The Irish standard., 1891-03-14

great influence over my boy, and 2
word from yon nigh turn him from his
fearful purpose. :
And that word, my dear friend, !" Mr..
Brentwood said, sadly, ..can never be
spoken. # Frank were my own son,
be could not be dearer to me, but
The widow needed him not. Grace,
notwithstanding her first repulse, had
nestled to her side, and was standing
with hands clasped on her arms, her
big eyes moist with tears. To her Mrs.
Besant turned almost fiercely.
'sWhy are you silent, girl? | thought
you loved my boy. Have you no word
to add to my prayers that may make
that cold old man more human and less
dutiful? Speak, Perhaps he may listen
to you"
There was painful pause. The girl
bowed her head and was silent.
ssWhat!'' Mrs. Besant cried, In a
hoarse whisper, ''you against me, too!'
She shook Grace from her with pas
sionate aversion.
'sOh, no, no." the girl pleaded, 81
would do any thing in the world for
you, but
'sBut, what, chi1d?'
'sBut I Think she added, in low,
though decided tones, ''if were Frank,
should go to the front like the rest Of
the young men,
'tAnd this from your The widows
words were very bitter. ''Then, when
my bright boy, who never in all his life
till now has given me one pang of anx-
iety, is lying torn with bullets on some
battlefield, may the thought that it
was You and that crazy old man who
drove him to his fate, fill your soul
with half the anguish feel now.
There, have done. Cry your eyes out
girl-when it is too late"
She opened the door hurriedlY and
fed into the darkness of the night.
CHAPTER III.
THE WIDOWS MITE.
When the widow so abruptly left Mr..
Brentwood's house, he gently closed the
door after her, and with a sigh retired
to his cham Der, leaving the ladies free
to discuss the affair, an opportunity
which Miss Ruth awaited herself of with
sincere satisfaction. She had been
awed for a time by her brothers re-
fractory behavior, but the moment his
back was turned launched into a chap
ter Of lamentations on the ingratitude
of men and the wicked folly Of women,
not forgetting, however, to congratulate
Grace on the frmness she had exhibited
in refusing to encourage Mrs. Besant's
apprehensions for her sons safety,
Grace heard little OF the diatribe, for
her thoughts were with che widow and
her son. Yes, she confessed to herself,
she did really and truly love this young
man, who was causing SO much trouble
to the mall, and though he had never de
clared any peculiar affection for her, she
felt assured that she was dearer TO him
than the other young girls in the neigh
borhood And it was hard--oh, SO hard
to lose him: but would she have had
him stay at Meltonburg with the women
and the old men, when his country was
in danger? No, a thousand times no,
even though she should never set eyes
on him again.
Her reveries and the elder lady s mono.
logue were suddenly broken by three
stea1thy taps ON the window-pane.
Both started i'm surprise.
The taps were repeated.
flush, Grace" Ruth Brentwood said
in an excited whisper, there is nothing
to be alarmed about. II is only James
Lawson-I saw him hanging round the
church door tonight, when we came
home from meeting"
sob. dear" Grace nuttered, in dis
tress, if my grandfather should hear
him. What shall we do?"
Thank goodness, child, your grand
father is safe 10 his room for the night,
was the confident reply. ''Open the
door softly, and let the poor boy in"
The 'poor boy" who came into the
room sinking at the girls heels, had
not All appearance likely to prepossess
stranger. He was a young man Of ap-
}oarently two-and-twenty years of age,
with light, hay-whispy hair and a sal
low, u1lwholescme complexion. Lis
clothes We're Old and shabby, his man
ner detected, and there was cringinsg
humility in his bearing which was pain
full to witness.
81 peeped through the window he
said, CHANGING frrtively into the face Of
either Lady as though doubtful Of the re-
ception he was likely to meet with,
land saw the old gent go upstairs: SO l
thought might venture to come in"
Though Grace glanced at him coldly
and refused the hand he stretched
towards her, Miss Ruth beamed upon
him her sweetest smile, for this elderly
lady loved the shabby ne'er-do~wen
with the blind affection of a woman
perhaps because she had brought him
,1p from childhood and showered SO many
fayors on him.
James Lawson's brief career had been
rneteoric and full Of trouble. Left as g.
baby one night on the doorstep of a
farmers house, he had been saved from
the tender mercies Of the poor-house
by the compassionate interpcsition OF
the minister, who had given the wait
and stray home in his household and,
while never legally adopting him, had
brought him up under his care, with as,
much consideration for his welfare as
though he had been a blood relation;