Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-10

In the event OF his QeaL0, my father
tells me, he has appointed you guardian
of his daughter and executor of his will.
etc., etc.
Eyes. Knowing my devotion to nv sis
ter, his wife, and, think, believing his
young daughter very dependent on my
mothers care, he concluded that at least
he would, by so doing, secure devotion to
their interest. l am complimented that
Judge Barrett should have considered me
worthy OF such trust"
''No doubt he has done wisely. I am
very much a stranger, find, even in my
own family. OF course, L have known al
ways that my father was kinsman of
Judge Barretts first wife, CharlOtte's
mother, but the fact might have ceased to
impress me, as Mrs. Barrett has been so
long dead, if 1 mad not found, on my re-
turn home, my parents perfectly wrapped
up in her little daughter. 1t is the very
partial tenderness of two aged people for
a bright Young girl. Think they cOVet the
exclusive care of her themselves, but the
Judge wisely reminded my father that he
was too old tor just such responsibility.
came to-day to say to you, sir, at my
fathers earnest request, strengthened by
nv own sincere wish, that | am ready to
aid you in their interest in any way; and
to say also that you can always count on
our earnest cooperation in any plans you
of Judge Barrett's family. We feel no
ordinary interest in Charlie, and 1 am
sure there is nothing more dear to my
mothers heart than her happiness"
81 am truly glad to know that l shall
have the valuable cooperation of your
family. was only waiting until 1 was
really vested with authority to call and
solicit as much at your hands" After a
short hesitation, he continued: 81 trust
Of
flying visits to this cOuntryW
The answer came a little startling; in
deed it was so entirely unlocked for that
Mr.. Beltham, thrown off his guard, showed
his equal establishment and regret, which
was not lost on his watchful visitor.
81 have given up wandering; shall live
here always now"
''That is certainly pleasant conclu-
sion. / trust you will find scientific
studies of some sort on this side of civili-
zatiOn," was answered lightly.
''I'ye no possible doubt of that. What
lovely weather we have here! 1t has been
so long since Pve spent the fall months at
home, | find l had half forgotten their
matchless beauty"
The talk drifted easily away from i'm
pOrtant matters. and in twenty minutes
more Mr.. Fearne took his leave, ceremO-
niOusly attended to the door and gate by
his polite host. The mental entry set
down in his note book by Mr.. Fearne, as
he walked back home in the monday
heat, was somewhat to this effect: ''This
Beltham is not a fool, and perhaps not
knave; but he will require watching, and
he will have itH'
This Judgment sounds succinct, even
contentious, and vet it was by no means
a final one. Mr.. Fearne had started out
on this visit with no little confidence in
his own acuteness of observation and eX-
perienced knowledge of men. He did not
doubt that one interview would test con-
clusively this mans calibre. He had,
more than once. formulated theory as to
men and things in very few minutes,
which long cquaintanceshlp and close
study had verified with curious accuracy;
but this morning he had seemed to reach
his conclusions more slowly and with less
certain conviction. Looking at Albert
Beltham-clOselY, critically-heh had failed
to fathOm him. He was courteous, good
looking, easy and seemingly frank. This
he knew anV man might be, and still lack
every essential Of prObity and character.
But, with all his pleasant bearing, there
was a something about him that did not
prove the genuine ring OF the true metal.
What it was, or how it made itself felt,
EscOtte could not determine. He found
himself disposed to fall back on Charles
ultimatum as his father had done.
"Charlie hates himP' had been the de-
cree of the fireside court at home. But he
threw off this suggestion with scorn.
''Shall l, who have not allowed wise men
to form my opinions, be moved by the
perhaps grOundless and unreasonable
caprice of spoiled child? 1t is enough
that a man, so just and so good as my
father, has let his tenderness warp his bet
ter Judgment. / must know for myself,
and | will know"
Suddenly he remembered that he might
have brought the young girl more prOmi-
nently into the conversation, and in this
way have found just how her guardian re-
garded her. 1t was too late now, and,
quietly concluding to see MIR. Beltham
further before committing himself to any
opinion, he found he had reached his
fathers door.
Mr.. Beltham, having seen his guest to
the gate and babe him "gOOd morning."
turned back with the ostensible purpose
of returning to the house. And he did
walk back for twenty PAGES until he
reached the shelter of a huge magnolia
tree. Here he deliberately ensconced
himself and looked out after the receding
form of Mr.. Fearne, just exactly as most
women similarly circumStanced would
have done. He had been wanting all the
morning a good, full look at the gentle
man, but had Systematically denied him.
self until now. His conclusions were ar
rived at more readily, and treated more
lightly than his visitors.
EsHa! ha! and so this is the scientist
Just arrived, covered with the dust of old
books, and wise in all manner of useless
things; enthusiastic over the antenn8 Of
some new-fOund bug or insect, and ig-
nOrant of the politics of his own country.
TIl wager our uncle Henry, too old to throw
down the gauntlet to me, has set on this
visionary son to thwart my purposes. 1t
is a diVerting conclusion: an amusing
rolel If l am not more than a match for
the learned prig, L will throw up the
cards. For the rest, he is remarkably
handSOme-enViably handsome! and such
a voice! If / had it-well! | should man.
age men and subjugate women adj libitum.
And then he is such figure! a sort OF
athlete; don't look like a student at all
dresses we'll tOO--and has-yes, he has quite
a manner with it all. That grows out of
his independent pecuniary condition. l
should have just such, too, under equal
circumstances. But, Mr.. Fearne, hand
some, rich, well-dressed as you are, you
have not studied in the same school as
has Albert Beltham, and you will do well
to leave him aloneW
Laughing little to himself, he walks
quickly back to the house with his hands
in his pockets almost whistlIng, when,
suddenly recOllectng himself, he assumed
his graYest, most responsible air, and
walked very gently toward the sick
chamber. In here, after an absence of
less than an hour, he finds a great change.
The violence of the fever has abated. The
pulse, from its rapid, surging bound, has
quieted to a thready thrOb, slow, distinct
and feeble. The patient lies PROSTATE, in
sensible, effOrtless in the clutch of death.
On his cooling forehead are already form
ing drops of moisture. He will speak
never more, and the end is very close! The
supreme hour and the inevitable is even
now being pointed with the certain finger
of the clock. The curtain, dim, dark,
heavy, is owering-lOwering!
A few more feeble struggles and Judge
Barrett will be-teSting the truth or
fallacy of his cherished theories; but he
will be also in the hands OF his Maker,
'eWho knoweth our frame, Who remem-
bereth that we are dust"
On his left side sits his wife holding his
hand with her head bowed on it. She has
been faithful and she is good, but she is
not strong enough to watch to the end.
On a sofa, a little apart, sits Mrs. Bel
than. holding Charities hand tight in both
of her own. The girl sits erect and mo-
tionless, with her large, brilliant eyes
fixed on her fathers face. She looks pain
fully spell-bOund and fascinated. This is
her first look at death, and her soul feels
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