The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-11-03

for having calmed Leslie. His nurse
left this morning and he will not be
consoled by any of the other servants.
So finally told Mrs. Clarke. the house,
keeper, that would try him for walk.
But will you not take the umbreIlap 1t
will be shame to expose yourself to
such deluge."
She gracefully declined all thanks
and such kind offers, and glided quick
ly off, tall, blacls-robed figure daring
the watery drops. But perfect shrek
from baby arose when he found him
self deserted in this fashion, and
each succeeding cry became louder and
more distressing. Again. Gabriel could
not go. Again she came back to him.
"Will you please come into the house
with him? Mrs. Clarke may there be
better able to get him away than L"
So Gabriel. carrying his child, en-
tered his house, unknown, but welcome
even then.
Leslie was not to be easily deceived,
and all the ruses were seen through i'm
mediately by his careful, big blue eyes.
''We must get nurse-maid this very
night" declared Mrs. Clarke, rs she en-
deavored in her practical, cold-hearted
way to inveigle the young lord from
his new mamma"
But" groaned Mr.. Courtright,
''where can one get one which he can
trust on such very short notice?"
A bold idea entered Gabriels head.
She tried three or four times to speak,
and her voice failed. Finally she
chQked back the lump in her throat
and said: -. <..-.~ 49,, -.-.,- :
would 1t be presunptuous for me to
offer myself / can show you excel
lent references, and am now looking
forsome such position"
"You q nursemaid?" exclaimed Mr..
Courtright, in amazement. Then a
moment later he would have given
much to have it back unsaid; her plain
black gown was darned at the elbows;
it was merely her way of wearing It
that gave her the appearance of wom-
an of long-founded culture and deli
cacy. ...
Two years went by, in which Miss
Varney, as she was then known, undis-
covered, was loved by and loved in re-
turn Mr.. Courtright's two children. 1t
was one evening in March just before
dusk when she had left Leslie upstairs
asleep and had just come down to the
drawing-room with Mabel to stay with
the child till her father come to dinner.
He was late, and Mabel wandered off
to back parlor, thus leaving Gabriel
alone in the dimlylighted room, when
Mr.. Courtright finally entered
81 shall call Mabel" she began,
starting from her station by the win
dow.
mo, Miss Varney, stay. I have
something to say to you. You remem-
Der how moved was the first time that
Leslie called you 'mamma| You
| thought then, no doubt, that it was
because of the memory of, my wife.
Partly SO, but mostly because as 1
looked at you l thought for an instant
that you were the woman who-who
might have been his mother if the fates
had been kinder. Do you know, Miss
Varney, that you often remind me cru
ely of woman l loved better than
the world?"
"Your wife?" She was glad that it
was dark enough to hide the trembling
of her lips.
"No, not my wife. loved Marie one
way; she was tender and true to me.
But the woman that really loved
Then after short pause he went on:
"But what ! meant to say to you is
this: have learned to love you a thou
sand times better than Marie, and
sometimes, almost think, as much as
loved-the dearest one. Can you, will
you hate me if I ask you thus to be
Leslie's mamma in truth as well as in
word?'
Slowly came the reply: "But you
love the first woman best of all even
YETI"
"Yes, do. But, as said, l often
almost think that you are she when
stop to realize how I feel toward you. y
Moment after moment went by. The
shadows came closer and the rim Of
lighter clouds near the west horizon
grew narrower. At last she said: 81
too, loved in the long ago. But I car
never in any way love another man.
But"
''Miss Varney," he broke in.
mo, let me finish," she continued
''Talse an umbrella and go down to the
east gate. Do not ask question, but
take the umbrella and wait there"
Then she sped upstairs. He was
dazed; maybe that was the reason thai
he, as in dream, did rs she had bic
and took his station down by the rustic
gate, where the softly falling rair
dripped through the leaves on to the
gravel of the walk.
Suddenly he was conscious of rustic
at his side, and, turning, there stood {
tall girl, with a loving smile beamine
above the same dark collar with {
sweet face shining from beneath tn,
same velvet bonnet remembered 81
we'll from long ago. and an old-timt
voice murmured: "Robert"
''Gabriel2" he gasped.
YES" she laughed. Gabriel ant
your nursemaid in one."
When they wallned up to the house
that night she chung lovingly TO hi.
arm under the narrow umbrella, fol
they wero strangers no longer.-Ina j
| Han1cs, ir, T1Sipo Nrs.xyc