Daily Republican., 1888-02-17
HERBERT AND LEDA.

see IL he's been loose ior years. Therb
IL q wide crack Of the back that must
have been there for yeArs."
Herbert Payne looked ruefully at his
table Of papers, his large bJokcates, his
pictures, tusts and gimcrAcks that
made his handsome library the one
room In tho large house that seemed
truly like home to him.
very well" he said. "only be sure
you put It up this time 80 that there
will be no further annoyance.
Then Herbert Payne ded from tho
con fusion 10 come, and took q trip of
two weeks. absolutely without end or
aim, excepting the escape from his dis
ordered library.
Mrs Beach, his housekseper, took
care thst none OF bis treasures were In
jured, and when he returned thera was
no trace Of the ipvhdcra. save that the
falling mAEtelpiece was carefully and
firmly reset.
Bat upon his table lay aaled en-.
IVelope, yellow with age and directed In
10 pretty, ladv-llke hand TO "Mr. Her.
bert Payne"
Every shade OF color left the bache-
loi's face ~ bO ssw this epiBtle His
hand, stretched out to grasp it, tr IN.
bled 10 violently he drew 1t back, Mrs.
Beach was within call, and he controll-
cd bic emotion to ask:
How came this letter herG?"
"The men found II behiud the man
telpisce, sir; 1t must have slipped down
the big crack"
He shut the door thsn and bcltod It.
No CaYelrs9, curious eyes should
aa:ch him when he read tbs letter
the letter that had been hidden thirteS n
years behind tine msnte,pieoe.
Before no touched 1t h3 unlocked g
| writing desb, evidently sellom used,
aud took from 1t mluis'r:e ~ : love-
~ girl OF IS or 10. with lAIgB brown
syeB and waving golden bair.
A fsce full OF sweetness looked out
irom the cold ivory, and the eyes Of the
strong man grew dim with tears % he
sazed upon IL.
For no had loved her.
Not with the wild, unstable love Of
youth, but when he wss T. nan past 80,
Who bad faced trouble and temptation
and conquered both.
Hs had met her fitst when she WEE
the comfort OF aD invalid father, and
he had been won fret 70 love her by
watchdog her sweet patience with the
Irritable old man, who Kept her busy iu
ais service.
Later, when they were friends, Her
bert learsed thai Mr., Morrison, the
iretful sufferer, wEs q very wealthy
man. and that Ida wss his only
Iohild.
Being hinsslT man Of fortune, Her.
bert Payne heedsJ but little the fac
that Lada was probably All heirs 4, bui
10 found hlB whole heart going OQt q
haF n Elmo hast.E fK1a,tIa
Every day he Lowell har better, TIL ht
Vas assured OF her love Ia return, wher
he sought her fathers consent TO biz
tshinR her to his heart and homa, bit
ov q, hcnortd vito.
Ana Mr, MuIriEon's ples war this;
~ cannot spaTs her yet When
tell you her story you may not care tC
marry her, hut g. you still love hei
spare her TO the few months longer.
nay nO:-cannot live over another
sDring, ev.n In this soft elm ste, bu
whom Gle LedA will iEhsIi; all my for
Haze though sho 10 not M child.
Told YOU Hhe had u biEt7ry.
when my wife had bean marie
but two years our hFss child Was boII
aud died In an hour.
LsGa--ny wife, Leds-wss delIr-
llous, calling constantly for her bahs
lard the doctor said &c was His OF deati
| Nth her to have q cl i. So wa tool
the oebs who has grown up 10 bs thu
9Omfort Of my IFS from o foEn Mini
Issyium. l have no idea who ehe - o.
what WAS her pasentsge, bua from tba
hour she lay In my wlfe's arms, and thi
nTesaurs OF hsr tiny fingers Almsd tn,
, sild excitement Of the brain, she wa.
to "a our child.
"Wa never waEs b'cJscd with ons o
Iour own again, ard Ell the love tina
vas ia ous hsNrts for children wa
,Avished upon l. ,da. Sho was 10 year
old when her adopted mother died, bu
sho hnew n. taiug then, md know
nothlpg now, Of the sesret of her birth
l0niy two othor persona beside nIys5l
! know Of 1t, my brother AMI IN,
nephev, who will be my heirs II leav
Ino will.
But promise You tn MAKE q vii
before die, and leave LedR inGepend
ent. You-you do not look as II TIL
story Ind shaken your love"
4 "Nor has 1t. Leda will evar be to m
the ono woman l love, and car
knothinR for hrr obscnrs orlgin, nothin
for her fortune. r Oh or poor, al
l will eveT bs the same to me-"
"Butyou will net urge her to leav
me yei-not until sprtnR? IT'S but
few months, but 1t IL all my life"
"I will not ask her to leave you,
Herbert said, deeply moved by I'd
. IpAthog of those last words; "but lot III
itpeak to her, wlu her consent to be M
5wtfs IL | can, and have the right to II
Turn here to comfort her st tne tim
lyon fear y58 must leave her in sorro,
2 and lonsliness."
eyes, yes; but must you RC7'
~ must Am here only on bushes
and l mu5t return to my homa a. nnc,
But II you wish 1t l Will Iesurn !
IMsrch."
~ DO wish It."
ell Little doubling his sucossp-for Will
Leds was never uumRideply, soc he
uoyer quits eopcesled heg ehy, puI
liove-Herbott wooed and won th
lmalden no sought f1F his wife.
They were TO correspond regularly
p Hand In March Herbert was " retur
land remain with the M1ffiaous.
He was 4 led " tn new, deep hApp
iasss as he 1ourneyed homeWard, an
every tender, l1vinSi letter from Led
added TO hls coRient.
January was over when tho lettei
10 ceased.
He waited reasonable time, the
wrote. No answer.
fastening at once to the house, He
bert found 1t closed and deserted.
The agent, whose address was on Il
plAcard announcing the place ITO Let
could give no information exceptiI
thar he received his orders to let Il
house from Fir Morrison, the broth
LOT the former owner He Was no.
the funeral himself, did not know on
thing about Miss LedB, could give q
address OF tbs lata Mr.. Morfison's la,
kker, md knew that the surviyiI
brother aud his con were travelling.
10 - no