The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-24
A "MODEL FATHER. "
Story of a Scheming Tragedian
and His Pretty Daughter.
Low Cunning and Selfish Ambition on
the One Hand, and Innocent Purity
and Dutiful Devotion on
the Other.
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
CHAPTER VIU.-CONTINUED.


take them; but when they were once in
side the vehicle and rumbling slowly
over the muffied stones, q little dis
cOmfiture touched the Irishman's s
heart. 1t DaS counting somewhat
rashly on the best friends forbearance
and kindness, to propose to rouse him
at such an hour in order to leave a
houseless girl upon his hospitality, and
'''twill be adding insult to injury"
said Cassidy to himself, ''to make him
pay the cab-fare."
1t was something of a shock to him
when at last the four-wheeler, after a
drearF Journey, paused before the house
of Mr.. I.everett in Mazda Vale, to find
the lower windows Illuminated, and to
hear the sounds of music and voices
floating from the drawing-rCom. He
had his task TO go through, however,
and on reflection, this seemed TO make
it little easier. Leaving Mary in the
cab he advanced to the door and
knocked boldly. LeYerett himself ap-
peared in answer.
''Why. Bill, what are you doing here
ct this time of night" he cried.
"ShI" said Cassidy. "Give me a
helping hand here, Horace, if We never
did in your loife before. Here's Bas-
sett's daughter, that found wandering
in the streets half wild with grief, poor
thing. tried to bring her home, but
there she sOO1l't go. So said to meself,
there's Horace, the only man that |
know that'll do it, that has women
folks about him. and III bring her to
him. May be Mrs. Leverett and Ma
tliia viii find out what's the matter.
She won't breathe a word to me-"
Wait a Bit" said Lcverctt, I'll
fetch the wife"
lie ran indoors, and returned with
Mrs. Lcverett, TO whom in few whis-
pered words he conveyed the situation.
Dear me, Horace" said the good
woman, ''where is she? What can be
the matter?" She ran out to the cab,
and came back with a motherly arm
about the mufiied figure. The girl was
, crying as if her heart would break.
Horace" said Cassidy, shamefaced-
fy. 81 hadn't a penny for the cab.
Will We stop it out of tO-mOrrow's al
loyance?''
Leverett paid the fare and dismissed
the wondering jarvey.
'Go down into the Kitchen" he said
to Cassidy There's fire there. and
I'll bring you glass of grog after your
ride. I've some people here, and l
can't say anything about this matter
They're going directly"
Cassidy slipped down stairs and
waited by the fire, and in half an hour
the host came down with the prom
ised grOg, the which the guest CRATE
fully disposed of. While they were
discussing the nights adventure Mrs.
Leverett descended.
Horace" she began, ''never speak
a word to Montgomery BaSsett any
more"
What has he done?" asked the hus-
band.
Turned that poor child into the
streets without so much as a hat or
shawl, on this night of all others in the
year. The brutcr'
What for?" cried Leverett 81 al
ways thought him model father"
The poor girl refused to marry that
young-What his name-the mill
ionaire, or whatever he is-yElng-"
''Weatherley?" sad Cassidy.
''Weatheriey. cried the motherly
woman, rs if the name were an
offensive epithet. And it's my belief.
William, that the poor thing is break
ing her heart about young Cameron.
She says she never tilted him, but that
he Tilted her. and that she never was
engaged to the other man, though her
father has always pressed hor. :"
That's quare story. Horace" said
Cassidy. And / know this, anyway
that Jack Cameron's hearts broke with
her. and was with him. more be token.
poor boy, when BaSSett forbade him the
house in his daughters neem, bedad,
and swOre that she had thrown him
over for young Weatherle-. And he
confessed that the girl had accepted
Weatherley within an hour of the time
she said Yes to poor Jack. And if
I'd thought of it all as think of it now,
she might have stopped in the streets
for me.
There's more in this than we know
OF" said Leverett oracularly.
There's not much more in it than l
know" returned Cassidy. Didn't she
send his ring back with mOcking
message. and didn't see the letter with
me own Dyes? I'll tell We now," cried
William, in a mighty heat, ''before he
gave her the ring he kissed it three
times, and he said to her: There's one
for love, and one for conStancy and one
for happy fortune And he got the
ring back the next day but one with
them words with it, that was known
only to their two selves. And his hearts
Just broke with her, that's what it is
I'll take me coat back. Horace,
and FL be goin' home. Cameron's
starting for Nicopolis in the morning
and I'll find him up already"
Neither of his hearers quite caught
the name of the place to which Gamer
on was bound, but Mrs. Leverett said,
seriously:
He ought to know the truth at once,
William"
Cassidy shook his head stubbornly.
''Pll be as glad rs anybody to find
out that she's what l used to think her;
but he's suffered enough already, and
won't plague him"
And so it did actually come about
that Jack Cameron left England's
shores behind and his true-love in dis
tresS, without knowing of her truth,
near as the knowledge seemed to come
to him. And the seed Montgomery
Bassett had sown bore poison none the
less for others because it bore poison
for the planter also.
CHAPTER TX
-Hocanr' criel voice, with an un-
mi.tskable Irish accent Hogan, We