The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-05-26
The Finger of Fate.


lovely girl who sat in an embrasure
near the windows, flush of excitement
on her face. NS,
Then let me introduce your. am
sure you will find her rs charming in
mind as in feature. Come"
mo. not tonight" said DR.. Lamer.
1.-The fate of a little child hangs on my
hands and dare not remain longer
no. not even to dance with Valerie
Blair" and he left the room hastily be-
fore he could have time to hesitate.
Valerie had a chance to speak to
Mercy during the evening. sis it true
that DR.. Lamer refused to be introduce
ed TO me?" she asked.
Yes" said the other, ''but you must
not be angry with him; he left the ball
room to visit dying child"
oh, I'm not angry" said Valerie
with laugh. shaking out her white
draperies. II know what a noble man
lie is and that he probably regards me
as a soulless butterfly" as she swept
away.
DIR. Lamer in the meantime had
reached the shabby garrett where his
charge lay ill. He was surprised to
sec many changes in the apartment
On the bod was heavy quiz, quite
new; on the table were number of
paper parcels and some bottles of wine.
The chair in which the woman sat was
an easy rocker and had entered there
in his absence; about the baby was
wrapped a soft warm shawl. d
How is the little one?" he asked,
bending over it.
For answer the mother bust into low
but passionate sobs.
"Dying-dying. DOCTOR" she said
hoarsely. barring the small pinched face
on her bosom. that he might see its
-ashen pallor.
And he saw that she had told him the
truth.
"And you are all aloner' he said.
pitifullv. 'Is there no friend-no wo-
man who would stay here tonight"
Il have no friend; know nobody;
none are kind to the poor, doctor
none but a beautiful girl who came
like an angel after you had gone. She
was on her way to ball. but she
stayed here almost an hour, aad said
she would come again In the morning.
She sent me so many things but too
late too late! Poor Jack is worse,
and baby. baby!"
She moaned out the word in such
way that Grodfey Lamer's eyes grew
| dim as Ire listened.
"How sad," he thought, "when in
this city there are women, so delicate
and heart-sick, to think that other
women who could aid and comfort,
spend their nights in dancing and their
days in the study of fashions!''
With the bitter thought came the
memory of the fair face of Valerie.
Blair, as he had seen it an hour before.
under the gaslight, brilliant with
beauty, full of the brightness of laugh.
| ter.
r How every neri in her body would
shrink from contact with this poverty
of which she is so unconscious, al
though it is so near her!" he told HIM
self with curling lip.
Day broke over the city; the east was
full of gray mists and feecy CLOUDS
when at last he turned from watching
the final CULVER pass over the tiny form
of the baby, to see the door OPEN ana
a slight figure pause moment Oh the
threshold.
ut is past. Your child is sleeping"
ho said softly to the poor mother.
And such low bitter cry as she ut
tered he had rarely heard, even over a
corpse.
my baby! my babyr
sit is with the angels. said sweet,
soft voice. SO gentle, SO fevorenk that
it was like music. "Be glad for your
child. God surely loved her.
Godfrey looked kcenly at the stran-
ger.
What! Could it be the belle of the
last nights ball-the fair gay-eyed,
laughing girl, whose eyes had outshone
her jewels, whose face had been fairer
than her flowers, clad now In simple
| garments, her arms about this sister
woman who SO needed their support
her eyes misty with tears, her red lips
tremuIous. her whole face full OF an
gelic sympathy. Was he dreaming. or
was Valerie Blair before him in the
flesh?
Quietly he stole out and down the
many stairs, conscious that he had
been unobserved by Valerie.
Il wronged her." he told himself. as
ho went through the cold air of the
carly day. Il wronged her vilely.
She is an angel with Gods blessing on
hes lifer'E
"A runawaya A runaway! and q
lady IN the carrfager' shrieked the
shr II voice of newsboy, as Godfrey
Lamcr was sauntcring across the
park.
In a moment the young physician
was In The wav of the flying animal,
which was advancing toward him at a
mad gallop. rocking light phaeton.
to which it was harnessed, from side to
side.
Godfrey rushed forward and seized
The reins,
A moments plunging OF the horse.
which bore the young man with him
several yards; then the danger was
past for all concerned.apd- then God
frey. relieved by other hands. was bar
ing his head to tho occupant of the
phaeton, Valerie Blair.
''You are quite safe now,' he said
gently. ''but fear You have been badly
frightened. May offer myself as your
coachmanP You bad better not drive
your pony until sllc has forgotten lis
| friubt >,