Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-03-24


work at u. That while be- had thought
Il b.st Ia say little 20 them about IL
while they we're cropping In the dark.
they had In their Investigation thought,
perhaps. a man 10 the name u PEARSON.
who had died recently. had bccn con-
ncciol with the events
II was strange. bat none the less true.
that Tom had failed To tell IIolbrook 10
the rrp1rt the shadow had made to him
u the -cenc betwccn the drunkaId Pres
ton and Parker Had hs done - IIOl.
brUok undoubtedly would have elected
something frbm Mr.. Templeton which
would have pat another aspect upon AZ.
fair. A matter of fact. the report %
the shadow had made but little imprcs-
sion on Tom at the time. for his mind
then Wasconccntratsd upon the tax of
fastening the crime % murder upon
Fountain. Such thought a. be did give
% IL was that, pcfhaps. a discreet In
quify IN that direction might lead up 10
a discovery of sOtne of Pierson's sur.
ruundings. which might help them to An
understanding ~ how Tcmpleton. foun.
tain and Pl"rson were connected. And
- IL was that llolbrOok was trcading
Close upon facts of great value without
bcing conscious % u.
However. ,atisii.J that Mr. Temple
ton could tell him nothing that could 10
u value. be- dropped the subject, and
turned the conversation Ia another chan
mel
But Annie. Who Was sitting AZ the vim
dow engaged In embroidery work. and
making a very pretty picture a. she at
there. remarked that she vas glad the
s-arch VA being continued, for though
they had heard little about u recently.
they were greatly interested In H.
llolbrOok. who thought there vas
something II gentle rcproach Ia the
wufis. aid.
The truth u. Mis- Templcton. nothing
has b-,n accomplished Dor ten days we
have h.cn under the imprcssion that We
cOuli lay oar hands upon the man. bat
this morning se discovered that the
man In question could not have pisslbly
done the dc.d We hardly darcd to al.
miI 81 ourselves our suspicious. and !
should have bcen greatly to blame had
rai.c,l falss hops Ia your breast or had l
ppintol a. a suspicion that could not bo
Justified Rsst assured that everything
!, hcing done that can b. done 90 un.
cover the mystery"
"OhT said Annie. covered with con.
fusiou and blushing very prrttily. Il had
10 intention q complaining Indeed We
are really too much obliged 10 you for
the truuhlo you have taken in our Affairs
o. criticiss &c "a complain
During this exchange liolbrook had
moved ffum hi, chair Ia tho middle of
thc NOM. where be- hal bc,n converting
with Mr, Tsmpleton. aud taken low.
easy one near the window where Annie
sat
In answer Ia Annie. reply 10 him be
.aii'
Il do not think. Ml- Tsmplr,on. that
.nytnibA which might concern wa or
yours voIli - TO mr-h trouble for
me
Tho blo0i errp, mp into AnnIe's checks
again. and ending over her work she
aid nothing
Ilolbruok himself had nothing to say.
and be- At for slme time towing with
the end u the embroidery falling from
her knee. Finally be- said,
"Do y0u know that have experienced
great pleasure In my calls here-pleasurs
~ a Kind ii has not t-'cn my lot 10 cI'
pcriencc fof several yearsy
Annio looked up Nondchngly.
Il sincerely hops you do tnd pleasure
In your visits here. AMI ii Is pleasant Ia
hear you say ~. bat do not quite un-
dcrstand you"
"Why not"
"Oh. your words SEEM to convey
meaning they do not express clearly
"P,rhaT. they DO. You know. of
coursc. that | am bachelor. Well. ]
have. ever since came to the city,
twelve year. ago. lived IN hotel IL u
nov eight year. since my mother died.
and the HON. ~ my childhood. 10 which
from time to time | returned. was broken
up. Since that time. this household has
bren the only place have visited where
have bccn treated with that informal
iy crave. and where the occupants
pursue their work as my mother used 10
do. IL i eight years and more since
| have becn prrmittcd by any woman to
sit ~ near and play with her work a. ]
DO now. and A. used to DO sitting 10
side my mother
Annie was provoked with herself as
she felt the bushes man,ling hcr checks,
for she had notel the tone of TENDERNESS
which undcrlay his words. To blush was
To assume that this tenderness Was di-
rected toward herself. when his words
conveyed n0thing ~ the sori, and when
without doubt only the rccollections of
his mother aud his home had b.en stirred
by entering their domestic circle. She
made an effort and feplicdi
ut is a pleasure. then, at a very small
coat. am sure. Mr. llolbruok."
~ pleasure duly APP rciaic.'
"was your mother a widow
Eye. With bat two children. a SIS
ter and myself. Ny sister u married
and lives abruad-her husband occupies
a diplomatic position"
lit l. hard % los ones home. II
must h.. I DO not think could content
myself to live for all time as We are
now. want home 81 my own, which
can deck and bcautify my own way
II think YOU. yourself. would beantify
any place however bare. and make u
home. Mis- Templcton."
This was direct enough. and the blush
swept up again over her face. Hol.
brook did not wait for a reply, bat con-
tinued:
lit l. woman who makes the homo
Men may erect house. Gil IL with cost
ly furniture and BEAUTIFUL works Of art,
vet IL j. only an abiding place. Until
some woman gpces II with her presence
and her life Il does not become home.
Annie looked up archly and said'
IF you appreciate home - much,
Mr. IIolbrook. why do you not obtain
one for yourelff'
Holbrook looked at her steadily. and
with not even the suspicion Of smile on
his face. replied;
'Sometimcs the heaven We most de-
sire i. not aiiainable but ! propose TO
attain mine II can by earnest endeavor.
IL Is only within short time that my
heaven has been shown the, and when
the time Is meet I'll put my fortune TO
| the test"