Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-27

] ny iNcle conway was the
/ only one of Us who tried to keep the clans
together
LINDA must have married foreigner
Lois continued, calmly, disregardng the
/ GOODNESS of his tone and the sternness of
his face; and referring once more 70 her
! husbands letter with pretty show OF
/ careless interest: ''Ths girl has a queer
name-Liska Carevna.'
Russian" BERTHE Hayward suggested,
timidly.
More probably Polish" McRhea cor.
rected. let rs hope so. The Polish
women are proyerbially attractive, you
know"
But she isn't woman" Charley Dud-
ley put in. "A mere child-ten years old
l think you said, Mrs. Conway
'And to wait eight or ten years is hope
too long deferred, isn't itE" his sister Una
said. laughing.
zone can afford to wait ten years for a
certain kind Of beauty" McRhea said,
calamity, in tone which reduced Miss
Dudley TO silence.
"All speculation is useless" Grace
Walton sighed. I'VE must wait with the
best possible grace until tomorrow brings
us facts"
''And we will gladly wait with Grace"
BERTHE rejoined. smiling.
There, BERTHE! that's the third time
since noon. Lois, what shall be done
with so grace-less a punster?' Ruth
cried, looking up in mock dismay.
Establishment is close upon you, Berthe"
Lois replied, laughing. ''Unless you can
appease Ruth, Pm afraid you will have to
CO."
"Oh! | know Ruth's weakness" he an
swered, impudently. 'NOw. my friend
discuss that" laying a luscious peach on
her plate, land let your amiable neighbor
live in peace"
4 Oh, n
sighed, returning to the subject under dis
cussiOn.
The following day Robert returned,
bringing with him the child whose COM
ing Lois had heralded with so much
tact.
She was wonderfully beautiful after a
style rarely seen. A little, dark face, oval
in contour, piquant and varying in ex-
preston. A clear, olive complexion. the
rich blood glowing in the cheeks and IN
the full, perfect lips. Black hair hanging
in loose curls almost to her waist; and
eyes so darkly blue with their heavy black
lashes that | invOluntarily thought of
McRhea who alone, of all the people |
knew, could claim so rare beauty.
She came INTO. the room full of eager,
curious people with absolutely no embar-
rassment. She accepted the evident ad-
miration of our gaze with the easy grace
OF woman who has been fed on fattery
until she has become too surfelted to be
moved by it. Evidently the child had
been reared among strangers; and, quite
as evidently, she had not suffered from so
dangerous training.
When she spoke to Lois the purity and
correctness of her English surprised me.
And | straightway determined to ask
Robert where the little foreigner had
picked up her knowledge.
Il have had room adjoining mine ar
ranged for you, my dear" Lois said. see
ing weary look creep into the little face.
"Shall we go up there and let you lay off
your things and rest awhile? You must
be tired.''
"Ah, madame, it has been long lour-
ney," she answered, the tears coming
quickly into her eyes. And a sad one"
she added, softly.
Her manner was unnatUrally selfpos-
sessed and matured for so young a child.
think we were moved by a dim sense of
pain as we regarded her.
But you are at home now: and YOU must
try to forget all that" Lois answered, ten
derby. 'YOu have met all the family now
all but Col McRhea," she added, noticing.
as we also did, for the first time that he had
left the room. 81 wonder where he could
have gone. And am sure every friend
here will be your friend also, and will try
to make it pleasant for You. A house full
though, l fear"
Il have never played with children"
the little lady answered, calmly; 81 don't
like Them
Lois laughed softly and stroked the
black curls.
THAT is fortunate. Then you can be
nv companion. And l think we shall Get
on famously together"
The tears rushed to my eyes as l
watched the two go up the broad stairway
together and heard Lois low laugh once
more as she turned down the corridor.
Her sweet, wOmanly grace had won the
child's favor; and knew how dear it cost
her to be gracious and loving to this child
who had brought the shadow of innumer-
able doubts into her heart.
left the library and took my way slow |
ly to BOb's smoking-roOm.
"Well, that is over, thank GOd!"
| recognized McRhea's voice as | ap- /
preached the room.
You eXaggerate the matter, Olin,' I
Bob answered, impatiently. "A little /
plain speaking would set matters /
straight. "
But when You attempt your plain /
speaking. where are your proofs ?" he re- /
thrted; and every word cut like Damascus /
steel. You surely don't want to admit
suspicion that. after all, may be very wide I
of the mark. | cOuldn'tdO my friend that /
a.,
bitter emphasis. Before God, wouldn't |
do it if the sin were to be laid upon my /
shoulders throughout eternity"
but those eyes are damning. Who will |
long doubt such eyes?"
1T can't be helped, my boy" he an /
swered, YEARLY. II see the truth Of your |
words. Before tomorrow night your
wife and the whole house Will harbOr /
that thought. don't care for the others,
but
"YOu do care for Lois"
eyes," with desperate candOr. 81 do /
care for your wife. My aunt, your
mother, told you of my fOndness for Lois |
when we met in the Highlands, and | was /
poor devil up to my eyes in debt. 1t is |
useless to deny that fact or to ignore it. | /
didn't marry he~; / couldn't. And YOU
did. That surely ought to satisfy you. A /
purer, truer woman than your wife never |
lived. She loves you. and she guards |
your family honor with a jealous eye.
You need not regard either of us with sus-
picion. l have no idea she remembers /
anything that happened in the Highlands.
1t is l who am the fool; and 1 admit it
with all frankness. 1t does give me pain |
to feel that Lois will be compelled by the
very force of circumstances to misjudge
me. | might clear myself, | know. But
how: By eliminating a friend; and that
is towards resort. | gave Carevna my
solemn oath without any sort of reserva-
ton, and before God mean to keep it till
the time comes when | promised him |
would tell the child"
He had spoken rapidly and with effort.
When he ceased he paced the floor rest
lessly; and l, standing near the window,
could hear his labOred breathing.
Here's my hand, Olin," Robert said,
after moment. 81 am glad you have
talked to me about yourself and Lois.
now feel satisfied on that point. And |
want you to feel satisfied that all can do
for you in this matter shall be done. You
will have to suffer. That's plain. Every
will plead against you; but
if you think you can stand it, well and
good! I'll stand by you shoulder to
shoulder. And we will trust to time to
right matters"
TO BE CONTINUED
On the Next Block.