The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-12

turn was over 1t became glaringly ap- parent that Stephen had arrived just in time. His mother fell into a. happy tive young doctor came little later in the evening he shook his head.
 Yes" he said, "I see that she Is asleep and quiet-too quiet. It is a foretaste of a longer sleep; some old people have it."
 For the first time Joyce's courage seemed to give way, When she had been alone she was brave enough, but now that her brother was there, wo- manlike, she seemed to turn to him with sudden fear. They stood side by side near the bed, and the young doctor involuntarily watched them. Stephen had taken her hand in his with that silent sympathy which was so nat ural and so eloquent, He said nothing, this big, suntanned youth; he did not even glance down at his sister, who stood small, soft-eyed and gentle at his side.
 The doctor knew something of the history of the small family thus mo- mentarily united, and he had always feared that if Stephen Leach did return it would only kill his mother. This, in deed, seemed to be the result about to follow.
 Presently the doctor took his leave. He was young man engaged in get ting together a good practice, and in his own interest he had been forced to give up waiting for his patients to fin ish dying.
 T am glad you are here" he said to Stephen, who accompanied him to the door. Tt would not do for your sister to be alone; this may go on for a cou- pie of days"
 It did not go on for a couple of days, but Mrs. Leach lived through that night in the same semi -comatose state. The two watchers sat in her room un- til supper-tim when they left their mother in charge of hired nurse, whose services Joyce had been forced to seek.
 After supper Stephen Leach seemed at last to find his tongue, and he talked in his quiet, almost gentle voice, such as some big men possess, not about himself or the past, but about Joyce and the future. In a deliberate, busi- nesslike way he proceeded to investi gate the affairs of the dying woman and the prospects of her daughter; in a word, he asserted his authority as a brother, and Joyce was relieved and happy to obey him.
 It is not in times of gayety that friendships are formed, but in sorrow or suspense. During that long evening this brother and sister suddenly be- came intimate, more so than months of prosperous intercourse could have made them. At ten o'clock Stephen quietly insisted that Joyce should go to bed while he lay down, all dressed, on the sofa in the dining-room.
 q shall sleep perfectly; it is not the first time I have slept in my clothes" he said simply.
 They went up stairs together and told the nurse of this arrangement Joyce remained for some moments by the bedside watching her mothers peaceful sleep, and when she turned she found that Stephen had quietly slipped away Wondering vaguely whether he had intentionally solved her difficulty as to the fraternal good night, she went to her own room. The next morning Mrs. Leach was fully conscious and appeared to be stronger; nevertheless, she knew that the end was near. She called her two children to her bedside, and, turning her blind eyes toward them, spoke in broken sentences:
 T am ready now--I am ready" she said tDears, am going to your fatf- er-and thank God I can tell him that have left you together. always knew Stephen would come back. found it written everywhere in the Bible. Stephen-kiss me, dear!"
 The man leant over the bed and kissed her.
 "Ah!" she sighed, "how I wish I could see you-just once before die. JoyceH' she added, suddenly turning to her daughter, who stood at the other side of the bed, tell me what he is like. But I know know-I feel it.. Listen! He is tall and spare, like his father. His hair is black, like his fath- er's-it was black before he went away His eyes, I know, are dark-al- most dark. He is pale-like a Span iard.''
 Joyce looked across the bed with slow horror drawing in her face, looked into a pair of blue eyes beneath tawny hair, cut short, as soldiers hair should be. She looked upon a man big, broad, fair-English from crown to toe and the quiet command of his lips and eyes made her say: 'fYes, mother yes.
 For some moments there was silence. Joyce stood pale and breathless, won- dering what this might mean. Then the dying woman spoke again:
 Kiss me-" she said. q am going. Stephen irst-my first born! And now, Joyce and now kiss each other-across the bed! want to hear it I want . to tell 1. your father" With a last effort she raised her hands, seeking their heads. At first Joyce hesitated, ther she leaned for ward, and the old woman's chilled fin gers pressed their lips together That was the end.
 Half an hour afterward Joyce and this man stood facing each other in the little dining-room. He began his ex- planation at once.
 stephen" he said, was shot-out there-as a traitor. I could not tell her that! I did not mean to do this, but what else could do?''
 He paused, moved toward the door with that strange hesitation which she bsi q Y1Otfoed o,1 bic o,sr-ivaI he, door