The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-08

his big arms.
ing away with last nod to me. We looked
after him In silent speculation. but little
thinking that we were TO see our friend nc
more. We found fy at Woking station
that carried US to Betterford. Taras was
standing at the gate with Judith by his
side. As Gordon stood up in the carriage
waving his hat she ran TO meet us, leaving
Taras. Gordon leaped out of the fly before it
stopped, and the next moment she was
wrapped in his big arms, standing on tip
toe to reach his lips.
Taras took my hands in silence-we were
both greatly moved-but as he led me
through the open gate he murmured:
Brave, dear friend-my unchanged, un-
changing Aural You have come back not
10 go away againr
Never, never" / answered fervently.
"Oh, If may stay with you till the end of
my life! That is the wish of my heart, and
have no secrets from you now"
"Ah, you have guarded your secret well,
and / was poor seer not to guess the
truth. / could only tell that there was
something hidden; that none of us had the
true clew TO the mystery. But in one thing
was not at fault. said that you would
come back to me, and even you could not
shake my faith in that. When Judith told
me she must leave me, they would have
had me advertise for a companion-a
stranger to ill your place. Think of it'll
They thought me mad when told them
you would come back in time. But you
have come, dear, brave, self sacrificing
friend. The luck has turned"
II should think it had" cried Gordon,
overtaking us, land not bit too SOON"
Then the two friends grasped hands like
a couple of giants and stood smiling in
each others faces-Gordon with tremu-
lous movement of the lips as he looked at
the closed eyes which used to shine upon
him and could shine no more.
Something like jolly meeting this"
he said stoutly as he mastered his emo
tion. Worth going TO Siberia to feel like
this when one comes back, but hang me IL
go again"
you have no friend to save-that's
why" said Taras. "The car is satisfied.
They'll leave me alone now"
AYE. old chap, but we march out with
flying colors and can hang up our swords
with pride"
That WAS the only reference made to the
past.
by Jupiter. what a jolly old placer
Gordon exclaimed as we came In sight of
the house. "But what's the meaning Of
all those shuttered windowsy"
THAT is the part we have not yet found
use for. Eight or nine rooms are about as
many as Mere Lucas can comfortably man
age"
1.-THE best part of the house is unoccu-.
pied" added Judith.
''The best part, do you say1 That sounds
as II it might be good enough for us. What
do you think, partner mine-shall we build
our nest heres"
Like the swallows, without asking
whether we are welcome or notw suggested
Judith.
"Yes," said Taras, "srd, like them, bring
ing happiness to the house"
Judith and went up stairs together We
had great deal to tell each other. Looking
from the window, we saw Taras and Gordon
on the lawn. Oh, 1t was good to see them fill
ing their pipes from the same pouch, stroll
ing across the smooth grass with their
arms linked, putting out clouds Of blue
smoke, and still better TO hear them join
ing in hearty laugh.
ut is the first time / have heard him
laugh" said Judith. His patience has
sometimes panied me. His endeavor TO find
q cheerful outlook i'm the future only proved
how persistently memories of the past
haunted him, how tedious the present mo-
mont was. Now you have changed all that"
/ "Ir
"Yes, you were more 10 him than sight
The loss of you was the real grief, not the
loss of his eyes. That he looked upon al
most as foreseen calamity-'the chance Of
l. n. nj. L..
tanned that you would cc.Sie back. The
next room is yours. IL was furnished ox-
pressly for you, aud all that belonged TO
you in Lambeth Is in there Nothing yet
from my little friendY he has asked some
times after have read his letters TO him
You have always been present here TO him.
felt that. II hurt me sometimes TO feel
that i could never be so much 10 him as
you were. l am sure that my presence ir-
ritated him sometimes, and that he was
glad to be left alone. In those moments be
was thinking OF You. Something in my
manner compared unfavorably with his
recollection Of you. lean afford to tell you
all this now, dear. AT one time it wounded
my pride TO suspect II, and would not have
confessed the fact to myself, but it gives me
Joy to tell you all Iow."
She left me as Mere Lucas tapped at the
door and humbly begged to speak to hei
dear mademoiselle. wished j could e.
cape also. thought the poor old woman
would never be comforted or cease to beat
her ample breast and call herself hard
names.
"To think Of the indlgnities, the affronts,
the insults offered you, my dear, my most
respected mademoisellel- What a brute
was, what an animal, what an imbecilei TIC
offer you a place as domestic servant In
this house; TO take you into my own room
when ought to have led you into the best
drawing room; 10 permit myself 10 eat AT
the same table with you, and TO offer you
the little wine and the remains OF food that
are only good enough for fool and dolt
such "A ! am--though certainly they are
better than l deserve. And 20 think that