The Globe-republican., 1892-12-23
John obeyed his capricious COM

John obeyed his capricious COM
panion.
"Now, shut your eyes"
@Eh? This is getting very mys-
terious, little one!"
"You mind me, John Ridgely, shut
both eyes. You're peeking!"
mo Iain't," asserted John stanch-
ly, screwing up his cheeks till they
were regular crows feet.
Honest? You won't look one lit
tie bit?"
Il promise you"
@All right. Now, then, keep your
eyes tight shut and keep your hand
wide open. and don't stir, nor breathe,
nor move, until I say, now!"
Till you say now," recited the &C.
commodating John, "I'll be patient
as an owl and blind as bat"
He was faithful to his pledge. He
could hear the little creature speed
across the room and there was a
fluttering whispering at the door, the
suspicious swish of a silken robe.
Hold Tight" spoke Cora's voice
once more. John Ridgely, these are
the Christmas presents she told me to
bring you. Now!"
Into his hand crept contact soft
as silk. He thrilled at warm,
tremulous touch. He opened his
eyes. Little Cora was lust disappear
ing through the door of the next
room, but his hand still clasped the
present" she had placed there. He
looked up.
Oh! was he dreaming? Was this
but part of the reverie of the hour?
A woman's hand lay within his own,
wOman's face, coy, shrinking yet
tender, looked down at him-his
christmas gift" Nellie!
Yes, it was she. Read the mystery
as he might, he could surely trace in
that blushing face the truest, deep
est love.
"Nellie!"
His soul seemed rocking between
extremes of hope and dread.
She never faltered in her true,
womanly glance. She never took her
hand away, only with her free one
she held into view-hiS letter!
Little Cora brought it to me in
the handbag, and l read it, John"
whispered Nellie, softly. Il came
home at the last moment unexpect-
eddy. I have Quarreled with my
aunt. She wanted me to marry her
favorite, when my heart-oh, John!
John! how could you doubt me?
How could I love another when my
heart was here-here!"
Here, close to his own-here, in all
fealty and tenderness, under the
shelter of his great, cherishing caress.
He folded her to his heart with
one sob Of joy and gratitude sdpreme,
the happiest soul in all wide Christen-
dom.
"John! John Ridgely! Oh! come
here, quick"
From the happy paradise OF love
those two were summoned abruptly
by the excited voice of Hal Linden.
"Oh! but we made a find" echoed
Vincent Linden, bursting uncere-
moniously upon the lovers, and fol-
lowed by half the wondering house
hold. "You told us where to find
game when you left us to-day. Re-
member"
eyes," nodded the mystifled John.
"And Hal and cornered some rare
shots. Just at dusk, right near the
cabin, we ran a fox TO cover. Hal
insisted on digging for him, because
he thought it a shallow knoll, and
not his den. We dug, and found"
This" interpolated Hal, quite as
excitedly.
He dragged into view a small pine
box. Ice and frozen dirt chung to it
still. He pushed off the cover.
"Money-gold!" gasped John inco-
herently.
"Lots of it, heaps of it. over two
Thousand dollarsl" shouted Vincent.
"Don't you understand, John? It's
part of your uncle's fortune, the for
tune he left to you, the fortune you
could never flnd!"
Clink, clink! The golden coins
gave forth a joyful sound as they
were emptied out upon the carpet.
Outside happier echo took up the
mellow refrain.
"The Christmas chimes!" muir
INJURED happy Nellie Linden, nest
ling closer to the man she loved.
Her eyes met those Of John in a
tender glance as she spoke.
And both knew that the silvery
tones were harbinger of wedding
bells later on that would signalize
the victory Of loyal hearts reunited,
made happy while life should last,
upon that glorious, beautiful Christ
mas eve. PAUL INGELOw.