The morning times., 1895-09-08
SISTER EDITH.

1t was bitterly cold. The train for the
north was crowded, and after trying in
vain to find seat in a second class car
riage, Paula Morrison at last appealed
TO the guard, who showed her into 4 fiTst
class compartment
On the seat opposite was an old gen.
tleman deep in the columns OF paper. Pres
emily it was flung aside and a letter with
drawn from a bundle in his pocket
Bah! he thought, as he scanned the pages;
the hoy wishes to marry some beggaTIyg
ness, but I won't have it. I'll make him
understand directly 1 get home that L win
stand no nonsense OF that kind.
''She is OF as gentle birth as We"
Oh, dare say. And so Edith said when
she wanted to persuade US that that scamp
Shortbndge was the best match she could
make. Poor little woman, my father was
a bit hard Oh her. always regret thatI
could not trace her after his death. should
have liked TO have done something for
the daughter, too.
1 wonder If that lawyer fellow really did
all he could to trace them. I think 1 wiz
put the investigation into Sharp & Turn
overs hands, and see il they cannot find a
cIew.
They sailed for South Africa in the au-
tumn Of 1875, soon after the girl was
born. And that is about all l know.
At Grantham the old gentleman settled
himself for dOze.
Pretty girl that opposite" he thought
20 himself ''Sweet. plajntive face looks
as IL she had known some trouble"
Then be fell asleep, but awOke q few min
utes later with a start
He had been dreaming about his favorite
sister, Edith. They were again boy and
girl together. and he had been ON the visit
To his grandfather when the old gentleman
bad given him spade guin-a, to be di-
vided with his sister on his return home.
Foolishly liking the words literally, he
had, with his fret-saw, divided the coin.
A good scoIding from his father had brought
the incident to a close
And Sir Richard CulmOTe aw0Ee from his
dream Of the loDg-forsutten episode to see
half a spade guinea dangling IN trent OF
his eyes.
The girl opposite to him was standing
at the window. which was wide cDan, and
the cold air rushing in brought WITH it
tiny flakes Of snow.
Sir Richard realized that the sudden
stopping of the train was probably what
had aroused MIN. No station seemed to be
/ near.
Something wrong, fear he said TO
the young lady
Just then guard passed and informed
them that an engine had been sent back to
Grantham to fetch the snow pIlugh, as the
to-. TH4re
was no danger, but a couple of hours must
eIapse before assistance cnuld reach them
s.Humph!'' growled Sir Richard, as he
drew up the glass again. ''Well, well, it
might be worse. hope there is no one at
the other end of your journey who VIII be
anxious about YOU" he said politely, FOR
it is impOsS Ible to telegraph from here
NO; no one" said Paula, with d little
choke, which might be a sob or sigh Il am
on my way 20 a lady who does otyet know
me: am to be her companion, and the en-
gagenent has been uadeb bycOrrespondence.
I dare say she wiz have sent to me at
Ardath; but they will expect the train 10 be
late on such a day"
THAT is my station" said Sir Richard.
is it possible that I am talking To Miss
Morrison, who is coming TO be my wife's
companion"
Yes: and suppose you are Sir Richard
CulmOre?"
He nodded The half guinea which had
been before his eyes when he awoke, and
which he had thought was only part of his
dream. again showed under Miss Morrison's
Jacket as it hung from her little silver watch
chain
Il am going to begin our acquaintance
| by asking you very strange question:
/ he said
'.win you tel me where you got that
/ half-Spade Cuinea?"
/ 1T was my n,other's,'' said Paula, and
/ her ewes e!Ouded with Unshed tears. Il
/ do not know its history, except that her
| brother whom she loved dearly, gave 1t to
/ her"
Would you care TO hear its history?'
| said Sir Richard. bis breath coming little
/ quicker with the excitement OF his dis
| COvery.
II am the brother who gave her that
| half coin. See. here is the other portion"
| He took his niece's hand in his, and Paula
knew that the long struggle against pow
| erty which she had fought since her parents
death, was over
Then Paula had TO ten OF the happy home
she dfrnIy remembered at the Cape, and OF
her fathers death, then or her mothers
troubles, and OF the journey back to England
under an assumed name, so that knowledge
OF their poverty might not reach the ears OF
| those who had cast her off.
She did not tell Sir Richard of heronancs
which had frightened her life al SOuthsea;
how the love OF Clement Devereux, who was
stationed with his regiment at Portsmouth.
had crept into her life, and it was surprise
indeed TO Paula when the train at last came
slowly into Ardath, that Clement should
| greet Sir Richard as stepfathcr, and to Sir
| Richard that in his newly-found niece be
should find his sons betrothed wife.-LOR
| don Evening News.