The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-20

library. He did not count his pulse nor
look at his tongue. He only held him
very close. Katherine, sitting by, felt
her fears depart, and such peace and con-
tent settle down upon her that glad,
grateful tears would start in spite of
her. A fair group were they to look
upon-the middle aged doctor, man
| of powerful physique, with face rugged
| and bronzed from exposure. but whose
deep brown eyes were very kind and
very sympathetic, and in spite Of the
heavy brigand like mustache which con-
cealed the mouth there was tenderness
| in the face; ali, there was love there as
| he gazed into the eyes of the woman at
his side, she of such beautiful mien, yet
| so unusual.
The great rings of soft silver hair, al
most white, formed striking contrast to
her dark eyebrows and deep hazel eyes,
whose fringe of long brown lashes offset
the feeting color in that deicately mod
eled face. Early grief had blanched
| those locks from bronze to silver, while
as yet her face, when interested and viva
cious, was young and girhsh. The third
figure in the group, little Star Weather
| ly-"Starry Weather" as he called him
self-althougl now pale and i'll was a
most picturesque child, Van Dyke
child, with great dreamy eyes and art
hair, 1axen and soft and loosely curling.
! A child mature beyond his five years,
one who could converse with DR.. Van
Duyn upon the origin and destiny of
Santa Claus, and who could follow John
Pidgin, the stable boy, in most Of his
theological vagaries; for John Pidgin
had many fine flights of fancy in his
E00f chamber under the caves. John
Pidgin was speculative John Pidgin
had many theories
DR.. John Van Duyn had long loved
Katherine Weatherfy- He had told her
so once when he gave her back to herself
and her child after long, low fever.
He asked for them both then To come
into his lonely life and let him live and
care for them. Katherine shyank from
the thought ct that time. Roger Wealth
erly, four years dead, was still her hus-
band. albeit not always had he been
kind husband; and in startling moments
of her married life had she discovered
that her love for the proud, salf osntered
man was not strong and ali a.hSo>- oing as
when she first knew him So Chat his
death was something OF rsproach to
her, and that with the finsi s1ddenness
and the pathos of it all beaumbed and
terrified her heart: and while there was
not the deepest grief there at has death
there was yet deepest SCH condemnation,
there was the ave and after loneliness,
all of which combined bore the sem
blance of deep grief 20 Katharine's mind
the features of grief without its soul.
So was she held from entertaining the
slightest thought of love for another.
The very suggestion seemed abhorrent to
her.
Long they sat on this winter day by
the library fire. the doctor and Katherine
snd little Star in occasional converse,
quiet, suodued, happy 70 be together.
The little French clock on the mantel
disturbed the serenity of the room more
than they. The child dozed of again,
his fair head pilowed on the doctors
arm. Van Duyn carried him back TO
his little cot, and after covering him soft
and warm, with touch gentle as a wo-
mans, he led Katherine back TO her seat
by the freside, where ne told her the
story of how his days were passed, and
how he was bridging over the present
blank and co1nfortleSs-wlth the hope
that ne might some day win her; that
she had grown So dear-so dear; and
could she not hold out just little rush
light Of assurance that some time such
thing might be posshle-just faint
glimmer that would light him through
the dreary present. But, no; no she
could not. Il must never be. He must
not talk 70 her of mRrTaze