The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-08-11
CHAPTER XIX.


That evil genius who seems TO devote his
time to aiding the schemes Of those whose
aims are vicious took charge Of Rhoda
Bars note and placed 1t on Harlan's desk
at an opportune moment. Some weeks had
passed since we saw him last, and he had
begun to realize that both the bar and
baby have their drawbacks. He had won
his first case but his second and third had
gone against him. Furthermore the time
had come when his daughter felt bound TO
Impress her personality upon the house,
hold at the most absurd hours. and Harlan
had discovered that the insomnia begot-
ten by q crying child is practically incura-
BILE
He had again become nervous and irrita-
BILE His good resolutions regarding his
treatment OF his wife had ended, like q
cigar, In smoke. After she had fully re-
gained her health he had gradually for
gotten the promises he had made to her
as she lay In bed and had resumed his
former self-absorbed mode OF life.
There was one new feature in his exis-
tence that exercised over him nm influence
that seemed to him almost ludicrous. he
found that in spite OF her midnight dis
turbances, he was very much in love with
his daughter. When his wife and father
resembled him, Harlan would feel his
cheeks glow with sensation OF pleasure.
When the child had become sufficiently
mature to smile as he addressed her the
! young fathers heart would beat tumHltu-
ously At last, he thought. l have found a
| being who will give me the affection and
| sympathy that my being Graves. In
| fluenced by this conviction he wrote poem,
/ signed it Rupert, and sent 1t to the CEN
/ ttry. 1t was accepted at once and he was
| correcting the proofs thereof when Rhoda
/ Barr's note was laid before him. He read
it through twice, glanced at the printed
slips on his desk, felt their literary excel
lence and forgot their origin. Then he
wrote as follows:
My DEAR RHoDA:
will call on you tomorrow evening at
nine.
Yours as the Future Wills,
$685. HARLAN"
I'm an ass" he muttered to himself, as
he shut his desk and went across the
street for cocktail.
The following evening Harlan Otis arose
little after eight o'clock from dinner
table that had been rendered convivial BY
the presence OF the Hon. John Upper In
man, who had come to New York for tht
purpose Of seeing his first born grand
child. There had arisen some con
straint among them all, at first
owing to the coldness Of tho
elder Otis and the pomposity Of the
ex-Minister to Portugal, but the oily ten.
denotes OF q well-served meal had oyer
come all this and Alice's father had beeI
gracious enough to lay aside his usual ego
tistic exterior and conform to his host
apparent mood The result had been that
as the wine passed around, feeling o
good-fellowship had arisen that mad
Alice smile with satisfaction and tolt
Harlan that he could keep his engagement
with Rhoda Barr.
iii be back SOON" he had said as he lef
the dining room. Then he had stolen up
: stairs to the nursery, kissed the velvet
cheek of the sleeping babe. and gone forti
to find the woman who had pretended tt
admire his poems.
; About four o'clockth following mornin.
man came out Of the Prince Royal. AZ
apartment house on Seventy-third street
He looked up and down the street. No
body was in sight. Drawing a revolve
from his pocket he put a bullet throug
his brain. As he lay there dying, alon
and helpless, the dawn heard spirit sigh
Il love my little girl. May the world b
good to her."
Two years later tho following item ap
peared in New York newspaper: 'sAlie'
Otis, nee Inman, widow of the late Harlan
, Otis, was married yesterday to John Al
uold, NJ. D." ..E =
THE END. . 4