The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-01

Cinated her, and--"Charlie turned to
his silent father "and / think-I am
sure you willlike your nieces. sir-they
are charminggirls."
But Mr.. Hallett put out his hands,
crying hoarsely: "Keep them away
from me! will not have them here!'
And so saying, he went quickly into
the house, whittier his startled wife
would have followed ifher son had not
detained her.
"Mother, what does this mean?" he
asked, in his CONSERVATION. sis my
father worse? Is it possible that he
knows what he is saying? He never
had any quarrel with Uncle Tom, did
he? Then what could have made him
speak so strangely"
81 do not know; perhaps a sudden
spasm. l must go to him."
"Ah, yes. go, and beg of him to ex-
plain himself, for they are coming here,
these cousins of mine. / told them in
your name and my fathers that they
would be welcome; and SO l thought
they would. How can / meet them
again? how tell them"
And then, grooming in his impatience
and alarm, Charlie hurried his mother
indoors.
On Monday morning Mr.. Hallett
pronounced himself sufficiently restor-
ed to 60 to business. He had repulsed
his wife when she attempted to win his
confidence; he had given no explana-
ton to his son; both, therefore were
telling hurt and anxious, though try
ing to conceal it from each other.
They would have pitied him had
they known what Sunday he had
spent, shutting himself away from his
family because every questioning look
they turned upon HIM seemed to pierce
his heart and lay bare that which he
hid within it.
Yes, the upright, honorable John
Hallett, had a secret that he had buri-
ed so deep down as to be sometimes
forgotten, until chance word or rec
election would bring it back to his
memory. He had a trouble of which
no one knew anything but old Lisbeth,
and even she did not suspect its ma
ture.
In all honesty of purpose she had
told him, as he stood by his mothers
coffin, that Madame's dearest wish
had been to see her absent son Tom.
II think she had message for him, "
Lisbeth added-"a written one; l
know that just before yours good father
died. she was talking to him of Mas
ter Tom; and heard her say she was
sure he would come back if he could
come to the old home"
"Did she wish my father to will this
house to him?" asked John Hallett,
startled and incredulous.
Il think So" Lisbeth replied. II
know he gave the dear mistress a
paper that she cried over after he was
gone; but l do not know what she did
with it,"
That paper had never been found.
At first John Hallett's feelings with
regard to it had been of angry sur
prise. He was the elder brother, and
had always resided at the Copse. With
the appreciation of his parents he had
brought his bride here, and his children
were born under the roof he had come
to look upon as his own.
He did not deliberately scheme to
wrong his brother; but he never made
any search for the paper of which Lis
beth had spoken.
And so years had rolled on without
anyone disputing with John Hallett
his possession of the home SO dear to
him. Lisbeth made no further allu-
sions to the paper. She knew that
Master Tom was dead, and was not
l. -
portance to his widow and offspring.
And now, after all this lapse of time,
the children of John Hallett's dead
brother had come to England. For
what could it be, he asked agitatedly,
but to claim their own?
John Hallett started for town OPP
pressed with a new fear. Lisbeth
might have found the paper, and. sus-
pecting him of foul play, posted it to
Canada.
How he got through the day no one
knew, for Charlie pleaded headache
and stayed at home.
The disappointed youth would not
risk encountering his newly found rela-
tives, while he was unable to account
to them for his fathers extraordinary
refusal to receive them at the Copse.
He knew how much they were look
ing forward to this visit. Had not
their father talked to them OF his En-
glish home, till thew would be able to
recognize every antique piece of furni-
ture in the house, every fine old tree in
the garden?
Mrs. Hallett's sympathies were with
her son, but she was too dutiful wife
to say so, and seeing that she avoided
him, Charlie carried q book into the
strawberries, stunning the eyes of his
elder sisters, who, for lack of any other
reason for his depression, decided that
he must have fallen in love.
And SO he had. Already his heart
had gone out to bright, capable, brown
haired Nell, who seemed to him just
what a pure, good woman should be-.
Min was a most attractive girl; he
would be a fortunate fellow who won
her; but she lacked the indescribable
something that made her sister be-
witching.
At last he went indoors to find his
mother, and-if he could get her by
herself-to confess how keenly he would
feel a separation from the pretty Mel
lie, who was rapidly becoming dear to
him.
He hurried to the morning-room,
and had entered it from the garden,
before he became aware that the par
lor-maid was just ushering in some
visitors.
It was too late to retreat, they
were actually in the room, Nell and
Min gazing around them with shy
pleasure, and Miss Mary Hallett; her
broad face beaming with smiles as she
caught hold of her sister-in-law' g
hands, and kissed her on both cheeks.
"My dearest Jennie, l have brought
these dear girls to spend a few days
with you-poor Toms daughters; OF
course Charlie has told you all about
them. All! there he is. Fetch your
sisters, Charlie. And ask the cabman,
my dear boy, to carry in your trunks.
It was good thought of mine to
come with our nieces, wasn't it? How
pleased John will be when he gets
home and finds us all here!
Mr.. Hallett by a great effort COM
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