The Columbus journal., 1889-12-18

pSuU4tOAcS W0I0 uOs oO AnA0AAOA ~ AAAO
that I could claim more than half the
contested profits; and more, it was the
disagreeable idea of being defeated.
That very night started for Marle-
vile. arrived the next day. I went
straight Johns house. He received
me alone, his face set in unusual lines,
and his eye meeting mine burningly.
"John Marie" said l, @you have done
. mean thing. You have insulted me. "
"You refer to my taking the books in
which our accounts have been kept?"
he said, quietly.
Il do"
Il had q right to see them, if I
wished" he said.
But you had no right to come. like q
thief in the dark and take them, until I
told you that they were prepared for
you to examine"
@What preparation did they need?'
said he, with o sneer.
This was too much. Before I knew
what I was doing I struck him. He was
q large man, but he reeled and clutched
ut the piano to save himelf from falling.
His aim missed, aud he grasred only
the rich, crimson cloth, and he dragged
it with him as he dropped into seat.
He was very pale. was almost ready to
beg his forgiveness, when he looked at
me with such gaze of hatred that I
turned, instead, and walked ont of the
room, kicking an embroidered stool ont
of my way as ] went.
This interview had not been satisfac-
tory, and I was at loss what to do
next. An amicab!e settlement of the
matter was now ont of the question.
was passing the house that evening,
when 1 saw the family carriage, con-
tanning my brother, his wife and his
four children, drive away from the
gate. I decided instantly that they
were going to evening meeting in the
town two miles distant. Then the
house was left alone, comparatively
and the books-were they there? Could
not enter, find them and take posses
sion of them as unceremoniously as John
had done?
It was growing dark. There was no
light in the front of the house, but I saw
one cleaning from one of the lower
ones at the back. It was the family
sitting-room. I approached it and
looked in.
1t was . large, comfortable apart
ment, with a.ire upon the hearth; and
before the fire sat young lady, rocking
an infant.
The child was probably TIE last
conner, the little nameless one I had not
before seen, and which John wrote me
q month before was to be called David,
if I approved. But who was its nurse?
this sweet-faced girl who handled it
so dextronsly, feeding it from q silver
poringer. aud then laying it over her
shoulder and patting its back with her
pretty, ringed hand, to make it 60 to
sleep, as she rocked back and forth
before the dancing blaze? I could see
the gloss on her braided hair, and the
glittering buckle upon her little
slipper.
The child seemed uneasy. It walled,
and she rose and walked the floor with
it, soothing it in q low, cooing tone of
endearment, now and then singing .
lullaby. At last it was asleep, with its
bit of face hidden in her neck, and
she sat down again before the fire. I
stood and watched her; indeed, I had
forgotten all else.
She had soft brown eyes; don't know
any other word to use; they were ten
der and quiet. She looked quite happy
in . silent way. As she swayed back
and forth, the lamplight and then the
freight touched her forehead, and
cheek, and sweet mouth, and white
neck, with their different tinting the
freight making her rosy and radiant.
the lampliglt showing the lovely face in
q paler guise. I thought, "What if this
were my home? What if that was the
darling wife had longed for all these
years, and that my child? What if 1
might move now, and she would turn
her head and listen for my step:"
The thought made me tremble. 1
retreated to the road, and walked back
and forth there, trying to think to some
purpose. OF course could not enter
the house, though it would probably
not be difficult to do SO. 1 might get
the books with little difficulty, for that
young girl was probably all the person
under the roof; but somehow did not
want them; the current ofmy mind had
changed. I walked half q mile down
the starlight read and came back. Once
more went to the window.
The child was awake and crying. She
was walking the floor with it again. l
forgot to be cautious, she Was SO uncon-
scious, and quite leaned ON the stone
sill as I stood. Turning. in her walk,
she happened to glance toward the win
dow, saw my face Is the light fell upon
it, and, uttering . scream Of terror, fell
10 the floor.
Irushed to the door; It gave way TO
l nv hsn6 and 7 want IN and r~ised her.
She was quite senseless, but she still
clasped the child. who screamed fright
fully. I laid it in its cradle, and tried
70 revive her. She Scarcely seemed to
breathe before she broke into hysterical
sobbing.
Don't cFy, don't eryr I said swt-