Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-18

q Oct mOush pay II Ger Get
cent in the world" he muttered to
himself, "that old Fenton's nephew had
no thought whatever of hunting when
he came here in midwinter. The ques-
ton is, What else has brought him be-
sides what have already learned, and
why does he haunt Farrar from morn.
ing till night:''
At the window the fair, girlish face
frightened an instant at sight Of the
| coming soldier, then clouded as quickly
| as the civilian came in view. Mr.
Ormsby againi'' nurmured Ellis below
her breath, and the bow Of recognition
quick uplifting OF his sealskin cap lack
ed all of the warmth and interest that
beamed in Ormsby's face at sight Of her.
Seeing Leale. the colonel pressed On to
| Join him on the northward porch
| Catching sight of Ellis the civilian fell
back, entered the gateway and came
| briskly to the door. An instant later
and his step was heard in the hallway
Ellis turned TO the window in some
thing not unlike aversion. The mother
it was who rose eagerly TO welcome the
coming guest.
prompt as ever. Mr.. Ormsby," she
cried as he entered the rarlor. fresh and
rosy from. the keen air. lavish you
might teach my husband to be more
punctual at luncheon.
Indeed l feared l was OBTAINING
him, Mrs. Farrar He's merely stopped
one moment 10 speak With Captain
Leale. He was showing me over the
barracks. You have no idea how vivid
" interesting all this is 10 me. / have
shouldered the muskct with the Seventh
for eight years and have never visited
an army post before.
ooh. didn't you sec your uncle when
he was at Riley? He used to write TO
nv husband of you time and again and
!; of your pride i'll your regiment
mo. he was IL New York on recruit
, ing service then. few years ago, you
remember. and we used to get him up
to the arnlory or 20 our camp occasion
ally"
"And he was very, very kind to my
poor boy. my Roylc, said Mrs. Farrar
wistfully. searching the face of her
guest. land when YOU came to US with
letters from our old friend, for we had
known him before cur marriage" she
continued. faint color rising to her
check, lit seemed almost like welcom-
ing him. There was nothing too good
for Major FentOn that our home afford
ed after all he tried to do, at least for
him. The sigh with which she spoke
seemed TO well up from the depths of
the mothers heart. Ellis, with light
/ h11 loft Jn 70 1o,
father on the piazza without, and for
the first time since his coming, three
/ days previous. just in time to be hem.
med i'll and held at Frayne by the great
S snowfall, Mrs. Farrar was alone with
. her guest. There is something l have
longed TO ask you, Mr.. Ormsby," she
went on, Something I must ask you,
for mothers intuition is keen, and
feel sure you have seen or known my
: poor boy i'll the past. Have you heard
1 do you know anything of him now?"
Mrs. Farrar. give you my word
. have not the faintest idea Of his where
: abouts.'
q Forgive me if I am intrusive, i'm
Il Fortunate. she persisted. ..'But-Majol
Fenton-he was Major Fenton then
you know, and I think of him with the
title he bore when he was so good-sc
friendly-when my unhappy boy mos,
needed friends. You We're with you,
> uncle often then. Did you not meet
= did you not know my Royle?"
y Ormsby's honest eyes betrayed the
deep embarrassment under which hi
. labored. and she. watching every sigi
with painful intensity. read the truth
e despite his faltering reply.
'Once or twice, Mrs. Farrar, but
5 knew him only very slightly"
Tell me still more. Mr.. Ormsby
You have been most considerate to me
, You have sought to spare me. but il
. my husbands sad face and abstracteC
!, manner / have read the truth He ha
heard news-worse news of Royle-an(
, so you have been the bearer Is it no
sou
But Ormsby pulled himself together
. this time at least like q man, ant
!. braved her
= Il assure you it is not so. Mrs Far
rar. From me at least the colonel ha
heard nothing new-nothing worse.
= beg you to dismiss the thought
/! But he did not say that he had COM
= prepared to tell, aye, instructed to tell
OF browning disgrace-come with tn
written proposition of his employers Il
relinquish pursuit Of Royle Farrar pro
vided the father would make good til
sum they had lost through the son
forgery.
God bless you, Mr. Ormsby. for tn
load You have lifted from my heart, ;
she cried. Ever since Won came hav
dreaded more and more each day tina
you were the bearer Of evil tidings O
him who has almost broken his father
( heart and yet cannot, must not. shall
not be beyond redemption if mother
love and prayers are of any avail. Eve
Ellis has seemed to share my dread
have read it in her manner. as perhap
you have too She did not mean to b
unkind. inhospitable to our guest. bu
that sorrow has overshadowed US all
Even my bright. brave Will. who is dc
ing all boy can do to redeem the nam
at the Point-even Will, say, is some
'e times confronted by the record that hi