The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-02-26

reward offered, a few days later the
fugitive was arrested. Tried and con.
victed in due course, Digby Fordyce
was sentenced to seven years penal
servitude.
Major Armistead rented q small
house, almost cottage, on the out
skirts of the town of Tunbridge. Wells,
and there Norsh lived with her boy.
Only twenty-three, she had hidden
good-by to the world; instead of
thousands year, her income consisted
of but few hundreds, and these not
her own.
Yet she was not entirely unhappy.
Compelled by her altered circum-
stances to devote herself to the child,
he soon afforded new interest in her
life. She watched his developing in
telligence, listened for his earliest
lisping utterances. The day he first
stood alone was red.le day. Her
father became Eric's guide, philos.
opher and friend and later was. fought
a battle royal to decide who should
teach him to read. Major Armistead
took his defeat SO much to heart that
Norah magnanimously gave way, and
would sit always working, sometimes
laughing, at others half crying, to OBJ
serve the impatient mans patience.
When Eric was more than common
ly winsome, Major Armistead always
said the same:
"Pity his father was a scoundrel. !"
And Norah never demurred. 1t was
the simple truth.
Eric was now six years old, tall,
thin, delicate, with his fathers hand
some features and black hair.
81 hope to goodness Digby won't
begin to poster u.s." cried Major Arm
istead one evening. He was an old
man now and inclined to peevishness.
Norsh looked up quickly.
"It isn't seven years.
"They don't serve their full time if
they behave themselves. In prison
Digby would behave himself"
"He will not trouble us, father"
"I don't know. Scamp enough for
anything. He may think you will take
him back"
81 shall never do that" she replied.
CATER what passed between us he
knows shall not"
81 hope not, Norah. l hope not,
for Eric's sake. Is that Eric cough
ingP" he asked presently.
After listening attentively for few
moments Norah laid aside her work
and ran upstairs, where he still slept
beside her own bed. The child was
feverish. Next day doctor was called
in, and now began period of intense
anxiety, till one night the end seemed
imminent
Major Armistead did not undress /;
at regular intervals he looked into the
pondently. When the morning sun
broke through the clouds at 10 o. o'clock,
all the blinds in the little house were
drawn down, and the light had gone
out of Norsh's life.
A few days later she stood with her
father-w white. haired and bowed now
beside the open grave. The gray
clouds hung low, and the October
wind blew chilly across the cemetery:
Henceforth she spent many hours
there, always alone, since the'distance
was too great for Major Armistead to
walk. She always pictured Eric's
grave as a kind of bed, and himself
asleep, as she often used to watch
him.
81 should like to put up a handsome
tomb" said the old man. at isn't
much, but it's all 1 can do for the
little chap. feel I must do some
thing"
'If we could make some other chill
dren happy" Norah suggested. THAT
is what should like; to endow cot
in a children's hospital
Major Armistead entered into the
scheme with immense enthusiasm.
."Of course" he said, presently,
"you must remember that you won't
have much to live on after ] am gone,
dear.
"Ihat does not matter" she an
swered. Nothing of that kind mat
ters now. Nothing matters in an
empty world. There is nothing left
to live for. "
81 will write to Ormond street and
inquire how much it would cost" said
Major Armistead. "We will call it
Eric's Cot. "
Two days later, going to the ceme-
terry in the afternoon, Norah came to
sudden standstill few yards from
the grave, then hiding herself behind
some heads tones, watched the shabby
| looking man who stood baFeheGdOd at