The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-11-17

the evening of the day in question he
sat for long time looking at the
bowed head Of the young man who
was reading, and when the room was
filling with shadows and he presently
got up to go home, he stopped by John
Earring, who was bending closely over
his book, and stood looking silently
down upon him. Disturbed by this
unusual movement the young man
looked up quickly and a little thrill ran
through him from the strange look in
the old mans eyes.
"Come home with me; / want Maun
to know YOU" said the old attorney,
and his voice seemed husky and from
far down in his throat. John Earring
stood up and looked him in the face in
a questioning, surprised way. The old
man put out his hand with an appeal
ing gesture. '.Lad," he said, ''did You
ever love anybody better than you
loved your own soul? No-no-of
course you can't understand how hard
this is" and he turned away toward
the door.
John Earring put ON his hat, and
without having uttered a word, went
with him. 1T was enough for him that
| this gnarled old lawyer had been his
best friend, and had hidden him to his
home. A knowledge of what the APP
parent trouble was that lay upon the
old man heart he would not even ask
in the trueness of his fealty. They
walked silently out street running
! nortllward through the town. As they
passed Joel's big house, which was
coming to completion on the knoll, the
old lawyer glanced up at it and NUT
tered: "Gingerbread!" This was all
that was said until they came to Wood
mans house, which stood at the north
most extreme of the town, where the
prairie began to undulate away in that
gigantic green wedge; then the old man
said: THAT Maun, and John Earling,
looking up, saw her sitting on the porch
of a pleasant brick house before which
they were passing.
When they entered the gate she
came forward to meet them, and John
Earling saw that she was taller than
most girls, with SO soft and 1.-the a
movement that it seemed much as If
an infinitely little wind breathed down.
ward over her draperies at every step.
Her motion touched the young man
like soundless music. She had a low
forehead retreating slightly; a nose,
Greek at the base. but from that avery
delicate brow; mouth, rather large,
but curved and seeming to suck itself
into sensuous flower-like pout, with
eyes cut long and of dusky amber
hue. A touch perhaps of Indian blood
was there, refined and strained through
many white mems hearts, and joined
with fluid from old Spanish arteries.
For moment her eyes went down
timidly before John Earnings, and the
faint color in her dark face deepened
as she extended her hand and MUIR
INJURED welcome. But suddenly she
was easy, and leading them into the
parlor, which was entered from the
right hand of the hall, she proffered
| the young man an easy chair, and
stepping across the hall brought in q
chair with wooden bottom and stiff
back for her father, explaining, with 9
smile, that he would never under any
circumstance allow himself to sit upon
any thing more luxurious. Then she
| seated herself in a low rocking chair
by the window, and with one of hel
slim hands lying upon the other in he1
lap, began talking in a smooth mellow
tone, lifting her eyes slowly now and
then to the young mans face. The
old lawyer seemed i'll at ease, and ex'
cused himself bluntly in moment
GTo BE CONTINUED