The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-02-10

Meanwhile something had befallen
Mrs. Harvey.
1t was only a little after eleven
o'clock when she turned into her street
and assembled the steps of what she sup
posed was her new residence
She had no need to use her latch
key; the door opened at touch, show
ing that it had not been properly closed,
All the lower part Of the house was
dark. But as she gre ped her way up
the bread staircase to the next larfling,
she espied a narrow line of light along
the door of the front chamber.
The door was ajar, and guided by
the light she stepped quickly across
the threshold of the room.
And there she stopped, motionless,
staring with wild eyes at the scene be-
fore her.
The room was a superbly appointed
study, and before a big carved mahog
any desk sat a handsome, stalWart
man, whose black curling hair and
ripping length of beard, showed a few
streaks of cleaning silver.
AS she paused there, transflxed, he
turned a dark, somber face toward her,.
and gazed at her piercingly with pair
Of melancholy black eyes.
The astounded woman would have
fed shrieking, but she was as incapable
of movement as if her feet had been
nailed to the floor; she was as power
less to utter q sound as if her tongue
were paralyzed; she could only stare
helplessly at this man whom she had
stunned for years, and whose pres
ence stirred within: her a pain and
bitterness intolerable.
After the first amazed glance, his
own countenance expressed naught but
kind inquiry. He put aside his book
after moment, and crossed the room
to where she stood.
"Are you in trouble, Ada-is there
something can do for you?" he asked.
''Do you think, Ronald Rathve1ne,
that I would come to you in trouble
to you, who deserted me long ago
in the darkest hour Of my ife?" she
demanded.
II never deserted you, Ada. You
| would have known that the next day,
had you allowed me an opportunity to
explain" he answered quietly.
1T is useless to discuss the past"
she faltered. II came in here, thinking
| it was my own house; I could not see
the number, and everything looked the
same. I trust you will pardon my mis-
| take. I am very sorry
| She was half way down the landing,
but his mastery hand detained her,
and drew her back.
Let me have one moment, Ada
Or if you will go, permit me to go
with you. I suppose your house must
be in this row, where each Is exactly
| ikesan the Others. Lam not surprised
| you should make q mistake with the
nearest street limp half block away.
But it is q mistake which shall bless
all the rest Of my life, Ada. Oh, my
dear little girl of long ago, can you
not come back to me again?'
He was pleading as man pleads for
what is more than life.
And while she listened with eyes
downcast, the years seemed to roll back
like a bleak mist before the glory of
the sun. She was living again, those
golden days of youth and love before
that dark and tragic hour, when she
was deprived Of parents and fortune,
and when a false friend had persuaded
her to believe i'll of her lover.
| And he had been true!
| He loved her then, and he loved her
now
They were a long time in making
their way to her own house, which was
| some half a dozen doors down the
same street.
and when they finally arrived at the
bottom OF the high steps they were too
mucn engrossed with each other to i'm
m1edlately notice the young couple sit
ting on warm Persian rug in the
shadow OF the massive vestibule pillars
Great Caesar! if that isn't dadr,
Tower exclaimed in a whisper to h1s
DeWlidered companion. sBehold tho
serpent has charmed the pecking dove
| -tne wolf has hypnotized the war-,ilxe
protector Of the lanbr' A1>0
What on earth does it mean ~ Vera
gasped under her breath.
AT that instant the gallant elderly
lover drew his middle-aged sweethear rt
into his arms and pressed a yery aui7i-
! Die KISS upon each Of her unfada1
/ cheeks.
A sound suspiciously like a gEsle
noated down the high steps.
Both Mrs. Harvey and her escort
glanced quickly toward the vestibule.
COVER was smiling rapturously into
MS darling's lovely, mystifed eyes.
Its pretty safe to say that YOU will
neither, be constrained to make q mar
tyr OF yourself, love, nor a victim of
me- he breathed ecstaticaly into the
iAtlIS pA1h ear clOSe beside him,
Then with exaggerated delibera ton
he arose to his feet, assumed a conse,
quentlal attitude, and looked benignly
down upon the pair beneath him.
! Come right up" he began in a. the
atric voice, his dark eyes flashing with
>boyish fqn' ;;come right up, dad, and
receive the flial benediction.''
OF the two older people, Mrs. Harvey
was naturally the most embarrassed.
But she underwent her ordeal nobly.
| have wronged you, Cover, and your
dear father most OF, all Forgive me.
my son." she said to him later. =
i Cover would have forgiven a hun
dred-fold more with cheerfulness, now
that he was certain he had gained his
3; hearts desire.
&, But it was years afterward before
he and his young wife learned the ex-
act circumstances under which the elder
pair had met and: become reconciled on
that eyentful evening. s-t.. - ~ .2e2 So :
1 "And so mamma walked straight into
the arms Of her bette noir," said Vera,
4 laughing, IT don't wonder they have