The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-09-24

hlm 10 dinner young man.
The latter made himself rather
agreeable to Nita and seemed bent up
on producing a favorable impression.
He returned after that many times.
He called in the evening while the
doctor was making his rounds, and
when the doctor found him there he
discreetly disappeared after few
pleasant words. and left his ward to
entertain her visitor unmolested.
Nita neither expressed pleasure nor
the reverse at this new state of things,
and thus few months passed.
Quite abruptly one day the doctor
said:
Mia. Henry Payton has proposed
for you"
Yes, 1 know" said Mia, and said
no more.
We'll" continued DIR. Irving with
one of the rare peculiar smiles ms lady
patients found SO fascinating, what
answer are you going to give the poor
fellow"
Instead of replying Mia looked
steadily at her guardian moment.
.'Do you want me to accept him?''
she asked.
''t you think you might be happy
with hint might be a good thing"
said DR.. Irving in quiet matter-of-
fact way.
The girl turned brusquely away.
DIR. Irving took up his newspaper
and feigned not to see that she was
fighting again st one of the passions of
sobs and tears that had become almost
habituai with her of late.
''PaytOn," he went on in the same
tone, lis a very fine fellow; lie is ex-
tremely fond OF you; he is well enough
Off to give you D.ost desirable home.
|, my dear child, shall in all probabili-
ty not live forever. In ten years time
when you will be still, as things go
now, counted as young lady, | shall
be-well, probably, stoutish, tlorid
prosaic old fellow with look of more
or less comfortable middle age stamp
ed all over me, and plenty of gray hairs
in my head. If anything happened 10
me you would be quite alone in the
world. Moreover, L might marry my
self some day, and then l could not
give you the same care have hitherto
always been too happy to bestow on
you-"
DR.. Irving was very clever man;
he had had a set purpose in his mind
as he talked, but he had for once made
mistake; he had overdone his part; he
had gone too far With cry like that
of wounded animal, the girl sprang
to him and grasped his arm.
Don't say thatr-the words came
thick and indistinc5 between short
gasps- you shall not marry! No, no
onei Do you hear? You shall notr'
The fierce Italian blood blazed in her
great burning eyes, and her thin small
fingers closed over his arm like vice.
You shall not hurt me so! You
have no heart, no pity, no mercy-ohr'
Her hands relaxed their hold suddenly,
and she threw them over her face.
What have you made me say?" she
moaned. .'Oh, forget it-torget it, for
the merciful Heavens sake! | am not
we'll; | don't know what | saidr'
DIR. Irving had stood mOtionless all
through this scene. He looked down
at the covering figure of the girl one
moment, and came to a decision.
Firmly, almost sternly, he took her
by the arm, and leading her to chair,
made her sit down. He waited one
instant, standing erect in front of her;
then ne said:
"Once, years ago, | loved a woman.
Are you listening TO me? have not
spoken of her for twelve years. |
would not now, but that | want YOU to
understand. She was the wife of an
other man, and she had child. She
was beautiful l loved her the first
time my eyes rested Oh her. | loved
her till she dicd-only one short year
after--as | never loved before, never
have loved since, and never shall love
as long as there is breath in my mortal
body. | told you she was married.
Well, she loved me- She left her hus-
band. She fled in the dead of night
| She eXpiated her sin. In a few weeks,
| or months, she began to sicken. Re-
morse killed her at the last. 1t was
all wrong. | have expiated, too. My
| life has been lonely-ever will be. The
skeleton in my closet peers at me day
after day, night after night. | thrust
| it back. but 1t is there"
| He stopped; his face was very pale.
| Well, shortly after her death her
| husband died, too-died of a broken
heart. The child was LETT alone in the
| world. / took it, sworc to myself
| that l would be father and mother to
it. The woman was your mother,
| Mia.
There was dead silence in the room
for several seconds. Then DIR. Irving
| moved, and took up his hat.
Now you understand. he said.
you understand why you can never
| be anything to me bat daughter, Mia.
although as daughter dearly be-
! loved"
He hesitatcd a moment, and came
| over to her.
The girl stood up, and put her hand
| in his.
| YES. l understand. she said in 8
| voice that sounded unlike her own.
She bent over his hand, and kissed i
softly. Her lips were cold.
DR.. Irving went out. Mia watched
at the window, hidden behind the cur
tain, till the carriage-door closed upon
him and the sound of wheels had died
| away.
Then she crept up slowly. as one WAC
walks in sleep, to her own room, and
closed and locked the door.
!. The next morning Mia was not al
her accustomed place at the breakfast
table