Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-09-18

out me. And then came the fire, and
Lord 1.nshmar saved my life and adopted
me as his own little girl"
And So you think your father went to
Australia!
"Only because Lord Lashmar said he
had gone very, very far away"
"But surely II your father were living,
he would have communicated with you
he would have sent some one In search Of
you-wonld have made some inquiries
about You, In all thcsc years."
"Oh! please don't try to make me be.
licve that he is dead" the girl pleaded
with nm ngonized look. '1n all these
years my only comfort has been to think
Of him rs living: winning his way to for
tune In n ncw country; waiting until he
had made his fortune to come home to
me. That has been my only day.dream.
1t Is the only hope have In this life.
Don't spoil It for me-"
Her lands were clasped, her eyes
streaming With tears. Never since HUI
bert's death had she spoken Of her father.
She forgot that Mr.. Ncstorius was great
man and almost a stranger to her. She
barred her girlish heart to him."
mot for worlds would dispcl sweet
dclusiOn, dear child, even II II IL but q
dclusion!" he answered gently. But you
must not talk Of life being empty OF hope
for you. At your ngc the future IL full
| Of glorious possibilities. All, II were
| only as o,ing ms you and as gifted. Come,
now. he frank with me. You must have
ambition. You do not mean always to
be her ladyships render; to fossilise In
that positioni'
mo, no. indeed" exclaimed Stelln, and
then freely as she would have talked to
Gabriel Werner, she told Mr.. Nestorius
her dream Of the future. cottage beside
the Avon, with faithful Betsy for her
housckccpcr, friend, compartment and
abundance Of books, and her pen as the
source of her income; NIL she wanted was
u compliment publisher who would buy
her books.
"You hive an i,len that you could write
II you tried" said Nestorius, knowing
that the drenms Of youth are for the most
pnrt only dreams.
II have been writing ever since I was
thirteen years DID," she answered grave
Is.
"You began with the first year OF your
teens. That was early. What have you
writtenT'
oversees first, stories In rhyme. like
Scott's-l don't mean like his, for mine
arc not 70 be named beside 'Marnion' or
the 'Minstrel'--only on that plan. blush
TO remember all the nonsense ! have writ.
ten"
let mo see one Of your stories immedi.
ntcly." said Ncstorius eagerly. "Whnt a
wonderful girl you nrc; and you have
written for years, alone In your room, day
after day."
"Will sou really be no good ms to look
at a few pages and 20 tell me frankly
IL the story Ii not quite intolcrnble rub.
bishY'
Il will tell you the truth In NIL honor;
nnd II your story Is MS good as think Il
must be. Il shall be- published, even II
have to turn publisher and produce Il my.
self. AMI that will be the first step to.
ward Independence and your cottage BY
the AvOn," added Mr.. Ncstorius, smiling
down ut her.
Her checks glowed and her eyes bright.
cned ut tho Idea. Except from old Ga.
briel Werner, she had received no such
kindness kincc her bcnefactor's untimely
death. She looked mp at the statesman
with eyes That Ovcrf0wcd with grateful
tears, tears Of j0yfulness this time.
How good you are" she faltered. III
sou are as good to other people 40 you
have been 10 me, no wonder"
She stopped, blushing at her own bold.
ness, suddenly remembering the gulf BE-
tween them.
mo wonder whaty'
mo wonder that you are the most pop
ular man In England, In or out Of once
At least" faitcringly, "that Ii what Lady
l.ashmar Aah Of you the other day"
Mr.. Ncstorius was not appalled, by the
hulk Of the manuscript Stella later hand.
cd 10 him. He was an enthusiast In NIL
things, great and small, and took up every
cause with like earnestncss. He had
not rcnd tw cnty pages before he started
IN from his chair and began to walk up
and down the room rapidly. as he always
did when deeply moved. He felt like q
hiscovcrcr. almost as Columbus must
have felt when he discovered America.
"rhc Girl Ii u genius" he told himself
dclightcdly. There II a power In this
there In a freshness that means genius