Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-07-17

- AoIVCutLy, IA JuOlSHnu
THANKS, dear Miss Graham" and then
with one glance at Annie. rushed Off
she didn't think till she saw that CLEAN
OF DIS eye and Annie's answering smile.
What she had said.
we got Lefty to bed with some diff
Guilty. and Mr.. Talbot vent for the
doctor. By that time the servants had
Degun TO come back, but all the salts
1acs'on they brought was that a slender,
oark-eyed man. supposed to be a for
eigner, had been seen hanging about
Marie for the last few days. THEY'RE
c~onfederates. of course" I said at
once, land it is all a plot to steal the
child for a reward"
Perhaps it is a sweetheart" Annie
suggested.
my dear" 1 said a little sharply,
"ot course you think So"
1T is as natural a supposition as the
other" said Mr.. Talbot, which was
What was to be expected from him.
But | could have told him that Annie
needed none of his support. She had
a look in her eyes as if Letty's jealousy
Just made her faith in-some one
aeeper and truer, a sort of tender pity
every time the poor child shrieked out
some fresh arraignment of Rob.
We had a miserable afternoon,
though. thanks to an anodyne. we
quieted poor Lefty after a while. There
were consultations and plans, and
messengers sem off on vague traces
which the police fancied they had
found. Practically we were waiting
for Rob, in the hope that with him
Harold would appear; and a last, just
as Lefty was rous:ng again and asking
for news, Annie, at sight or sound Of
something. rushed down the avenue,
and then there was a cloud Of dust,
and falbot's team, which he had sent
to the station on the chance of their
coming on the five o'clock express, ap-
psared. There sat Rob. holding the
baby. and Frank and Marie. she very
fearful and he very triumphant, were
on the back seat. In another instant
Rob was down, and we were all about
him, and the queen-dowager wouldhave
torn Harold from his arms if he hadn't
been firm.
mo, no; let me give him to his
mother" he cried. "Poor, poor Lefty!
to have had such a fright" There
was a shrek above as he rushed into
the hall, and Lefty came running down.
They methalf-way, andit's awonder the
child wasn't smothered between them.
But it was pretty as a picture. Rob half
kneeling, and Lefty leaning down, all
in white, and her golden hair stream
ing. and the light of the stained win
dow on the landing bathing them in
crimson.
1T was my fault, darling" we heard
Rob saying, 'but I never dreamed OF
your having such a fright"
And Lefty answered, wildly: mo.
no; it was mine-to doubt you so. Oh,
how could II"
That was all very we'll as sentiment,
but net precisely explanatory. We had
all that presently, however, and simple
enough it all was. In the city. the day
before. Rob had met his old friend Car.
thame, the protrait painter. Just out fol
a few days from New York, and a,
sight of him. the idea had flashed or
him that q crayon sketch Of Harolc
would be the prettiest possible surprise
for Letty's coming birthday. Carthame
has q special reputation on children.
and his being in Northington was q
chance not to be missed.
IAN right" Carthame had said.
'I'll do it for you, though I wouldn't
for everybody in such q hurry. Bring
the boy down to Eorthington to-mor:
} row, and I'll manage a head foryou, al
I'M rate"
| So Rob had hastily arranged with
Marie the night before. charging her tc
toll the queen-dowager. And here
r Marie dissolved in tears, and owned
, that she had met her-her cousin thai
same evening. and it had driven every.
thing out OF her head, and she hac
quite forgotten that part OF the scheme
IF I had not been really obliged tc
: run into the city this morning l coule
: have managed it BETTER" Rob went on
2 ..But all l could do was to tell Mariete
bring the boy down, and l would NEE
t her there, and | never dreamed of al
the fuss, till an hour ago there was
tremendous ring at Cathrame's door
he's with his isterthere-and in walked
l Truman as white as a ghost"
, Frank admitted the pallor. He hat
8 been. he said, so taken aback at find
ing the two together that for on
> dreadful instant he had not know
what to think.
OF course when it was explained,
seemed nothing at all. We laughed a
!, our agonies, our frantic kilograms, on
1 messengers, and the rest. But I mus
say it had results that were far from
S unimportant. 1t was really a lesson t
Lefty, and she has behaved bette
[ since; it brought about an understand
= ing between Annie and Frank, and
'.Really," Pam said, delighted to b
able to abandon gracefully her arlsto
d cratic objections. latter what has hap
S pened, we must be glad to have hin
one of us. Only I'm sorry for Mr.. Tai
t bot. l suppose he understood tina
e day." she went on, innocently. III
l hasn't been here since, l notice."
e cit is about all you have noticed.
$ laughed Lefty. cor you'd know ther
was no end to lamentation over him.
> "Oh, I dare say, he'll console him
r self" Pam said. "of course, at tn:
time of life-and can't say I ever sur
posed him in love with Annie"
81 should hope not, indeed" Lett
said, in high good humor. "As &c
his %consoling himself. if you take
e that way, he's done it already. ]
y you hadn't been half blind for tn
l. f,,4 ~,n+l, would bava known wh.