Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-11-04

friendships are formed. but IN sorro7
or suspense. During that long evening
this brother and sister suddenly be
came intimate. more % than month
| Of prosperouB intercourse could hav,
made them. Al 10 O'clock Stephel
quietly insisted that Joyce should e
to bed. while he lay down. all dressed
on the sofa in the dining room.
Il shall sleep perfectly: 1t is not tn
first time l have slept In my clothes,
he said simply.
They went upstairs together and tol.
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 hs
had Intentionally solved her difficulty
as to the fraternal good night, she weni
to her own room.
The next morning Mrs. Leach wa
fully conscious and appeared to b
stronger; nevertheless she knew that
the end was near. She called her tive
children to her bedside and, turning
her blind eyes toward them, spoke in
broken sentences:
81 am ready now-I am ready" sh,
said. "Dears. I am going to your faith
Grand - thank God. I can tel
him that I left you together. I always
knew Stephen would come back.
found it written everywhere in the
Bible. Stephen-kiss me. dearr'
The man leant over the bed and kiss
ed her.
"Ah," she sighed, how l wish coul,
see you-just once before die. Joyce.
she added, suddenly turning to hel
daughter, who stood at the other side
Of the bed. tell me what he is like
But I know I" I know-I feel 1t
Listen! He is tall and spare, like hi.
father His hair is black, like. his
father's-it was black before he wen
away. His eyes. know. are dark-al
most dark. He Is pale-llke a Span
iardr'
Joyce looked across the bed with SLOW.
horror dawning in her face. looked inte
a pair Of blue eyes beneath tawny hair
cut short, as a soldiers hair should be
She looked upon a man big, broad, faii
English from crown to toe-and the
made her say:
"Yes, mother. yes"
For some moments there was silence
Joyce stood pale and breathless, won.
dering what this might mean. Their
the dying woman spoke again: 'Kis.
me-" she said. II am going
Stephen hrst-my first born! And now
Joyce and now kiss each Other
across the bed! l want to hear I
- want to tell
your father"
With a last effort she raised he
hands, seeking their heads. At frs
Joyce hesitated. then she leant for.
ward. and the o.d woman's chilled fin.
gers pressed their lips together. Tha
was the end.
Half an hour afterward Joyce ana
this man stood facing each other in ths
little dining room. He began his ex.
PLANTATION at once.
there-as a traitor. could not tell hcl
that! l did not mean to do this, bu,
what else could l doy'
He paused, moved toward the doc.
with that strange hesitation which she
had noticed on his arrival At the doci
he turned to justify himself
Il still think" be said sravely, "tha,
It was the best thing TO do"
Joyce made NO answer The tear.
stood in her eyes. There was sometimes
very pathetic in the distress Of this
strong man. facing, as it were, an emer'
gency of which he felt the delicacy to
be beyond his cleverness to handle.
Last night" he went on. II made all
the necessary arrangements for your
fu:ure-just as Stephen would have
made them-as a brother might have
done. l He and 1 were brother
officers in a very wild army. Your
brother was not a good man. None O;
US were"
His hand was On the door.
"He asked me to come and tell you,"
he added Il shall go back now"
They stood thus, he watching hei
face with his honest. soft blue eyes,
she failing to meet his glance.
MAY I come back again?" he asked
suddenly.
She gave a little gasp. but made no
answer.
II will come back in six months" he
announced quietly. and then he closed
the door behind him.-Cornhill Maga.
zine.