The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-22

nesslike way he proceeded to investi
gate the affairs OF the dying womu,
ana the prospects OF her daughter
ma word, he asserted his authority o.
brother, and Joyce was relieved arc
happy to obey him.
1t is not in times of gayety that
'rlehdshlps are formed, but in sorrow
or suspense. During that long even
ing this brother and sister suddenl,
became intimate; more SO than months
OF prosperous intercourse could have
made them. At 10 o'clock Stephen
quietly insisted that joyce should &C
TO bed while he lay down, all dressed
on the sofa in the dining-room.
L shall sleep perfectly; il is not
the first time | have slept in nv
cloth cs," he said simply.
Ihey went upstairs together and
told the nurse OF this arrangement.
Joyce remained for some moments hy
the bedside watching hor mothers
peaceful sleep, and whom she turned
she found that Stephen had quietly
slipped away. Wondering vaguely
whcther he had Intentionally solved
hcr difficulty as to the fratcrnal good
night, she went to her own room.
The next morning Mrs. Leach was
stronger; nevertheless, she know that
the end was near. She called her two
children to her bedside, and turning
her oliDG eyes toward them, spoke in
broken sentences:
V am ready now am ready" she
said. Dcars,' ] am going to your
father--and y thank God, I can
tell him that / have left you together.
| always knew Stephen would come
back. found it written everywhere
in the Bible. Stcphen-kiss me dear"
The man leant over the bed and
kissed her.
"Ah ~ she sighed, chow wish |
could see you-just once before | die
Joyce " she added, suddenly turning
TO her daughter, who stood at the
he is like. But know y | know
| feel it. Listen He is tall and spare,
like his father. His hair is black,
like his father's-it was black before
he went away. His eyes, know, are
dark-almost dark. He is pale-like
u Spaniard ~
joyce looked across the bed with
slow horror dawning in her face, look
ed into q pair Of blue eyes beneath
tawny hair, cut short, as u soldiers
hair should be. She looked upon a
man big. broad, fair English from
crown to toe.
For some moments there WIS silence.
Joyce stood pale and brcathless, wonder
ing what this might mean. Then the
dying woman spoke again.
Kiss me-" she said, 81 am
going. Stephen lirst-my first born
And now Joyce X and now kiss each
other-acl oss the bed . | want to hear
it | want \ to tell youl
father"
With q last effort she raised hel
hands, S. cking their heads. at frs
Joyce hcsitated, then she lcant for
ward, and the old woman's chilled
fingers pressed their lips together
That was the end.
Half an hour afterward Joyce an;
this man stood facing each other in
the little dining-rOom. He began hi:
explanation a. once.
"Stcphcn," he said, "was shot our
thcrc-as u traitor. | could not tel
her that | did not mean to do this
but what else could | do?"
Ho paused, moved toward the door
with that strange hesitation which
she hau noticed on his arrival. At the
door he turned, to Justify himself.
~ still think" he said gravcly,
THAT it was the best thing to do"
joyce made no answer. The tears
stood in her eyes. There was some.
thing very pathetic in the distress OF
this strong man, facing, us it were, an
emergency Of which he felt the de.
licacy TO be beyond his clcvcrncss tt
handle.
Last night made all tho neccs
sary arrangements for your future
just as Stephen would have made then
IDS a brother might have done. i
lie and | were brother officers in ,
very wild army. Your brothcr-wa
not u good man. None of us we're"
His hand WAS on the door.
lie asked me to come and tell you,
he added. shall go back now"
They stood thus, he Watching hcr
face with his honest, soft blue eyes
she failing to meet his glance.
May como back again. he askct
suddenly.
Sho gave IL little gasp, but made n,
| answer.
It viii come back in six months,
he announced quietly, and then h,
| closed the door behind him.