Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-02-07
CHAPTER XII.

Ovens duty-forced Efforts to com
fort her father were incessant, and
rather tragic; he said ve,.5 little and
worked his usual number of hours
conscientiously at his latest work, but
the best part of him was away. His
head bowed a little more every day,
his step fell little more heavily, his
eye lost fresh spark of life; he was
following his wife in his patient, we'll
bred manner, with neither cry nor
moan.
Sudden fits OF half coinpunctious
duty would now and again seize upon
him, and remind him that he had a
daughter who also knew sorrow; then
he would pursue Gwen softly, and
catch her. no matter how announcement
1t might be, and ply her with questions
ON embarrassing topics. Gwen was
very gentle with him and used to do
him small services with a curious shy
anxiety that had touch of mother
liness In 1t.
One day late in August Mrs. Fell
lows was sitting down for brief rest,
when to her establishment Gwen was
announced; she had never sought her
of her own accord since her mothers
She sat down now quite naturally,
and looked round the room with a
pleased smile
'Ah! you have altered that bracket,
1t used TO be in the other corner! And
the piano. hardly know II l like it
there-I believe l do. | wonder why
my tea Is never an atom like yours
Is it the cream. other cups, or whatT'
When she had drunk her tea she
put the cup down and said suddenly,
Il would like to go to Strange Hall
next week; will you come with me?" ,
.NeXt week. repeated Mrs. Eel.
loves.
"Yes, know this sudden move looks
rather insane, but / have been think.
ing it over for some time. The child
Is Humphreys, 1t has a right to be
born In the home of its father, and
and l cannot go without you!"
II shouldn't dream of letting you, my
Gwen, only you took me by surprise
Mary will go too, of course, but what
about your fatherT'
Gwen looked disturbed.
Il don't know. Do you think my
going or staying Will make much diff.
| ference to him."
81 do, dear, very great difference
but he viii think as l do. now YOU
have spoken, that YOU are doing right
When we are away John will be with
him every moment he can spare"
AS If / didn't know that" Gwen
said. II will tell him tonight"
To the amazement of them all, Mr.
Warning, as soon as he had grasped the
! situation, rose to 1t In quite re
markable way; the proceeding OF
Ovens part struck him as most I'll
and proper, and he bIaced himself III
TO support her. He also announced HE
intention of accompanying the cortege
In the first shock OF his resolve
Gwen WINGED; the fact OF carrying
him in her train and on such an err
rand brought spice of ludicrousnes:
into the affair that seemed to hel
/ ghaStly.
/ The day before they started she sur
4 prised him In his study, grasping ii
one hand a heap of manuscript in hel
/ mothers pretty handwriting and read
I ing with knit brows copy Of Cha
vases advice to a Mother
! This was too much for Gwen: she
! escaped TO her room, and cried ant
4 laughed and cried and laughed again
in perfect paroxism Of grief ant
\ piteous amusement.
/ 1t was in the end quite a tcss-up al
/ 10 Ovens ever seeing her baby at all
she lowered SO long on the borders o.
death Her silent lonely enduring
anguish had shattered her more thar
any of them had guessed, ard then
as ill-luck would have il, tbs frs
+ sound that struck on her ear wher
I consciousness was coming back was
the shrill shrek Of her lusty boy.
i She shuddered down again into tn,
] regions 81 darkness, and it was only
after two distracting hours that they
I cot her back among them.
! Day after day she held the chile
and pondered over it; she was yer,
gentle, and ate and drank In an alb
sent way all that was given her, but
she hardly spoke at all; some leaver
was working IN her
To Be Continued.