Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-05-03

secrets. 1t Is very full, but there is
room for few more Then she rushed
from the room, but as Cato was driving
her from the door could hear that
hideous laugh of hers
John looked at her uncomprehend-
ingly. There was no more to tell, APP
parently. She stood before him flushed
and silent.
"Well? / always knew that the wom-
an was devil. l wondered at Mrs
at the child's aunt employing her. |
suppose she had her own reasons for it.
But what are her rawlings to you or to
me?"
by themselves, perhaps, nothing;
but one link discovers another. Do you
remember, Mr.. Lorimer, the evening
you were so good as to take me to old
Isham's cabin to meet Dennis, my hus-
band that is to be?''
Perfectly"
A wintry smile fitted over his grave
face, she had raised her young head
with such proud gesture of defiance
| as she asked the question.
Something strange happened the
| next morning. 1t meant nothing at all
to me until after Celeste's outburst.
| Old Isham came to me with q five-dol-
lar gold piece in his hand, and asked
| me if hadn't made mistake When
! told him did not know what he was
| talking about, he said: Missy, didn't
you think you was giving me quarter
for seeing you cross Dry bayou, stead
of which you give me this?' When
| told him he must be dreaming, that
had never given him anything, he said:
Missy, you needn't be 'fraid old Isham
would tell on YOU"
John Lorimer made a gesture of inn
patience. Why should he be called on
| to sift the uttcrances of an Infatuated
French nursery maid and an imbecile
| old negro to find the clew to his own
| misery? The best of women were so
prolix.
"Well?"
Don't You see? Can't you see?' Ida
asked impatiently.
"Sce what?"
THAT the poor little thing made a
mistake! How she must have suffered,
Mr.. Lorimer! Perhaps" she went on,
| blushing entrancingly, "she may have
seen you plotting me through the briers
and the gullies that night. Perhaps
she got it into her poor little bewil-
dered head that-don't you sec?-that
you cared for me, the wrong way. If
she had known me"-with a proud
flush on her pure young face
''she conld never have fallen
/ into such a hideous error. But,
ah, how she must have suffered! Tell
me where she is, that may make haste
to beg her pardon for my ignorant share
in her wretch edness."
| "Do I underStand-am to under
stand that my wife knew of your visit
to the Dry bayou to see Dennis?"
but what else? Why should she
have come back to the house broken
hearted? Who was it that old Isham
| pilotcd home in the dark?'
"by Jove, it was shabby treatment of
mel
There was scarcely any uplifting of
the shadows. If Nora had stopped to
play the spy on his movements, if she
had So little trust in him as all that,
what had he to hope for?
| Il want to write to her, Mr.. Lori
mer," Tda sal l, inoist.atly.
| 81 do not lln Ow where she is
"Fhcn you must find out. If you do
not, will" She said it with that inn
peri ,us air of self-assertion which
always had quelling effect even upon
| her father.
Now that the whole ugly story was
out, she put from her all sense of the
indignity that had fallen to her own
share, and was only on the high
mission of the pcacemaker. Lifting
""r brave eyes defantly to Johns, she
'ame aware of Lorrie's pale worn
ace framed in the open doorway.
There was look of irrepressible won
der in his eyes She went towards him
with outStrctched hands.
"You are wondering what am doing
here. | want to be her nurse. ] want
her II know about Dennis and me. She
thinks we have given each other up.
would feel like coward marrying him,
as | mean to do some of these days, bat
hiding it from her. This is no time for
nursing groundless animosities. Cant
you make her feel so?'
, Something strange happened just
now, in thero," said Lorimer, point
ing to the closed shutters of his
, mothers room. 81 think perhaps YOU
r voice must have penetrated her dreams
t but did not hear it. Mother opened
her eyes-therc wore tears in them
4 she looked all about the room with dis
8 appointed eyes before she said: Son,
= dreamed just now that had a daughter
: | could hear her voice-it was very
sweet-and the touch of her hand OF
a my forehead was very soft and pleasant
= wish had one, son, one who would
4 be good to my helpless, clumsy boy
when am gone Then she closed he
eyes and dozed off again"
"She is waiting for me-" said Ida
= with sweet, shy, upward look at tn
l tall fellow in front of her. $50 and tel
her that am here, please"
Lorimcr came back from his erran
with a luminous smile. "Com0. Trul
she is waiting for you"
!. He left the two women together, IN
, came ont to where John still sat mov'
less. Ninette and Stepniak had falle
asleep in the slumberous sunshine-sh
with her bright curlS falling over h
e shaggy eyebrows, he with ono hug
y paw outstretched protectingly upon he
Ie short skirts.
"John," said Lorimer. in voice of Il
tense feeling, "what is tho promise MAJ
to the peacemakors?'