
late in the evening of the day of the
funeral. Madame left her by the tiny
grave in the morning, and she supposed
she had been there ever since. But she
asked no questions and let her go up to
her room, on her return undisturbed.
For second or two Estelle stood in
doorway, as if trying to remember some
thing she wished to do. Then she went
over to the old chest of drawers.
81 had better let him know that he can
do nothing now," she said to herself
She opened one of the drawers. In it
lay few garments belongngto the child.
On the top of them lay the pinafore and
the tiny slippers they had taken off him
that morning. She took them out and
turned them over slowly in her hand.
But her eyes were perfectly dry, She had
never once cried since the child died. She
put them back. cit was not that l
wanted, " she said
Then she opened another and found a
writing desk. She took out from it a
letter. 1t was in English, written in
bold, mans hand, dated year back.
'MY DEAR EsTHER.-Do not let this
letter distress you. l know that what
you told me the day / left you in Paris
was perfectly tru e-that l could never
win your love. l would not have spoken
that day, only you seemed to be quite
alone, and l wished you to know that
was always your friend. But | will not
trouble you again. am going abroad,
and shall be out of England some years,
and as shall be always travelling about
l am going to give you the address Of my
lawyers in London. Do not be angry.
You refused my help, dear. for yourself
but the boy. One day you might, for
some reason, be glad of what have done.
have left certain sum in their hands.
You know that am rich. 1t is no longer
mine and you must not be angry for my
giving it over for the use Of your boy.
Write 10 me then and the lawyers will
forward the letters. Now, dear, good
by for long time. God bless you and
your boy. Yours,
DONALD HUNTLY."
She read it through once or twice before
quite understanding that it was the letter
for which she had been searching Then
she sat down and wrote two or three
lines TO Mr.. Donald Huntfey. She said
nothing of herself, only that the child
was dead. She sealed it and addressed
it to his lawyers in London. Then she
sat still, and went oversome of the events
that had happened to her since that letter
had reached her. This friend had brought
her to Paris year ago, at her request.
(To be continued.)