Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-09-24


she exclaimed In an agony of alarm.
Then her eyes fell upon the stranger,
and look of helpless bewilderment
came into them.
"Hush" said Rockhurst; the kids
all right. See! she's sleeping soundly."
"Thank Godw cried the woman, as
the tears rolled down her cheeks. II
must have fallen asleep L Oh!
how couid | ever forgive myself il
any harm had come to my little one
my precious Lisbeth? But you,
sir--how did you come here? Are
70 Il a man or an angle in diseuise:'
AT this, Rockhurst smiled grimly.'
the woman'S surmise was so very wide
of the mark. Nevertheless, it made
aim feel decidedly uncomfortable.
"Nu, ] amt no angel, marin, as |
know on, he relpied; ppm onlya poor
traveller, who saw your light, and
came to beg nights shelter.
peeped in at the window and heard
the kid ask for a drink; so | lust
stepped in and gave it, and thought
as how l might as well stop till you
woke up. So, you see, it's only by
chance | happened to be here"
mo, don't say that" cried the wo-
man; 'say, rather, that God sent you.
oh, how can l ever thank you and
Him? If it had not been for your
coming, my poor little Lisbeth might
have died."
"NoW' don't you take on so, marin
don't say nothing about it." replied
Rockhurst huskily, as he handed her
his burden. 81 don't want your
thanks, but Pd be much obliged to
you if you'd give me a mouthfuI of
something to cat and feed for my
horse, and then we must be jogging
again"
The mother laid her sleeping child
tenderly upon the couch, and then
hustled out intent on hospitable
matters Soon she returned with
food, and placed 1T before the hungry
man, who fell to with ravenous appe.
tite, while his hostess went of to
rouse one of the kallirs to attend to
the horse.
While she was absent the mans
eye fell upon book which lay open
upon the table. He drew it towards
him and mechanically turned over
the pages until he came to the fly
leaf, upon which was written in a
bold hand the name David Grant. I"
The cake he was conveying to his
mouth with the other hand fell un-
touched from his lips Good heavensl
could il be possible? Was he eating
the bread of the man he had robbed?
Could this be?--
There was no time for further con
lecture, for at that moment the
woman re-entered. Her maternal
anxiety led her first to the couch To
make sure that her child was all
right This gave the man a little
time in which to recover himself;
and when she turned round, he asked,
with assumed carelessness, as he
pointed to the name on the hy-leaf:
"That your husband, marm?"
"Yes; that is my husband-my
David" she replied, with a smile
that spoke volumes. ~ am expect.
ing him home every day. Won't you
stay until he comes and can help me
to thank you for what you have done
for our only child""
mo; / must be on the move direc t.
ly," Rockhurst replied. Then he
added, quite casually: Husband
been away long9"
'Twelvc months-twelvc long,
weary months" she said, with sigh.
'You see, it was like this Things
were bad on the farm. We had made
little or nothing for three or four
years. Then came the dreadful
drought. The water in the dams
ran short; the well gave out, and we
lost nearly all our stock. That dc.
cided David. He gave up all hope of
making money at farming, and de,
termined to try his luck at the Dia.
mond Fields. 1t is just a year since
he left for Kimberly, leaving me and
old Grlerson, the overseer, to look
after what little stock we had dur
ing his absence. L didn't try to stay
him, although the parting well-nigh
broke my heart, for | knew
that his mind was set upon it, His
letters, sometimes hopeful, some,
times desponding, have been my
comfort during his absence. At first
things went against him; but at last
the luck changed, and now all the
weary waiting is over and | shall
soon have him home again. lie
doesn't know his child is ill-he
doesn't know how | have sat hour
after hour 10y her side, watching the
tlckering spark of life, and not dar-
ing to think-afraid even to hore.
But now the W rst is past; little Lis
beth will soon be we'll and strong
again; David-my David will be with
us; and we shall all go to England
to settle down in the old country on
the results of his Iabors at the Dia-
mond Field. Now, do stay-do, |
beg of you. David will be so vexed
when he learns what you have done
for us-how, probably you have saved
our darling's life-if he cannot thank
you. He will be home, perhaps to-
morrow-to-day"
Great beads OF sweat stood on
Rockhursts brow as he listened To
Maggie Grants words When she
had finished speaking, he rose and