The Dillon tribune., 1886-02-13
CHAPTER TX.

lie
find he had been duped, trickel. made fool
Of all this time: to remember tho anxiety,
the trouble, the expense to which he hal
been nut: nav. to recall the chat he mad
endured, and then to discover tna. Mss
| Miyuun was Gilchrist's chi.d-.i, chilli OF
the man he went perhaps neare" to hading
than any one he had ever known III all his
life! Every thing came back to him then
the dead mans iibes and sneers and taunts,
his unweared efforts to tax him with an Of.
Tense which he knew he had not committed.
And though he had failed in THAI oh. what
| q fool (3ilchrist had made Of him! That was
the sting BOTTLES felt most Of anything.
For hours after he left the anteroom boot
les kept out Of every ones way-i,deel until
Lacy came to tell him that Gilchrist wa
dead. Then. i being close upon the hour Of
eleven, he went and Knocked at the door ct
Mignon's nursery. The nurse opened it a
few inches. and, seeing who 1t was, set 1t
open wide.
us Miss Mignon asleepF' he asked.
Eyes, sir; hours ago." the woman an
swered.
| He passed into the inner room where the
child was lying. A candle burned on
table beside the cot, casting its light on the
fair baby face, now flushed in sleep, and on
the tangled golden curls. Both her arms
Jay outside the elder coverlet, one hand
grasping the whip with which he had ridden
and econ that day. the other holding the
card of the races. Bottles lent and scanned
her face closely, but not one trace could he
discern Of likeness to the father-not one
and he drew deep breath of relief that it
was SO.
Well he remembered Lacys puzzled
scrutiny of the year-old baby. 'There's
likeness. but I don't know where to plant
! it." II there had been likeness to (3ilchrist
then, it had now passed. away; and as
Bottles satisfied himself that it was SO, his
love for her, which during the last few hours
had hung trembling in the balance, though
he would hardly have ackno wledged it, even
to himself, reas sert nj itself, and rose up in
his heart stronger than ever. Just then she
moved uneasily in her sleep.
''Ial, where is Bootles:: she asked. Then,
after q pause, 'ttottel another heatlac chez"
Aud an instant later, Miss Grace said
Mignon was to b, gerry kind to Roctles'
Bottles bent down and kissed her and she
awOke
Bodies" she said, in sleepy surprise;
then, imperatively, Take ma up
So Do"les carried her to the fire in tia
adjoining room, where the nurse was sewing
-
frock. with its braidings of scarlet and goli,
which she had worn that day.
''Lal said Mignon wasn't to go to Bottles
she said leproachfully.
''Bcorles has been bothered, Mignon," he
answered.
''Poor Bootles!' stroking his cheek will,
her soft hand. ''Bootles was vexed; Lal
said SO. But not with Mignon. Mignoll
told Lal So confidently.
Never with Aignon," answered BOTTLES.
resting his cheek against the tossed GOLDEN
curls, and feeling as il he had done this
faithful baby heart moral injustice by his
hours OF anger and doubt.
There was a moment of silence, broke..
blythe nurse. ''Have you heard, sir, how
Mr.. Gilchrist is:'' she asked.
BOTTLES reused himself. ''He is dead,
nurse Died half an hour ago"
''Then, if You please SIR" she asked, hest
tatingly. 'mig ht ask il it is true about
Miss Miqnon:'
Eyes, it il tr,l,," his face darkening.
Because sir. Miss Mignon should have
mourning" she began, when BOTTLES cut her
short.
IL shall not allow her to wear mourning
for Mr.. Gilclrist," he said, CURLY; so til,
nurse darc, say no more
Three days later the funeral took place
and il the facts of the dead mans havins
acknowledged Miss Mignon as his child, ant
having admitted to Bottles that he haf
transferred her that night from his ow,
: quarters to Bottles rooms. created Il sensa
ton. it was as nothing to the intense sur
! prise caused by the will, which was read, b,
the deal mans desire, before all tho officer
of the regiment.
l In it Ia left his entire property to hi
5 daughter. Mary Glchrst now in the car
? of Capt. Ferre.s, and commonly known a
4 Mign"n, on condition that Capt. Ferrer
consented to he her sole guardian and truste
4 until she had attaine the age of 81. or unit
her marriage, provide it should b, witt
!. her guardians sanction. and ON the EXPIRE,
5 understanding that Capt. Ferrers should no
give up tie care OF the child to her mother
G even temporarily. To his wife. Helen Gil
g christ. :, copy Of this testament was to b
u sent forthwith. Should any Of the c,ntl
lions lie violated. til. whole property q
1 which he died possessed should 70 to hi
!, cousin, Lucian Gavor Gilchrist; but if tn
l. conditions he faithfully observed Capt, Fe,
reis should have the power of APPLYING any
% Or all, of the income arising from the estat
II for the use AMI maintenance of the said Mar
= Gilchrist.
y ''Cwrazv!' murlnured Lacy to Bootl.
who listened in contemptuous silence. IN
N wondered in no small dislllay what kind of
life he should have ii Mignon's mother cho.
T. to make herself objectionable
Il But the will was noS clazy at all :. fa
IL from it 1t was only very cleverly thonuj
III out plan for keeping mother and child anar
IL BOTTLES would take care not to eudamva
Mignons inheritance and Gilchrist ia
IL taken advantage nj it to carry out his an
mostly towards his wife to the bitter end
II But, Of course, there was one continpem
5 he had never thought of or provided FOR
masTiaye:
1t was less than week after Gilchrist