The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-04-02

| pressed with a new fear. Llsoeth
might have found the paper, and, sus-
pecting him OF foul play, posted 1t to
Canada.
How he got through the day no one
| knew, for Charlie pleaded a 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
inc 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 turnl-
ture in the house, every fine oldtreeln
the garden?
Mrs. Hallett's sympathies were with
her son, but she was too dutitul a wlte
to say so, and seeing that she avoided
him, Charlie carried a book into the
strawberries, stunning the eyes Of his
elder sisters, who, tOrlaCk o fany other
reason for his depression, decided that
| he must have fallen in love.
And so he had. Already his heart
hadgone out to bright, capable, brown
haired Nell, who seemed to him just
what a pure, good woman should be.
Min was q most attractive girl; he
would be a fortunate fellow who won
! herr 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.
1t 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 s~ister-in.law's
hands, and kissed her on both cheeks.
my dearest Jennie, | 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 dearb boy, to carry in your trunks.
1t was a good thought of minc to
tome With our nieces, wasn't it2 How
pleased John will be when he gets
home and finds us allhere!
Mr.. Hallett by a great effort com!
posed himself sufficiently TO meet his
guests; but if his lips were pale and he
turned away from them to shade his
eyes with his hand, they saw nothing
suspicious init.
On the contrary, their conviction
that he vas thinking of their father. of
whom this grey-haired, stately gentle
man was the living image. drew them
towards him. They lowered near his
chair, they left off speaking when they
heard his voice, and, when complain
ing of fatigue, he rose to 60 to his
room, moved by the same impulse,
both girls ran forward to put their
arms about his neck and hold up their
fair young faces for a goodnight kiss.
1t was plain that he had been mis-
taken when he fancied they had come
to wrest his home from him, but he
was none the happier for the knowl-
edge. He tried to appear calm and
cheerful to respond to the affection
with which his nieces were disposed to
regard him; but when they talked-as
they did freely-of the trials and strug-
giles they and their mother had gone
through, before and after their be-
reavement, his heart tainted within
him, and his remorse would become
overpowering.
John Hallett would fain have made
atonement. He thrust into Nelps
hand a roll of notes; but it was
promptly returned.
"Dear uncle, we want nothing from
you but your love. How can you i'm
agine that while we are strong and
well able to work, we would rob you
OF what you have earned for your
chiidren7
mo, he was not to be allowed to
glaze his conscience by this kind OF
compensation. Neither was it any use
protesting that the very4act of leaving
the Copse away from him-the eldest
son-was unfair, especially as Toms
portion had been Justly meted out to
him at his own desire. As long as
Toms daughters were in his house,
keeping alive the old recollection, how
could he be at peace with himself?
Four days approximations ones To
Charley and his mother, who watched
Mr.. Hallett's changing moods, but
hesitated to speak of them even to
each other-yet, very pleasant ones
to the young Canadians. Attributine
to their uncle's ill-health the shadow
they saw on his brow, and the troubled
looks his wife and son would inter
change, they we're always gentle and
sympathetic.
Ill., ~. A.<lx- ~Ln~Jr - 4L~.~ -