The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-25
CHAPTER xvm-continued

full face halted for an instant, then
passed out of sight Zach made a move
ment as il to follow Godfrey, but Molly,
who was still prey to the widest emo
tion, made a sudden gesture which
caused him to close the door again.
Don't go, Zach"
'Madam, madam" urged French,
scalm yourself, for Heavens sake; your
health will suffer; you'll not be in a
condition TO superintend the vast details
of the expedition which you are to set
on foot upon your arrival in Adelaide. /
6mplore you be calm, be strong"
Zach, Zach" she burst out, paying
NO heed TO the mans words. Zach,
this child was raised In the Walter
home. He was born in San Diego; he
Us fourteen or fifteen years of age; in
features he bears strong resemblance
30 John. He has that same open, manly
bearing, that strong love of the ocean.
IIe must be sailors son, Zach. Oh,
Zach, he is Johns son--he is mine. The
world thinks that the dark waters of
hhe bay of San Diego swallowed up that
dear little baby, but no, oh, no, no, he
was not drowned. God knows he was
mot; some one rescued him-some low
hng hands reached out for him as he
went floating along on the bosom of
those dark waters; they didn't know
whose child Qe was-how could they?
They didn't know what mother was
stretching out her pleading hands to
Heaven, but. was there all the time,
my poor mind darlxened and clouded
with not faint glimmer of hope to
save mo from insanity. Oh, Zach, my
friend, my dear friend, / tell you this is
my child-this Is my little Walter, my
son. God has had mercy on me at last.
He has given him back to me-
Molly's voice died away. She could
not utter another word. Her transports
choked her. pressed the very life out of
her. She could only hold out her hands
toward the honest seaman, her stanch
and loyal friend, as il imploring him to
speak, to agree with her, to admit that
it must be SO, that the proof was over
whelming.
Zach stood for q moment in perfect
silence, his lips closed His eyes took
on hard and unsympathetic look. his.
whole face and being underwent sud-
den and complete change. He stood
there like man resolved to be honest
at all hazards, to speak the truth, no
matter how IL might stab mothers
tender heart. He had listened in silence
to all she had to say. Possibly he should
mot have done SO, possibly he should
have stopped Molly at the outset. A
little cruelty at first might have
prevented all thia However, 1t was too
late 90 speculate now as to what he
should have done. What he should do
now was the question, and like man
who never shrinlxs backward when duty
fbids him go ahead, he spoke out firmly,
plainly, almost cruelty:
''Mrs. Allaire, you are deceiving your
self cannot, must not permit You
to believe what is not so. This resem
fblance between this sailor lad and Capt.
John Is an accidental one, such as often
happens in life. Your little Walt is
dead--yes, deadi He perished in the
,narbor that dreadful day. saw him
go down forever! Godfrey is not your
con-"
'You say Walter IL dead?' cried Mrs.
IAllaire, starting forward with a wild.
defiant look in her eyes. "How do you
sSnow it? Who can say it of his own
knowledgep''
81, madam
"You?"
"Yes, madam. Listeni Eight days
after that terrible accident the body of
an infant was washed up on the beach
at Point Iona. I-I-found il and
hastened to inform Mr.. Hollister. He
recognized little Walt, whom he caused
TO be secretly buried in the cemetery of
San Diego. We were the only mourn
ers, the only ones to strew flowers upon
that little grave"
''Walt, my little Walt, buried In the
cemetery" sobbed Molly, piteously,
r'and none ever told me of it."
''No, madam" said Zach, solemnly,
s'for the time being you were out of
your mind. When, four years after, you
recovered your reason, we dared not.
Air. Hollister dared not tell you of il;
NE was afraid TO tear open your
wounded heart, and DIR. Bromley agreed
with him that it might be dangerous,
that once you had knelt by that little
grave you would hover over IL day by
day, and your mind would gradually
give way, until a settled and incurable
melancholy had fastened itself upon
you. We did-what we thought was the
hest, dear lady. God help you, but be
strong, make up your mind that your
child is dead; that this sailor lad has
only the right which hundreds of other
children have TO call you mother"
Molly sank with long, deep. pitiful
Groan upon the sofa. She hid her face
In her hands-she seemed 10 be praying.
Zach dashed n tear off his rough cheek
and stood waiting for her TO speak.
With n suddenness that startled him.
Molly sprang up.
"Whatl CAN'T be-" she moaned, "that
you. that Andrew IIollister were hard.
were cruel enough TO lay that little
loved body away in the cold. damp
earth without taking from IL any bit of
ribbon, any shred OF his dress, and Of
his tiny shoes-to hand TO me some day
when I should be well and strong
egnin?''