The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-03-06
HOW IT HAPPENED.
BY LIzzIR BRADLEY CORNISH.

Fife Ford with tear-stained face sal amid a pile of formidable documents She was in deep mourning. Only one week before, she had laid away the re mains of her only surviving relative, in the shadow of the cross crowned church over the hill. It was dismal prospec, for 6 girl of seventeen, and one who was absolutely ignorant of business. The Fords had always lived in luxury. Bu; on his death-bed, MT. Ford called Fife to him his articulation was imperfect but she caught: Bad investments mortgage bonds, Poor! Poor Barker will tell yeu." A few gasps and 1t was over.
 All day she had tried to bring order out of chaos. At last with sigh she tossed the golden fringes from her fore head, as if even their light weight was an oppression.
 It is useless" she murmured, "i can make nothing of anything" Then sud- denly she remembered, Barker will tell you" The memory came with sigh oi relief.
 A servant answered the bell.
 Take this to Mir Barker" she ordered and wait for an answer"
 It came in less Shan an hour.
 MT. Barker will wait upon Miss Ford a, i've" She glanced at the clock. It lacked five minutes of the hour.
 Barker was lawyer in the same town. membered that he had been with her father frequently before she went to school for the last time.
 AS he entered, Fife started. She had thought of him as rather elderly, but the man who stood before her was extremely handsome, and perhaps double her sev. enteen years.
 "You are kind, MT. Barker, to respond so promptly. did not know what to do, to whom to turn. can make nothing of papa's papers," she sighed weariedly
 "Of course. What can you know about law2' and together they turned to the perplexing pile.
 Barker ran his eye over paper afer pa per, and startled look came into his eyes, keen lawyers though they were.
 "Are these all ?" he asked.
 "I believe so. Papa kept his papers in that secretary and MT. Barker, know from what he said, that there were losses that shall not be very we'll of. do not mind," she said quickly, "other people are poor, wHy not ?"
 Some losses Not as well of as she had beeni" He regarded her queerly Poor child Did sue knsw that house, lands, even the costly furniture was cov- cred with mortgages2 No, and he deter. mined she never should know. He had no living relatives, and why should he no, do for this helpless girl what he would have liked some one to do for sister or wife of his2
 "rhere will be something left after the debts are paid, will there not ?"
 Tue pretty pathetic eyes looked squarely into his. He could not answer this child-woman with evasion. !" If you will trust to me, Miss Ford, will do my best. Your father trusted me upon sev- eral occasions" Che did not add, if that father had been guided by his judgment his daughter would not now be penniless) " and l am cos6dent know more ef the business than anyone else" He waited her reply.
 "Oh, yes, and thank you, Mir. Barker" With . childish, trustful motion, she slip ped her hand in his. Barker's experience with women was bounded by aggressive little widows, and seul-terrifying Sally Brasses', and there was . queer little dutter in his manner as he bid her good night.
 Mir. Ford's affairs were in a hopeless tangle. Rain was inevitable. Such was BaTker's verdict after . reperusal of the Ford papers. "Poor little thing 1" he whispered to himself; she shall never know If can help it."
 Out of those deeds and mortgages seemed to start the vision cF home-Eden, where certain eyes looked into his with bewildeTing love. Bah What have sen- 6meassl lore dreams in common with an austere lawyers ofice2
 
 A puzzled face appeared at the ofice ot Barker & Hawkins one day, not long after.
 "l am sorry to worry you; but sec herep Fife produced . slip of paper which she held toward him. It stated the existencs of . note, covering tea thousand dollars, principal and interest, held by one Isaacs & Tobias, brokers in . neighboring city.