Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-03-15

the inevitable, and began TO speculate on
/ the course of events and make plans for
Edmund's future, with Mrs. Morton as
his wife.
/ One day not long after this we called at
4 Mrs. Morton's lodgings TO ask her and
Mabel Heath to join Us in walk.
The ladies were up stairs, the servant
said, and she asked rs to wait in the
drawing room while she went to seek
them. The drawing room door was part
| ly open, and we went in without making
| any noise. There was deep bay window
at one side OF the room, looking into the
garden; it was partly screened off BY
| heavy curtains and contained writing
table and a couple of basket chairs. We
/ did not at first perceive that this recess
was tenanted, but presently we saw by
/ means of the reflection in an opposite
mirror, that Freda Morton was standing
/ by the table arranging the contents of
4 her little writing desk. Presently she
/ took up small case evidently contain
| ing photograph, and looked long and
earnestly at it. Then she raised it sud
denly TO her lips and kissed it passionate
| ly many times.
| Hilda and l waited breathlessly for
few moments then I moved across the
room and greeted Winnifred as though
we had just come in. She came forward
to meet Us, her radiant smiling SELF
although | could see there were tears in
her eyes. After a few minutes she went
upstairs to put on her bonnet and to look
| for Mabel, aud then Hilda and l stole
over to the table on which we could still
see the little case lying where Freda had
put it down. Orr first feeling was sur
prise at seeing the photograph of a
young man, having always supposed Mr..
Morton to have been middle-aged, if not
elderly. Indeed, we had inferred as much
from various little speeches made by the
| girls.
We were so absorbed in the contempla-
ton of the photograph, that we did not
perceive Mable's entrance until she st God
beside us.
ooh" she said, $50 Freda has shown
you that. Is he not n handsome mani"
every handsome" I said. "What ter
rible grief his death must have been to
| Fredaw
/ An odd sort of look came over Ma0eIs
| face. people get over sucn things" she
said, after a pause.
! WAS he fond of Freda?n
! "Exceedingly fond Of Der, and she OF
/ him. But here she is" as her step was
I heard on the stairs. "Put down that
| picture, Rosa
Aud Freda came in, dressed for walk
| ing, in her coquettish little windows bon
net.
Glow cool and comfortable you girls
look in your hats" she said Il think
| must get one, too, aud leave off this
/ horrid bonnet. I'm sure, dear Mr.. Mort
on would not like me TO get sunburt.
| Would he MabY'
"YOu know best" said Mabel shortly.
/ ~ certainly think you ought to get the
hat" she added, after a moment.
During The walk Frsda was the gayest
of the gay, laughing and talking inees-
sanity. As we parted from her at hor
own door, she said:
$50, Mabel tells me chat You have seen
my husbands picture. What do you
think of himf"
! / muttered some commonplace about
! the portrait, in the midst of which Freda
suddenly snatohsd away her hand, which
she had left in mine, and ran into the
! house.
One day my mother and | we're sitting
at work in the drawing room, Edmun
being seated, book in hand, in low
chair, which was partly concealed by a
courle of tall palms. Suddenly Huda
burst into the room in q state of the wild
est excitement.
"Mother Rose-whom do you think
| have seen just now at the postofiice
Dear Mr.. Morton"
"Do you mean his ghost|
''I mean himself in the fiesh-askiEg
where Miss Heath lived. He has pleas
ant voice"
"But my dear" said my mother, " didni
he die9 Die of an Illness, mean! Was
he lost at sea or anything of that sortf'
81 never heard particulars of his death,
said Hilda, considering, 81 believe he wal
a sailor, so probably he was lost at sea
Anyway he IS in LoDgmede at the pres
ent moment"
Glow do you know il is he"
"Rose and l once saw his photograph
could not mistake him, he is such
striking locking man"
"Could this be his brother"
} "DoA't you remember Freda's one
telling us that she had no people-in-law
Besides this man has slight scar acros
his forehead which also noticed in tn
photograph. No, it il dear Mr.. Morton
, | wonder if Freda will be glad to SCI
} him." she added significantly.
Then ! suddenly remembered Edmune
and glanced in his direction. he wa
) very pale and the hand that held his boo
trembled.
When my mother and Hilda had JET
the room, he said:
"Rose, shall go up 20 London to o,,,
and try if the berth that We, oyara5
, - on board the Yena1ia is still 70
had. wrote a fAfssa yesterday, but b
going up to night may still secure it.
"Must you go, Edmund"
~ cannot stay here" he said land
think life would be more endurable Z
soa than on shore. Come and help m
with my packing, Rosie, there's goo
girl"
Edmund went to town that night, i
spite of his mothers circumstances, an
HIlda and remained devoured by curios
ity concerning MIR. Morton. We debate
as to whether it would be right to cal
but disliked intruding. However, on tn
third day, having heard nothing, eithe
NJ Mrs Morton or her newly found hus