Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-19

of the house to speak to Gerard, VIII
| went eagerly forward and took he
| hand.
al want to see you, May, he said ii
a low tone; ''can you come out for
waikiki
"Not now :" she answered, speakin:
softly; "'It's just fathers tea time
though he's fallen asleep there, pool
man, by the fire, for he had hard dsy
yesterday.
"when can you come then?" went OF
Gerard. HfSomething wonderful hai
happened, and l want to tell you abou
it. -
Something wonderful?'' repeated
May, lifting her blue eyes to her lover >:
face.
She was really a pretty girl, fair and
pink checked, with bright light hair,
and small delicate features, and SO
Gerard thought as he stood there looking
at her in the clear light Of the spring
time day.
yes" he answered excitedly, Gas
good as fairy tale, and l am dying to
tell you all about it, May.
al can get out later, said May
whose curiosity was naturally reused;
al can go down to the sands about s,
Gerard, if you will meet me there?''
can right; be sure you come; l IL be
by the big rock where we sat yesterday
exactly at a quarter to eight; so be a
dear girl and don I keep me waiting
They settled it thus, and Gerard, after
holding her hand few moments longer
than was necessary, left the garden and
returned to the farmhouse, where he
found Mrs Brewster standing at the front
door looking out anxiously for him.
She went forward to meet him half
timidly.
''Oh, Gerard, " she said, and then
paused as if afraid to say more.
'Well, all this is wonderful affair,
ism it?" he replied, looking at her and
smiling, for he was in truth very fond
of this only mother he had ever known,
and from whose hands he had always
received the greatest kindness.
''It's more than wonderful, - she
answered solemnly. 81 thought nothing
in heaven or earth would have forced
the secret from my lady's lips. She
made me swear on the crucifix l would
never reveal 1t; never on my deathbed;
never to living soul.
"But it's all true, suppOse?' asked
Gerard little anxiously.
"An true. My lady cared more for
my lord g love than for her first born;
and she gave you to me, Gerard, and
now she is taking you away
Tears rushed into the poor woman 8
eyes as she said this, and rolled down
her wrinkled cheeks, and Gerard put his
hand kindly upon her shoulder.
"She won't do that, he said, est
was a disgraceful thing to do, but she
was to blame and not you, and won t
forget that owe my life, daresay, to
your kindness.
tYou were very frail and feeble then,
dear - answered Mrs. Brewster humbly.
"and many and many a time 1 thought
l should never rear you, and now when
you are grown so we'll and strong--''
Except this cursed birthright they
are talking about, - interrupted GeEaFas
bitterly, as Mrs. Brewster pausedNt9
wipe away her fast falling tears. ~.
''Oh, that is nothing now, dear iSeoS
lady will see it is nothing nOwsyand
Gerard you are your fathers living
image. My lord was the handsomest
man 1 ever saw, and when l look at
your face 1 cen just believe he is stand
ing again before me-. -
These words soothed Gerard s vain
heart, and he began to tell Mrs. Brew
ster about Father Hayward's ADVICE.
"He's sly old fox that, - he said
with laugh, "and can see he wants
to lead me by the nose. but 1 won't be
so easily led, perhaps, as he thinks.
But still, of course, l should have my
rights, and I mean to have them too if l
can get them; so you must, mind, stand
by me and keep to the same story, old
woman.
Again he put his hand on her shoulder,
and Mrs. Brewster bent down her head
and kissed it.
"Don't fear for me, my dear, she
said, az would die for you; and now I've
only got to speak the truth, and no one
can disprove what say
"And this lady-for, hang it! can't
call her mother-used to send you money
l Supposed
Eyes, dear; for ur-snd-twenty
years she sent me regularly three hun
dred a year to bring you up on, and
when we took this place she advanced
the money to stock the farm.
"And you can prove this?h asked
Gerard, sharply.
eyes, Gerard; and my lady tells me in
the letter that his reverence brought me
to-day that she has kept most of my let
ters, for wrote to her twice a year al
ways, and some time more, to tell her
how you were getting on. -
Gerard took off his soft felt cap and
waved It trIumphantly in the air on hear
ing this.
"It's all right then, - he SAID; "and
this other fine gentleman brother of mine
will have to come down in the world a
peg or two when go up. But now come
IN old woman and give me some tea. -
He grew more excited during this
meal, and boosted not little what he
would do when he came to his own
wealth; and Mrs. Brewster sat and
listened with heavy heart, for she
knew that he must soon leave her, and
that her adopted son had virtually passed
away from her.
And she feared, too, for Gerard. He
had not been reared to occupy the posi-
ton he would now be called upon to fill,
and she felt that he was untitled for it.
He had had fair education. certainly,
but his life at the farm and in the viii
age had naturally not been a very ele-
vated one, and then what about May
the poor woman thought look
ng at Gerard with anxious eyes.
Presently he rose and went out to
smoke, and loitered about the place IN
til the time came when he was to meet
May. Then Mrs. Brewster saw him
pluck a flower in the garden and heard