Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-03-02

nad never given MN any tnlnB, ne SAID.
Missy, you needn't be 'fraid old Isham
would tell on you"
John Lorimer made gesture of i'm
patience. Why should he be called on
To sift the utterances of an infuriated
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 seeP Can't you seep" Ida
asked, impatiently.
"See what?"
"That the poor little thing made a
mistake! How she must have suffered,
Mr.. Lorimerl 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 see?-that
you cared for me. the wrong way. II
she had known me"-with a proud
flush on her pure young face
"she could never have fallen
into such hideous error. But,
all, how she must have suffered! Tell
me where she is, that l may make haste
to beg her pardon for my ignorant share
in her wretch edness."
"Do l understand-am I 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
piloted home in the dark?"
"By Jove, it was shabby treatment of
mer
There was scarcely any uplifting of
the shadows. II 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?
al want TO write to her, Mr. Lori
mer," Ida said, mistakenly.
81 do not know where she is"
Then you must find out. II you do
not, | will" She said it with that inn
perious air of self-assertion which
always had quelhng 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 bent only on the high
mission of the peacemaller. Lifting
her brave eyes deiantly TO Johns, she
became aware of Lorries pale worn
face framed in the open doorway.
There was look of irrepressible won
with outstretched hands.
you are wondering what am doing
here. | want TO be her nurse. want
her to 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, but
hiding it from her This is no time for
groundless animosities Can't
you make her feel SOP"
Something strange happened just
now, in there" said Lorimer point
ing to the closed shutters of his
mothers room II think perhaps your
voice must have penetrated her Dreams
but did not hear it. Mother opened
her eyes-there were tears in them
she looked all about the room with dis
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 on
my forehead was very soft and pleasant. !
| wish | had one, son, one who would |
DC good TO my helpless, clumsy boys
when am gone Then she closed her
eyes and dozed off again"
"She is waiting for me-" said Ida,
with sweet, shy, upward look at the /
tall fellow in front of her. $50 and tell |
her that am here, please"
Lorimer came back from his errand /
wiz luminous smile. "Come. Truly /
she is waiting for you"
He left the two women together, and |
,ame out TO where John still sat move
ess. Ninctte and Stepniak had fallen
asleep in the slumberous sunshine-she
with her bright curls falling over his |
shaggy eyebrows, he with one huge |
paw outstretched protectingly upon her
short skirts.
John" said Lorimer, in voice of in
tense feeling, what is the promise made
20 the peacemakers?"
"They shall see God"
"Then that radiant vision will dawn
'or Ida Fairbanks. Mother has found a
laughter"
"And perhaps" John looked at him
With face that shone with the recov-
cred light of hope-"I have found-my
wife"
Then he told Lorrie all that Ida had
old him.