The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-24
CAHPTER XXXv.

DOL
The change came quite suddenly, for
Lord Ennismore had been unusually cheer
.ul during the day, but toward evening he
grew restless, and commenced coughing,
and in a moment his wife saw a crimson
ide rise to his lips, and from that time all
hope died out of her miserable heart.
She called the nurse, and they applied ice,
and after awhile the sick man rallied, and
ay still and speechless, with a certain
olemn look in his gray eyes; brave,
teadfast, and yet solemn, as though he
realized and faced his danger with a valiant
heart.
And ever these gray eyes followed one
form, and rested on one face. On the face
of Katherine, his wife. and by and by he
oeckoned her to his side.
Don't fret, Katie" he whispered below
ais breath, and drew her hand up to his lips
and kissed it.
Hush, Enn;smore, you must not speak, :"
she answered.
And she sat there quite still and made no
moan. Sat and watched him. while the
oight hours ebbed away. When the dawn
stole in she saw the gray shadows had deep
ened on EnnlSmores race.
But during the day which followed he
.eemed to gain strength, and asked to see
little Pat, and smiled tenderly when tine
handsome boy went to his bedside.
why don't you talk, fatherr' asked the
Child in his outspoken way, and with his
bright blue eyes fixed won deringly on his
It's fathers pallid face.
I4ord Ennlsmore gently shook his head;
a d Lady EnnisInore laid her hand on the
shoulder OF her little son.
''YoGr father must not speak to-day, Pat,
bis throat is too weak" she said, aud then
turned away with the cold dew breaking
put on her white face.
Then I'll talk. said Pat. and so the child
went prattling on telling anecdotes of his
pony and his dog, and finally informing
Lord Ennismore of the quarrel between
young Curzon and Miss Sinclair.
"Do you know, father, Mr.. Curzon is
gomez He went cause ne and Miss Sinclair
llai great row."
L I'd Ennismore smiled at this piece of
iHsOrmatlon.
1T was Punch told me-" went on Pat.
"She said they had great fight, cause he
was laughing at her with Judy, and she
was listening; it was awful mean to listen
wasn't it, fatherY
The father gave little nod.
$50 he PACKED of. I'm sorry, cause l
think he's rather jolly fellow, though
not SO jolly as Roche-but he doesn't come
now"
The pale listener at the window clasped
her hands together as the child's innocent
words fell on her ears.
Then presently she went back to the bed
side.
''You must not tire father to-day, DEAR
she said; you must come and see him to-
morrow, and tell him all your news then"
-. l,.N II L
now ,mayn't IP' asked Pat, and as his mother
lifted him on the bed Lord Ennismore's
ewes grew dim as his little sons rosy lips
were pressed on his face.
''God bless you, my boy, dear little boy"
he murmured, and then he gave a restless
sigh, and when Lady Ennismore returned
to him he was evidently still thinking of the
child.
'You must watch over him, Katie" he
whispered; my little heir"
And during the rext few days, when
ever Lord Ennismore was allowed to
speak, be invariably talked of his son;
the boy whom he believed was destined to
inherit his old name, and his mothers
wea tn.
And she who knew that this would not
be; who knew Of the suspended sword that
was sure 10 fall. bore all this as she bore the
rest, in silent anguish-prayerless, hopeless
anguish, too terrible almost for a human soul
TO undergo and live.
And when Lord Ennismore next saw the
rector. he spoke to him also about his son.
Il won't get well now, Prescott" he said.
wistfully enough; land want you to be a
joint guardian with my wife of the little
lad. He will have a long minority, you see,
and / should feel more at ease if knew that
some one | can thoroughly depend upon,
like yourself, was looking after him-poor
little chap"
There was such choking sensation in the
rector's throat at this request that he could
make no reply to it.
"The girls, of course. are different" went
on Ennismore, they will have their mother,
and are sure to marry, but Pat is such
baby still, and he sighed.
"God will watch over the child" said the
rector in falteringly accents.
Il hope AID pray SO; but there are many
temptations for a young lad with money in
the world; therefore, Prescott, | hope you
will not refuse my requestp
Whatever you wish will do"
THAT is settled then / expect Beale, the
lawyer, tomorrow, and then l want every
thing arranged If it were only not for
katherine and the boy l should be ready
enough to 60"
"Our partings arc but for a time. a brief
time" sid the rector's trembling voice
''spent by most of us here struggling in an
adverse sea, where the waves are ever ready
to overwhelm us. But we have a Beacon
Light. on which, if we have but strength to
to Tx our eyes, the life on earth dwindles
and grows small"
YES" answered Ennismore, half re-
luctanny.
For his life had been a truly happy one.
His nature was bright and genial, and for
tune had smiled on him and no shadow or
cross had hitherto fallen athwart his path
And of the dark undercurrent that had
drifted so near to change all this he was
totally ignorant
'He will be spared what to him would
have been worse than death, y Lady Ennis
more thought more than once during these
last days; SPARED to know that his children
are nameless, and that / am unworthy &C
touch his hand"
And SO The last days glided away in great
peace and in little bodily pain to the dying
lord. He grew weaker, and each recurrent
attack OF bleeding from the lung lessened
his vitality, and he would lie for hourt
quite silent, with his wife's hand in his, 10 q
sort Of half sleep. half stupor, from which
IL was sometimes difficult TO rouse him.
He Is drifting fast away" the rector
told bis sister one night when he returned
from his visit 10 Brackenford to the re.
tory.
"It's terrible thing" answered Mis
Dorothy. And 10 think they have no
even caught the villains who did It. shoulC
like 70 have seen them hangedp