Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-03-16

| contents OF her portfolio
Dick closed his eyes with groan OF
despair
Does the leg hurt very much? Le'
me wet the bandages."
II had forgotten all about the pesLy
thing IL is you who hurt very much
on Lord. if people only wouldn't De
50 mysterious! There is some mistake ~
ne bottom Of all this misery, and thaV :
''oat I e1,n y :.o~r.o when Rafe and
left home. | said: 'Lorrie, every body
goes to the city when they get misera-
BILE and want to hide. Sib Fairbanks
went there, Dennis went there, and
Johns wife has gone there | said:
'Lorrie, you needn't blurt it all out To
John, but when we get to New Orleans
Rafe can hunt Dennis up, and I'll ferret
out Johns wife. When | find her, I'll
kill her but what III get to the bottom
of this nonsense
"And now here you are"
where is Rafe? Why is he not here
with you?" Nurse Hamilton asked, in a
dry, harsh voice.
''He got off yesterday with Dennis. |
missed the boat, you know. l meant to
have gone, too"
"And who is Dennis?"
"Who is Dennis? Didn't John ever
tell you about Dennis and Ida Fair
banks? That's another Lorimer mess. :"
The portfolio slid from Nurse Hamil-
tons lap upon the polished bare floor
and lay there UNDECIDED. Dick was in n
private apartment There were no
other patients TO see the gentle, white
capped ministrant kneel beside his
narrow iron cot, clasp his hands in both
of hers, and, with her soft eyes glued
ravenousy TO his face, whisper, in a
voice over which she had lost all con-
troll.
NO. | never so much as knew there
was a Dennis Lorimer. Dear, dear
boy, tell me about Dennis and Ida
Fairbanks"
Then Dick told her-somewhat fan
tastically, perhaps, for he was young,
and the romance of it grew with the
telling-all that he knew of Dennis
unfortunate wooing of the Glenburnie
maiden.
And, you see, of all us boys" he add
ed, John is the only one who would
ever consent TO be a Co-betwecn. 1t
looked like playing trick on mother.
But Dennis and John were always par
ticular cronies, and the last time he
came up he coaXed John over, and John
coaXed her over She went with John
one night To see Dennis at old Isham's
house. They patched it up some way
between them. Then when mother got
i'll, she began TO worry SO over Dennis
that RATE and started out in search of
a brother, and found him. But You
were the long-lost sister was hunting
for | got disheartcned, though, and
agreed TO go home with the boys"
Dick. oh, Dick, have been such an
awful fool! John will never forgive
me--never! He ought not to-
Johns wife was sobbing, there on her
knees by the boys bedside. He laid his
hand caressingly on her bowed head.
Wont you please tell me all about
it, sister Nora? | know I'm nothing
but lubberly boy. but we Lorimer boys
don't go back on our womenkind for a
trifle told the boys Norrie was all
right. Thank God, you have not made
me take word of it back Won't you
let me send word 70 John. Norrie? Just
telegraph the one word: Come"
Not yet Wait. Go to sleep now,
dear must think. alone"
She stood up. kissed him tenderly on
the forehead, and then stole quietly
away 70 her own room.
The day was nearly gone when she
,ame back to him. Her face, thinner
and whittier by many degrees, Dick
thought, than when John had first
brought her TO White Cliffs. wore look
of such absolute serenity that it had
gained an angelic touch of beauty.
"Norrie, you are divine! You look as
if you had been closeted with an
angel"
II have been," she said, with sweet
gravity-"the angel of peace | have
written TO John myself, Dick"
"Hurrah! Won't somebody please
throw up my hat for me?-that is, if I
own such piece of furniture"
And oh, Dick, are the Lorimers for
giving?"
The Lorimer forgiveness is not in
volved here. Oh, by the way, this came
while you were gone" lie put an un-
sealed note in her hand THAT must
have been monstrous long letter, Nor
rie. You've been gone three hours"
She did not answer him. She was
reading the note. Feminine instinct
made her look at the signature first.
''Sibley Fairbanks" She started, and
with a wildly beating heart read on.
What she read was this:
my DEAR Mr. LoRMER have just heard
by the merest chance (your surgeon being q
| personal friend OF mine) OF your inconvenien'
| accident He tells me that there is not
shadow OF danger attendant upon It, ! should
| nave called in person 10 inquire, but am making
forced and hurried preparations 70 leave fol
| Glenburnie having just been wired that my
| father is dead Permit me TO express my re
| grets at your pain and detention Your frienC
and neighbor SHELLEY FAIRBANKS
Sibley Fairbanks. Poor Amelia:
first husbandl The man who had de
serted her so heartlessly She had never
seen him Nellie married him while
she, Nora, was teaching in a school il
Arkansas. But Mcllie's child would
know its father at last. Would il be fo
Ninette's happiness?