The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-01-22
THE FITTEST SURVIVES
By ]. H. OONNELLY.
copyright. 1896. by the Author.l
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
mamma, mamma, wake up! John
is herel hear his voicel'
Mrs. Hall awoke with start to find
Addie standing by her bedside, shaking
her and making that preposterous state
ment i'll suppressed but excited voice.
Nonsense, child. You've got q
nightmare. Go back to bed and lie
straight ON your right side'
"No, no. He is outside there this
minute paying hackman.
"Whatp'
The old lady scrambled out Of bed
with undignified haste, reached the
window in two strides, peered out at
the edge of the blind and gave vent to
her establishment in the exclamation:
''For the lands sakel'
John was unquestionably there and
engaged as Addie had said. The girls
quick ears had caught the sound of the
hating of the carriage before the door,
followed Immediately by the voice that
more readily than any other commanded
her recognition, and, upon the impulse
of the moment, leaping from her bed
she had crossed the little room at a
bound to her mothers side with that
startling announcement
"What ON earth brings him here at q
time like this?" gasped Mrs. Hall.
ga hack, mamma" responded Addie,
with demure ROBUSTNESS. She was very
angry with John, but strangely happy
at seeing him.
Don't be fool. Addie, if you are in
love-
81 amt"
They heard the hack rumbling away
and John opening the gate. Just as he
raised his hand to the small brass knock
er on the door window above his head,
almost within reach, was lifted an inch
or two and he heard the widow saying:
"Wait; I'll be down in minute"
And he had not much longer to wait.
A lady who is confessedly past middle
age can on occasion dress very quickly
to receive gentleman upon whom she
has no matrimonial designs. She may
even dispense with a mirror in the proc
ess if her curiosity is much excited.
Mrs. Hall simply put on warm wrap
per, threw a thick shawl over her head
and, with very little more preparation,
descended to the hall door. OF course
Addie might just as well have gone back
to bed, for she did not intend to see
John or permit him to see her. She had
said so emphatically. Nevertheless she
dressed herself and in doing so took ex-
IRENE care that she should look her best.
The mirror could not have been spared
from that toilet.
II am quite aware, Mrs. Hail." said
John smilingly, "that the hour is rather
late for an evening call ana somewhat
early for morning visit, but hope my
errand will be my excuse.
$50 I should suppose, Mr. Latham"
replied the widow, leading the way into
the little parlor and opening the damp
ers Of the stove, but / can tell better
when hear it. You certainly have sur
prised me most nightly"
''Ipresume, said John in an interrog.
ative tone when they were comfortably
seated, THAT you are informed CT the
sudden death Of Mr.. Willmarth?'
eyes. | saw it announced in the
newspaper
"The man Of whose treachery and
dishonesty you have cherished SO keen
q remembrance t1asd many y6ars?"
She looked at him with surprise, but
replied simply:
eyes. | do not know how you found
it out, but he was the man. -
With her hands crossed in her lap
and her eyes fixed on the reddening
mica in the stove door, she went on
speaking in a meditative way:
at isn't what l hoped for, and,
suppose, puts an end definitely to the
hopes had entertained so long But it
winds the affair up somehow, and that's
some consolation. There's nothing i