San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-07

A sudden comprehension broke through
her face Dimpled, kissable little face as it
was, there was latent nobility in it, great
steadiness and strength. II think you're I'M
just to US, and to jack" she said firmly,
standing before him.
II tell you the boy is on the road to sue
cess, and he must go on" he cried. 'No-
body shall stand in his way to hinder him.
mean to stand out of his way. 1t will be
quite easy for me to do it-quite easy"
Some suspicious of years ago were coming
back to her. Il think l understand" she
said. is Jack willing that you should give
him upF'
"What could it matter to him. A shabby,
old liar and braggart, as McMurray called
me. l saw his church to-day, and the house
where he will live. So grandly furnished,
Maddy"
Churches and furniturer' with con-
temptuous shrug. What are they to Jacks"
Il saw the woman he is to marry"
''Ah! the woman
ga daughter of McMurrays-a delicate,
white rosebud of a girl. He has everything
now the world can give, Jack has There's
but one bar in his way, and that won't be
there long"
But Madeline had turned to the window,
1t was some time before she came back.
When she did, she stood by the mantel shelf
looking down at him. "DoeS the woman
love HING
81 thought so. 1t was her face"
'She only has known him a little while?"
"Withrow told me they met last month in
Chicago. The match was arranged there"
She looked at her hand There was thin
gold ring on one inger-a cheap little trihe,
| such as a school boy would give. 1t had been
there so many years that it bound and panied
the woman's full grown fiager. 1t had done
SO for many years.
zone month"; she said to herself again and
again.
The sun was down, but the reflection from
| the snow on the roofs threw pleasant bright
ness into the many windows, while the clock
licked cheerfully the last hour of daylight
away A noise below broke the silence into
| which they had fallen The stairs were long
and rickety, and steps could be heard creak-
ing from one flight to the other.
"It's Jack' The major spoke hoarsely,
standing up He had been thinking it over
as he sat- However false and disreputable
his course had been since he was man, he at
least was right, he thought, in this act of its
close
Nothing in his life so became him as the
ending of it," he quoted to himself But
McMurray would call it theatrical trick
Jack was at the street door; in q few min
| utes it would be too late. He thrust his
| fingers into his pocket and secreted the little
vial in his palm He went tr the door as if
| to close it. At that moment Maddy caught
| sight of yellow bit of writing on the hearth,
| stopped, picked it up. She nodded as she
read it without surprise
His son? And Jack wants the old man
| now to deny it, Not to stand in bis wayF'
The first hint about that poor white rabbit
Clara had turned her blood 10 gall. She was
| suddenly bitter and unjust as death to jack,
| to whom she had given her whole life of
| patient, sweet tempered trust.
The steps came nearer. The poor old ma
| jor backed toward the inner door, his I'M
couth face white and wet. "rm not well.
| I'm going to lie down on your bed. Take him
away with you, Maddy. / can't see either of
i you tonight" Yet even then it gave him a
vague pleasure to hear how light and gay
and resolute the boys steps were.
Maddy came quietly between him and the
door "No, we will both see this Jack, who
/ puts you out of his way
The door opened. There was the old short,
stout built Jack! The old sturdy, honest face
under the same fur cap, the twitch in the
mouth ready to make joke at uybody or at
| himself
"Why, Maddy? did not hope to see you
here, little woman" giving her brotherly
shake of the hand, and so figuratively setting
her aside. How the dull morbid shadows
thar had filed the room crept aside before
7 him Madeline felt that her life had been
but passionate dream Practical, common
sen@e people on the same plane of society saw
| each oIner a month ago in Chicago, and mar
ried nationally. And why should prac-
ticai. rational man cucumber himself with
this late discovered father, with his IN
doubscdly unwholesome faucies and STACEY
habits!
' Maj. Stahdish" - Jack with all his
hearty manner was embarrassed-'1 came to
I speak to you on business of Importance. You
! have no secrets from MaddyF'
Don't speak, boy! For Gods sake! In a
little while will set it all right! Wait one
minuhen retreating to the door. .f
But won't wait" Jack had his hands
on the majors shoulders and forced him down
on chair. His face flushed as he spoke, and
his voice grew unsteady. "Look at this old
man. Madeline Twenty years ago he came
- h naugiasleHl