Dodge City times., 1888-12-27
.Blarcher

! -Blarchor
4 can'thelp r. When she frst came here
your kind interest in her made mo feel q
| pity for her. but do not like the dark look
In her eyes sometimes. and Sidney
'Ah! what about Sidney. dearp'
I believe she Is in love with him. and il
| trying toto entrap him."
Mrs. Danforth laughed merrily. but her
heart was not in her mirth. Somehow.
Bianehs's words opened her eyes. and that
| evening she sat down to think il all over.
| like the prudent. far seeing mother she was.
| and shc decided that after the holidays she
would find a new home for Miss Vernon.
She knew very little of Grace Vernon
personally. Ono day. month back. the lat
| ter had come a stranger to the Danforfh
mansion. Sho asked its mistress il she re-
membered Alice Lane. Oh. yesi she was
| her dearest schoolday friend. She had mar
| ried and gone with her husband to India.
There she had died. leaving child. but for
fifteen years Mrs. Danforth had not heard
anything OF the family.
Grace then told her that she was the
daughter Of Alice Lane Vernon. Her father.
too. Was dead. She was an orphan. and. re-
turning to America. she had remembered
how lovingly her dead mother had spoken
of Mrs. Danfortb. She had letters to prove
her claim, and the great loyal heart OF Mrs.
Danforth had opened to the orphan waif
from far-on shores. and she bade her make
the mansion her home until some permanent
arrangement could be decided upon for her
welfare.
great woman for old-time attachments
was this samc Mrs. Danforth. At every
festive occasion she invited not the fitting
butterflies of fashion to drone through n
formal dinner. but some old-time friend.
often one who had not her share OF worldly
wealth. and she always tried to make their
visit "a real good time
This Christmas. in addition to Miss Yer
non. she had invited Captain Tarble and
his daughter. She had never seen either.
but Mrs. Tarbie. now dead. had been her
boarding school chum. and she longed to
see the child Of her dead friend. who, with
her father. an old ocean captain. had been
abroad for some years.
Good-natured Mr.. Danforth had smiled
quizzically.
Sea captain. eh. wife?- he chuckled.
We'll. it will be variety: but if he says
'shiver my timbers! and pass the grog!'
and all those nautical terms. he'll shock
your polite friends
That night lacked two Of Christmas Eve.
That night at eight o'clock Sidney Danforth
drove up to the mansion in a carriage from
the railroad depot. and with him were Cap
tain Tarble and his daughter.
"Blanche.' he murmured. as he met his
sister in the dining room later, did you
ever see such bewitching creature as
Ethel Tarble? Ihave met my fate!-
Look out. brother! Miss vernon's jeal-
GUS eyes are upon you
Sidney Danforth started. A worried ex-
preston crossed his face. With O frown he
recalled certain impulsive declaration he
had made to Grace Vernon two davs pre-
vious. Then light-heartedly he tried to dis
pei the impression.
pleasant party they all made. seated at
the dinner table. The bluff old mariner
charmed them with his quaint sayings. Shy.
beautiful Ethel seemed to attract Sidney
like lodestone. Miss Vernon saw. and her
heart ragged fiercely.
Did you ever know Mrs. Vernon. Captain
Tarble?" spoke Mrs. Danforth later that
evening in the drawing-room -She and
Mrs. Tarbie and myself were once school
girl friends
"oh. yes! knew tho family. Net them
in India
why. how charming. Miss Vernon here
Is the daughter. OF COURSE. as it must have
been many years ago. you did not recog-
niZe her?"
WHAT CALCULATED tho Captain. Miss
verncn--this lady-the daughter?-
of our Mr.. and Mrs. Vernon. in India, |
yes. And volubly Mrs. Danforth in an un-
dertone related how she had come to her, |
never noticing the growing agitation in her
listener.
You will excuse me- he almost gaspcd |
minute later. You see. madam. I'm not |
used 70 such close rooms. and the air amt |
very cold. and I'd like Whit of it on the |
veranda there. if you've no objection
Not in the least replied Mrs. Danforth. |
anxious to humor even the whims of her |
guest.
But no whim was it-no frantic craving |
for s.ir, even. Captain Tarble had been |
startled. and his way OF getting over it was
to be alone and think.
He drew down the window and sat on the |
edge Of the veranda. and filled his short |
pipe. and smoked and thought. and smoked
and thought.
Mss Vernon-that girl-Indial" he mat
tered. L can't make it eut-I an't-under-
H.