The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-29

here. as aiterward learned that Alice Whitfield
conducted a shop-a unknown to her father
| for making artificial flowers. Thus she provided
| the family with support without injuilDg his
Beatrice HennIng strobe into the small room,
| and we followed her There we saw the face Of
| Swensen above the quilt that covered his body
as II rested on a couch. How changed 1t was.
How the eyes glared. They accounted for his
| speech and manner-he was deliriOus.
Rudolph, tell me what ask you" Miss Hen
"Whisky-whisky. 1 want whisky" was his
"oh, Rudolph. I'll help you. I'll have you
moved. You are ILL.,"
g l am dying" he moaned; "shot through and
through. For heavens sake give me whisky"
Then followed a burst of the foulest language
Miss Beatrice quilted the room. not distracted or
her lace was banched with flashing eyes. "You
VIII go for TIE police ?' she commanded rather
than asked OF me.
"Rlr. Fletcher, what does this mean-are you
going surrender him ?" The words were those
/ OF Miss Alice, standing before me with out
stretched hands, whose fingers were pressed to-
getner as In prayer. She continued: mo one
but you and physician knows he is here. He
cannot live many days-perhaps not many hours.
Let hime die here"
a fIghIful volley of vile epithets issued from
an inner room. They were in all probability ad-
dressed to The woman who WAS defending the
outlaw; but as the words fell upon the ears of
Miss fleming her face became mass OF raging
hate. She bounded toward the door, but was
seized and held back by the doctors daughter.
cause you have TO wish him Ill. but Mr. Fletcher
VIII tell yOu / am the mother OF his child am
his life. 1t is for my child that plead. What
ever you know against my husband, know
worse. w hateyer he has done elsewhere is not
likely TO equal what he has done 10 Inc and mine.
But he is dying, and had hoped my child might
live to hear bis name no worse stained than IL is.
Let the man die here out OF jail. attended as
man should be-"
did not turn his face. She shook his ann petI-
Ianlly. Then they botn went downstairs. she
leading her father.
"God bless you, Mr.. Fletcher" said Miss
Alice. Now go away. dear friend, and may
what you have seen be our joint secret"
AL The end OF the hall, by the street door,
| stood Ella Palmer with hand in each pocket OF
her saeque. stamping her feet like man and
whlstliBg.
holding II up " and this is only the beginning of
| what VIII give you II you VIII tell no one of
what you know" And Informed her OF Alice's
baby, and drew such melting picture that l
really !anciee that she was Affected
Keep your money" said she, " I'll not tell
| soul"
" Thank you." said I.
Keep your thanks, too," she retorted. al
| amt worth them, and can't stand them. like
| blow and crack with the club, curse at night
10 the laekup better, because I'm used to il, and
| It's part OF my business"
Three days later there was knot of white
Grape on one OF the beknObs at the door of the
| Big Barracks. Alices boy was dead. The BE-
reaved mother put her hand in mine and left 1t
there, and bowed her head, despislng mere
closed my speech, and tear ran down each OF
my cheeks. She pressed my hand, and under
stood That she was grateful TO me for my emo
lion.
The DOCTORS wife caught my eye and seemed
to invite me to her. made my way on tipioe 10
her side.
Hush" she said. "You know the skeleton
1t comes and goes, you know. 1t will come and
go tonight, but never again." This was whis-
pefed very earnestly and confdentialy. at will
come only once more, tonight but never again.
on, we shall be so happy after that"
niue laer, as we were all In the front room,
there was knock at the door. and ragged
b0Olback entered with a movement that was
something between leaping and being thrown for.
ward.
Excuse me-" said man WHO appeared at the
open door, aud 10 whom the boy had evidently
shown the way Is this DR.. Whitfeld's? /
have man in the hack downstairs. He was at
ter telling me 10 leave him here and cd forgive
him for what he has done to me- Bring him up
If he Is wanted and let Inc co."
We went downstairs A closed carriage stood
al the curb. Alice was first to look into the We
ncle. She drew back. and graspiDg my arm,
tnrned face distorted with horror upon me-
" He Is dead !" she exclaimed. My husband
is dead Oh, MIR. Fletcher, what shall we DO
?"
whispered to the driver promise OF money
and OF my company on his box II lie would wait
another i've minutes. Then | led the doctors
daughter into the house. told them that there
would be a Coroners inquest, and that If the
body was brought into the house The most sacred
secrets OF the family would be made public. /
volunteered TO take the remains TO an under
takers shop to notify the police, aequaint the
Coroner with all the facts necessary and TO
manage that the existence OF the widow should
not be disclosed.
Swensen was buried the day after the inquest
His widow had hoped that he might be inferred
with her little boy but the doctor would not, had
that been done, have attended the funeral. The
child was buried on the afternoon OF the day OF
the inquest. The doctor, his daughter and |
were the only mournerS. The next day Miss
Alice and followed the hearse for the second
time. She wept bitterly for her little boy on the
way to its grave And the next day we buried
her husband; she yielded again TO excessive
grief. spoke few comforting words, and
found that all the tears were for her baby boy
Even when she drew me beside her close to the
grave in which her husbands body had been
laid, she told me OF the winsome attributes the
child had possessed. do not believe she shed
tear for her husband.
1 have determined upon the woman want for
wife. i deliberately started from my tafor's
hands a year ago TO get bride just as | had
been getting my meals, my clothes and the work.
men In my shop-to order. started out phIo-
sophically and in cold blood, saying to myself
that had the years and the money and the need
OF home, now for wife Without my know
ing how 1t came about or dreaming thai IL ever
could, have been guided to a familiar spot oft
bandages have fallen from my eyes and see be-
fore me Alice Whitfield. She is just where she
always was, in her home and at her work, but
see her In q new light, which makes her seem no
longer simply the friend whose sorrow-laden Sc.
crets have been betrayed 10 me. The same per-
son IS now subordinated to something ethereal,
subtle and magnetic, as II saw her through halo
Full well know that 1t Is because love is looking
through my eyes and lending me his sighT. /
love her. Does she love me? The month of
my waiting for her answer will be up tomorrow.
with 1t Will close that era In my life OF which this
Is a history.
Icopyrf9ht, 1890. Au rights reserved by Julian
The Victoria Colonist says: The soop Annie.
owned by the smuggler Hottie (who was shot aud