The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-05
JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON.
How a Little Child Joined Her
Parents Hearts.

Hugh, come here called Mr.. Alfred
Nevalls, the active partner of Nevalls,
Son & Co., forwarders, from his private
office
The bookkeeper left his desk in the
middle room and stood silent before his
master.
CLOSE the door and sit down.
Hugh obeyed quietly. demurely, as he
did everything else. as undisturbed and
as imperturbable as the belfry is to the
clangor of the bell
''Soph-that is Mrs. Nevalls-has re-
turned from Anyway and is now visit
ing her mother, Mrs. Tracey" began
Mr.. Nevalls.
Sorry to hear that, sir"
And she has little Mary with her
Mr.. Nevalls looked 1iercely at his re-
tainer as if expecting response, and
Hugh replied: Sorry again, sir
Yes, and by the Lord | won't stand
it. My = that is, Mrs. Nevalls has
/ broken her word. or at least our
understanding; while / have been
/ prompt and true to every undertaking.
! What did she mean by saying that she
! would take the house at Anyway and
! educate the child if she didn't intend to
/ stay there? She knew full well that,
separation or no separation, l would
never submit my little girl to the DOM
| ination of that old harridan. And yet
she is back here in months time.
II suppose, as it always was, it's
mother She has ruined two lives, but
| she shau't ruin the third. l tell you,
! Hugh, l won't stand it: by Jovc l won t
stand it.' And Mr.. Nevalls, as if to ex-
enplify this determination, began to
pace up and down the floor. 'You must
get little Mary for me-" he continued.
Il am her natural guardian. The law
gives me the right, and now Sophia 81
mean Mrs. Nevalls act makes it
duty. You must get her, and, trust
me, I'll keep her.
Yes, SIR said Hugh, and he arose
as if he had been asked to fetch file
of papers.
''Wait moment. Don't be so abrupt.
Can't you see I'm nervous? You won't
do anything to shock Sophia? She has
SUCH IcHucT. SeLSlllFC NATURE.
I ''Oh! no, indeed, sir
"And will you need any money!"
81 will let you know this afternoon,
when I have reconnoitered and found
out how old and ugly the maid is
well, take your time and method,
Hugh. / trust you. But look out for
that old warrior, if you value your eyes
and hair
Cant spare them, sir. even to oblige
lady" and. silently, furtively, Hugh
passed into his Office, and thence out of
the warehouse leaving word with the
boy at the door that he was going to a
funeral and would not be back before
night if he had to drive to the Gene
terry.
And Alfred Nevalls swung around in
his chair and clutched the topmost let
ter as if it were drowning mans
straw. But TO 10 avail. He could not
work. Who can, indeed, when self
cries out for justification? The black
letters lost their forS and meaning and
assumed delightful shapes of a fasci-
mating young woman, of a charming
little girl. Delightful, yet eXasperating,
for these pictures seemed to say: I'VE
are yours; why don't you claim us and
hold US? Only coward would aban-
don those SO weak and trust1ul."
What fool I've always been"
thought Alfred. and what's worse,
how foolish my present course will
some day surely seem. From idiotic in
fancy have passed through dwelling
youth into asinine manhood, and there
! stick. What middle I've made of
life, or rather what a muddle life is.
The more happiness one stores the
quicker it spoils. And yet, when l re-
turned from college and father took me
into business, and Sophia smiled as she
always had smiled since we We're little
children together, and even that old
vixen didn't show her teeth except to
grin, why, earth seemed an Eden"
Meanwhile the faithful Hugh was
meditating after his nature, as he pro-
ceeded on MS mission. People that
play with fire are apt to jump and suck
their fingers" he unused ''Matri-
monial quarrels are so romantic on the
stage and so easily settled; but in real
life, with a red-faced ranger TO fan EN-,
the prairie flowers are quickly swept
away and nothing left but black, baked
soil. Well, let them go it."
Hugh turned into side street and
stopped before a nean-lool1ing shop,
whose windows bore the proud insignia
of Lombardy and displayed a motley
collection Of diamonds, harmonious, re-
volvers. watches, flutes and razors.
When he came out few minutes later
his derby hat had been replaced by
broad-brim, and his demure black
frock coat by a velveteen shooting
jacket He gave his dropping Inustache
an upward twist and grinned namely.
and looked far more like German
tenor out of job than the confidential
clerk of a reputable forwarding house.
1t was a fall day, sunshiny, brilliant.
with zest to the air like the tingle Of
wine. Hugh took a car 10 the park and
then stroiled across toward Sammis
street, in which the Tracey mansion
was situated. There but few pedes-
TRANS abroad, here and there maid
trundling her charge or watching its
pay iIoLA ciic VI NAG N4-tTSf "e'a A'4c u
saw no hutte-ing CLEAN Of little Mary's
golden curis. He reached a clump of
evergreens from which he could espy
the house whore she was held. To the
left was grove, and beyond this ter
race, ct the foot of which ran the street
through which he had arrived.
On the upper and lower sides OF the
grove were broad fields, on which the /
school children were permitted 10 play
cro1uet and tennis. But now these /
r-n-e 1esnrfa1 I-Gead IL the rarE was !