The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-03

stretched hand.
my dear boy, SO sorry TO have kept you
! waiting But fello y came in last night
aud STAYED late, and I've got such splitting
headache this morning that / forgot all
about you coming until the old woman
downstairs told me you were here. So sorry,
but I see they've got breakfast ready, so sit
down and have some. Well, how is the
gallant colonel this morningp
1--WE had breakfast, thank you" said
Francis, with some unconscious pride in his
manner and bearing, "and-I have some
news for you, sir
"Newsi What sort of newsl Good,
hope" answered George Roche, pouring
himself out cup Of tea.
Very sad news, sir. Lord Ennismore
was found yesterday shot in the woods at
| Brackenford."
The teapot nearly fell out of George
Roche's hands.
"Shot in the woods Of Brackenford yes
| terdayp he repeated. Thank goodness l
wasn't there, then"
Ibid you intend 10 be therefn
fYou and your uncle are witnesses at all
events that wasn't By Jovel it's near
shave, though. Butts Lord Ennismore done
| forT'
mo, but he's badly wounded, and it's
| about this have come to talk t. you. I'm
| der such circumstances it will, of course, be
| impossible for you at present to proceed
further in the matter you talked of yester-
day."
George Roche was silent, he kept looking
at Francis, as if he were thinking very seri-
ously.
You will, I am sure, consider Lady En-.
earnestly. This must have been terrible
shock to her. We must now all think of
| her."
"By Jovew muttered George Roche.
| You will promise me not to do any
| thlnRm said Francis.
Still George Roche made no answer; he
| began drumming with his fingers on the
table, still with his bloodshot eyes fixed on
| Francis.
"Here is an account of the accident, {"
! continued Francis, presently, handing the
newspaper lying on the table to George
! Roche, who took it and read it slowly
through
"By Jover he cried after he had finished
the paragraph. sit was at the very spot, and
at the very time, as far as | can make out,
where she asked me to meet her. If I'd
! gone they would have said had murdered
4 him."
"Where she asked you to meet herr" re-
peated Francis.
YES told her, you know, that for your
sake | was about determined to establish my
| just claims, and when | was talking to her
me to go, which did; telling her to write
and make an appointment where she could
| see me; and got this letter from herr and
! he plunged his hand into his coat pocket
and handed letter to Francis, who, how
ever, did not open it.
Yes, you may read it, my lad, went on
George Roche, "and you'll SEQ in 1t she
names a certain bridge In the woods, where
she and used to meet when she was girl,
ay, and many time after we were married
| too!n
Upon this Francis laid the letter unopened
on the table.
II would rather not read it, sir, he said,
gravely.
"Well, just as you like; hand it across
then again. Yes Francis, my boy, In
those days, your mother did not disdain me
as she does now. was not the scum of the
earth to her then; but, by Jove if this fell
| low dies it may make difference"
''At all events you will do nothing at pres
emit You will promise me that?
well, she'll have about enough to worry
her Just now, that's certain. Perhaps we
had better wait until we see how things
turn
THANK you, sir" said Francis Roche,
stretching his hand across the table to his
father, who took it not without emotion;
then Ishall depend upon YOU"
George Roche grasped the hand held out
to him, and then rose hastily, and went to
one of the windows of the room, and stood
looking out in silence for some moments
then he turned abruptly round again.
81 know, my lad" he began, Pm not
like you. I've been black sheep enough;
but still if you could learn to like me bit
| not to treat me with the scorn my brother
did, and she did, who had once been so much
to me, 1t would make things different It's
not pleasant, however battered one may be,
to think that every one belonging you
wishes you dead, and grudges you the few
years left to you What made me SO hard
to Katherine was the hatred | READ In her
face. She treated me as il we're the dirt
of the earth-but II you"
at seems all so strange to me, you know :,
sir, p" answered Francis, who also was anot
unmoved at this strange outburst of human
feeling from this lonely man; II can
| scarcely realize even yet what you really
are to me; but Uncle Walter says you are
his brother George, and therefore you are
'Your father Out with it, my boy.
Yes. l am your father and no mistake
about it, aud the husband of the proud lady
who would faint, dare say, If l were now
to venture to touch her hand. All the same
| think no worse Of you for your considera-
ton for your mother. Well. let it rest d
bit, then, until we see whether my lord pulls
through; and in tIe meantime, Francis, il
you will look me up sometimes"
~ shall be very pleased" answered
Francis with a smile. You know have
only few more days in town just now, bu
l will come and see you again before
60" .
do, my boy; and. Francis, my lad, il
you want money or anything, I've fifty. OF
even hundred pounds always at your ser
vice. Don't be ashamed to take it-itt
} your own; your mothers in fact, and
know young men in the army have lots o.
} expenses, and an old fellow like me doesn'
} really want rnuch.n
> THANK you very much" said Francis
) 81 don't want any money just now, but il
) don-and he thought of Helen DrummonC
! II shall tell you"
That's right. Now if you won't have
3 any breakfast have brandy aud soda, anC
by Jove when l think of it should like one
3 too, l feel so confouudedly thirsty"
Francis accepted the brandy and soda
g partly lest he should wound his father
feelings, and then after about half an hourI
3 longer conversation took his leave, and re.
r turned to his uncles hotel.
3 "Well, said the colonel, looking up from
r his paper as his nephew entered the room
: land how did you get on with the savage =
81 think he improves on acquaintance, >
= answered Francis with a laugh; and ther
: he told how George Roche had promised
for the present not TO take any steps re
garding his former marriage with Lady
, Ennismore.