The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-19


tered it. Edith lay smiling in her sleep,
dreaming perhaps of the triumphs OF the
day before. But when reused and told OF
the visitor, sue became suddenly as wide
awake as if her eyes had not been closed
Called at this hour of the dayl What
does he mean by it? What shall l do? II
only | were all ready and dressed. She
proceeded rapidly with her toilette But
to think OF his being kept waiting! Beat
tie, help me at this pinch II you nave any
sisterlv feeling. | know I've been nasty 10
Won nj times. but forget it all like a good
Christian, and stand by me now. I on muSt
90 down. introduce yourself TO him, ana
play The benevolent elder sister TIL come.
Talk 20 him. you know, in your stald, ell
DERBY way You've quite color this morn
IHC." she added glancing rather grudglngly
at the tnge in Beatrce's cheek.
I've been gardening" said the later.
81 suppose / have no business with color,
and she laughed little.
Nonsense. Beattiei Don't be absurd"
well, If l must 90 down l hope you'll
come soon"
AS soon as ever I can. Thank you,
Beattie. BY the way. you might leave ne
that rose in your dress; is would just finish
me of. and l haYu't time to get one for my
self"
Beatrice smiled as she removed the red
rose she wore from the body Of her white
dress, took off her gardening apron and
went downstairs.
She passed softly across the hall, entered
The dIRwing-rOo closing the door behind
her. TIE sun-blinds We're down before the
windows; the room was shady. The sum-
meT breeze came in and shook the curtains.
Lord PeteTsc0urt was standing by the
table his back toward her, bending over a
photograph album. He had not heard her
approach. Beatrice advanced.
My mother wishes me % -"
Lord Pctersc0urt stATted-st0Od erect
turned his face to her.
Archie. Il is-Oh. is it really Archie?"
But before she had finished asking the
wild question TWO arms were clasping her
close. and then q voice long unhPard,
whispered: Yes, dear and only love! II
is Archie, who has found you at last, and
is never going to be sent away from you
again"
When their agitation and her wonder
We're a little subsidized, she heard his story:
How faithful he had been to her whose
parents bad driven him away from her
how, after she left India ana returned With
her father and mother TO England, be had
lost all tidings Of her, save n Tumor, two
years later of her narriage-h0W lie had
felt that no other woman could ever occupy
his heart, aud that her memory must be his
life but q S0Try business, and had half hoped
when he served through the Afghan
war that the dart 50 often hurled at,his
comrades might come his way. And with
regard TO the earldOm? Well, Archie Mil
roy mad been far enough from II in those
old IHdian days, but the unexpected deaths
OF TWO cousins bad made HIM heir t. his
Greet-un lie. the last earl At the aged
n0bleman's request, his heir had come to
England the preceding winter to pay him a
VISIT; bat when Archie arrived at the Earl'S
t0wn-h0uSe in Berkeley Square he found
that his relative had had a stroke of parjly-
SIS, 10 which he Succumb'd a few DAYS later,
and Archie found himself wealthy peer.
But what was II all 10 NE. he said,
with a desolate heart. l could Only think.
If this had come years ago, they would
have given her 10 me- All seemed hollow
and empty. / took but small pleasure in
my 'hOuuTs' as they are called. had often
thought Of cutting the world, and then
when | came down 10 PeteTscOurt, and the
people here asked me u open their bazaar,
/ soTely wanted 10 get out Of doing il;
but they seemed as II they would take
10 refusal, 50 l went. And there Z |
saw a face Ike my lost loye'S-Only not so
lovely. 1t was your sisters. l was intro
duced TO her from her ! learned that my
lost darling was found again, and was slitl
nine Poor Edith, 50 this was your
Boosted cCuqueStI "Beatte," and he looked
tendery and penetratiHL.y into her violet
blue eyes, and his hand touched gently the
far check, "my gentle, patient love. Per
hapS can guess little Of what you have
had 10 bear"
Bearice's eyes fell and her cheeks
flushed; for it seemed as ii he guessed. in
some mysterious manner. something Of
what size had suffered from Edith She
said nothing; only her dropping head lay
on lis heart; and presently size murmured:
a richie. Archie. have YOU really come