San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-18
The BaSS(t It Claim.
By EENAy :. ELLIOT.

tScpyrignt oT Arlc"lr' NHreSS AssocHsSs13At
press MS deep regrets and TO peg your
pardon"
at is best to know the truth" said
Louise. "Of course it was sudden, but
| am much better now. / am sorry l
made a scene. Suppose we go, and We'll
see the agent and thank him for his at
tentions. Poor man, our visit wasn't
much comfort TO him!'
When they entered the parlor Office
they found the invalid reclining on his
sofa, evidently much distressed and ex-
cited. Pardon he cried. ''Great
slunder! Feeling better? No matterl
yind friends. All the sams!"
"Thank you," replied Louise, smiling.
II have, indeed, many good friends. 1t
was sudden, and l was upset, but feel
stronger now. You have been extremely
kind, and Nancy here is good girl. l
can get home very nicely, and will then
look over the papers and try to find out
who am. Meantime, for the present, at
least, may ask you to say nothing of
this?"
Certainly; confidential! Too much
said already" he replied.
II hope you "on't worry" continued
Louise. at is no doubt for the best"
"Hope so! Good pluck! That's rightr
he said. ''Going? Come again! Always
welcome! Treat you better next timer
Good day, sir" she replied, smiling
her thanks and good wishes. "Good-by,
Nancy"
Il don't realize it yet, somehow" she
said to Windward, when they had
reached the street; and, her native hui
NOR breaking through her sadness, she
- -.
added: I'm like the old woman in
Mother Goose, who woke up considera-
bly, altered and exclaimed, If l am not
|, then who am II"
She adopted this playful vein all the
way home, assuming to doubt the iden-
tity of the most familiar objects. such as
the horse cars, the trees and the public
buildings, till she reached the doorstep
of the colonel's house. Here she thanked
Windward warmly for his attentions,
and excused herself from asking him in
on the ground that she wanted to make
the acquaintance of her ancestors
''She has good nerves" thought Wind
ward, as he turned away, "but doctors
say those patients suffer less who cry
and take on than those who shut their
teeth and bear the pain in silence. She's
splendid woman, but she was weak
and homesick today. And l verify be-
heve if l had told her I'd give her my
name for the one was the means of her
losing she'd have taken it-though l
don't suppose any woman likes to wear
secondhand clothes, even if they are not
quite worn out. Confound that pretty
mink l believe l am a fool. Well, I'll
go back and settle down to business.
This has been an unlucky winter. I'll
leave claims alone after this; I've had
enough of it for a lifetime; got into
trouble myself and all my friends be-
sides. 1t don't pay" .
With this American criticism on his
labors, he changed the course of his
thoughts; for now, looking on ahead to-
ward the boarding house which he was
approaching, he saw the ''Old Man"
coming to meet him.
snow, ne has been to the house to see
Stevens again. wish Peter would not
be 50 mysterious, but l suppose l shall
know in time"
He did not have to wait long, how
ever, to have his curiosity satisfied as to
the object of the milliouaire's second
visit, for ON reaching the house he found
everybody in fiutter of delight and ex-
element and eager to tell the news.
The magnate, it seemed, had but just
gone after making an extraordinary pro-
position; and Stevens was again the hero
of the hour.
The "Old Man" had called at half-past
O'Clock. He wished, he said, to see
Mr.. Stevens, but he had not forgotten
the ladies by any means. So, while
awaiting the clerks return from Office he
chatted affably with Mrs. and Miss Bas-
sett and Miss Sophia TO their mutual en-
tertainment and pleasure. II don't see
why he isn't like other peopler' thought
Sophia.
"You have a very pleasant group here,
I'm sure" he said. my young men are
in luck"
my young men," Stevens million
aires young man; the ladies made note
of it.
1--WE find them very pleasant" said
Sophia.
''Oh, yes" replied Millions, "Atwoed's
a good fellow. Quiet, don't say much,
but level headed. Knows good thing
when he sees it. AS for Mr.. Stevens,
have seen only little of him, but he is
good timber; fine, strong man; some
thing to him; man to tie to. Not like