Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-15

Hduu.
81 want to see you, May, - be said in
low tone; ''can you come out for a
walkl''
''Not now - she answered, speaking
softly; otis just fathers tea times
though he's fallen asleep there, poor
man, by the fire, for he had hard day
yesterday
"When can you come then2'' went on
Gerard. sssomething wonderful has
happened, and / want to tell you about
it,
Something wouderful?'' repeated
May, lifting her blue eyes TO her lover >
face.
She was really pretty girl, fair and
pink-cheeked, 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.
eyes, - he answered excitedly, Gas
good as fairy tale, and l am dying to
tell you all about it, May.
81 can get out later" said May,
whose curiosity was naturally reused;
81 can go down to the sands about s,
Gerard, if you will meet me there?''
can right; be sure you come; III be
by the big rock where we sat yesterday :,
exactly at a quarter to eight; so be 3.
dear girl and don { keep me waiting. -
They settled it thus, and Gerard, after
holding her hand a 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 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. az thought nothing
in heaven or earth would have forced
the secret from my lady's lips. She
made me swear on the crucifix would
never reveal It; never on my deathbed;
never to living soul. -
"But it s all true, l suppose?' asked
Gerard little anxiously.
'All true. My lady cared more for
my lord's love than for her first born;
and she gave you to me, Gerard, and
now she is taking you away a
Tears rushed into the poor woman 9
eyes as she said this, and rolled down
her wrinkled cheeks, and Gerard put his
hand kindly upon her shoulder.
'tShe won't do that, he said, 'fit
was disgraceful thing to do, but. shRE
was to blame and not you.aa4 .s64sNt
forget that owe my lifan daresay, to
your kindness. II
''You were very frail I'D feeble then,
dear +" answered Mrs. BTNYster humbly,
land many and many Nme thought,
l should never rear you, am now when
you are grown so we'll and strOag ="
''Except this cursed birthright tbs&
are talking about, - interrupted GeEa,
bitterly, as Mrs. Brewster pags to
wipe away her fast falling tearsf
''Oh, that is nothing now, d6ar; my
lady will see it is nothing now, and
Gerard you are your fathers living
image. My lord YVES the handsomest
man l ever saw, and when look at
your face can 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, I-should have my
rights, and / mean to have them too if l
can get them; 80 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, 81 would die for you; and now I've
only got to speak the truth, and no one
can disprove what 1 say.
"And this lady-for, hang it, can't
call her mother-used to send you money
l Supposed
eyes, dear; for four-and- twenty
years she sent me regularly three hun
when we took this place she advanced
the money to stock the farm.
FAnd you can prove this?'' 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
tiers, for l wrote to her twice a year al
ways, and some time more, to tell her
how you were getting on. "a
Gerard took off his soft felt cap and
waved 1t trlumphantly in the air on hear
ing this.
''It's all right then, - he SAID; ''snd
this other fine gentleman brother of mine
viii have to come down in the world q
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 a fair education, certainly,
but his life at the farm and in the vii
lage had naturally not been a very ele-
waited one, and then what about May
Sumner, the poor woman thought look
ing at Gerard with anxious eyes.
Presently he rose and went out to
smoke, and loitered about the place uD-
til the time came when he was to meet
May. Then Mrs. Brewster saw him
pluck a flower in the garden and heard
him go up to his own bedroom, and
when he came down again the flower was
in his coat, and he stood and looked at
himself for n u1omank or tVa in the rIaas