The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-01
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manded. You will make yourself i'll. >
No, no." she protested, with fearful
laughter. 81 am too full of Joy to be i'll
Oh, tell me all, quickly"
Not unless you promise to be calm,
the colonel insisted.
Wmifred sat down. 81 have been
calm for years." said she; ''let me be
mad with JOY now"
Her fathers eyes filed with tears.
"You shall read for yourself, =" he said,
as he put the letter into her hands.
There were only three short pages, bat
these were eloquent with the desire fol
reconciliation.
''Ah! let US go to him at oncer' cried
WinifDed.
''No, my daughter" the colonel re-
piled, with sad decision; Nicholas must
come to me-"
'.Yes, he mustl he mnstI But write;
write nowI Say, sly dearest son. come
home He is your dearest son. you
know" she urged, detecting a shadow
on her fathers face, ''for you have no
| other"
''You must leave me to write my let
ter in my own way" the colonel said in
exorably. Nicholas shall come home;
but you must remember that he will not
| come alone"
mo; you viii have two daughters"
The colonel turned away, Hpatiently.
He had never thought Of Dosia Furnival
as his daughter; he could not bring him
| self to think Of her in that light now;
but he could make up his mind to accept
her as his sons wife; and it was not
Dosia's advent that he dreaded; it was
Miss Rcxanna White against whom he
| revolted. For ROxanna the Inevitable,
Roxanna the AVenger, had written to
the colonel; but, with characteristic reti-
cence, he said nothing Of this to Wini-
fred.
1t had never been Winifred'5 habit to
confide her joys and SORROWS to Miss
Elvira, but now a sort Of rage for SYM
patty urged her to call on that gentle,
inane lady to rejoice with her. She al
most snatched the little worn book of de-
votions out of her aunt's hands, exclain-
ing, with laughter and tears
''Oh, let US give thanks to God with
our whole heart; and cut CT cur hearts,
not out of book! For my brother that
was lost is found again!''
''Winifredr said Miss Elvira, with
mild rebuke. st is-unladylike to be
so-fercible."
''Brer Nicholas-haven't you heardy'
eyes; I have heard" Hiss Elvira sigh
ed, in answer; ''that is why l went to
my devotions." Then Winifred saw that
she had been weeping.
Surely you rejoice?' she asked,
trembling; FOR it frightened her to real
ize what hatred ard anger waited to rage
in her heart against whoever should re-
fuse to rejoice at her brothers return.
Miss Eivira turned her eyes away.
1.-THE old joy died." she said, sadly,
''when Nicholas rode away in the rain
that summer night, nearly nine years
ago. 1t can never come again"
You are cruel, you are wicked to say
thatp cried Winifred
mo, Winifred; ara only experienced.
I loved Nicholas dearly, but when I
think Of his coming now my heart fails
me. There win be a difference; it IS
only kind to warn you"
''What diEerence?" Winifred demand
3D. with fire in her eyes.
"Why should we deceive ourselves,
child?' said Miss Elvira, querulously.
You know that Nicholas will not return
alone"
Would not Dosia be my sister," cried
Winifred. Would she not be your
niece and my fathers daughter? She is
beautiful, and she IS good; 1 accept Do
STA.
"Ch, Do5ia," said Miss Elvira, slight
ingly. In 4 certain sense she, too, &C
copied Dosia; that was inevitable.
And as 10 the little boy Wini-
fred began, VITA trerluious tender
ness.
1t is Nicholas child" Miss Elvira in
tcrrupted, pl4cidiy; the child likewise
she could accept. But there's that
dreadful Miss Eoxanra White; we shall
never BE rid Of her"
she has been a good friend Of Brer
Nicholas; love her for that, said W-ini-
fred, Ual&Uuted. Let her come, and
let her stay. if she likes; Thorne Hill has
room"
"l4y dear, you don't know her! She
is--a greH4dier in petticoatS. Such
letter as she has written your fatheri
She refuses to be parted from Nicholas
ana his wife and child: if they come,
come viii she; and we shall live under
martial law"
And wo shall be very happy" Wini-
fred insisted, though in her heart Of
hearts she felt the shadow of her aunt's
forebodings.