Evening star., 1897-01-16

The steps were kind to her. and did not
creak. She opened the door of the dining
room, and appeared as silently as II she
were a ghost. Her father started from his
chair. and it required all his habitual self
command to repress the exclama ton that
rose to his lips
Heaven help US, my dearest girl; do you
want to frighten your old father out of
what little wits he has left him. he whis-
pered. why aren't you asleep?"
She gently closed the door. then ran to
him and threw her arms about his neck
'Oh, father, are you safe? You are not
htrt?'
Hurt! Why. what would hurt me, you
silly baby?'' He ruff1ed her hair, pulling 1t
over her eyes You've been dreaming; /
believe you are talking in your sleep now.
Why are you not in bed?'
Il couldn't sleep till you came home.
What kept you so late, father"
Now, this is more than the law requires
of man. Have 1 to make explanations to
the late train?''
The girl sat down on a hassock, and laid
her head on her fathers knee, he smooth
ing her hair caressingly.
What Is all this pother about, Edna
Why are you so anxious at my being cut
late?'
Il was afraid you were in danger; read
what was said in the paper about your de-
flying the men, and-and-'
Sartwell laughed quietly.
My dear girl, If you are going to begin
life by believing all you see in the papers,
you will have an uneasy time of it, / cal,
tell You something much more startling
which has not yet appeared in print"
What is that, father?" asked the girl,
looking up at him.
THAT you have been a most unruly child
all day, causing deep anxiety to those re-
sponsible for your upbringing.'
Edna sank her head again upon her
fathers knee.
Yes" she said, that Is quite true l
hnI haar af,1lly xUick ohcll
saying things l ought not to have said''
And leaving unsaid the things-ah, well,
none of us are quite perfect. 1t is bless
Ing there is such a thing as forgiveness of
sins, otherwise, most of US would come
badly off"
Somehow, when you are here, nothing
seems to matter, and any worries of the
day appear small and trivial, and ! wonder
why they troubled me, but when you are
away-well, it's different altogether"
That is very fiattering to me- Edna but
you mustn't imagine I'm to be cajoled into
emitting the scolding you know you de-
serve. No, l can see through your diplo-
macy. 1t won't do, my dear GIRL 1t won t
do"
1T isn't diplomacy or f1attery; it's true.
I'll take my scolding most meekly If you
tell me what happened today
Il refuse to bargain with confessed
rebel Still, as l must get you off 10 bee
before morning, l will tell you what hap.
pened. An attempt was made to settle the
night, and waited at my club to hear the
outc6 me. l had a man at the meeting who
was to bring me the result of the vote al
soon as 1t was taken. A young man-one
OF the strikers, but the only man of brains
among them-saw me this afternoon, ant
made certain proposals that / accepted
Gibbons was to be renounced and deputa
ton of the men was to come to me. W.
should probably have settled the ma tier II
ten minutes, If 1t had come off"
Then ne failed, after all his trouble?"
Who failed?'
The-the young man you speak Of"
Edna found her rcle of deceiver a dIfficul
one. She was glad her father could not see
her face, and bitterly regretted givinf
Marsten promise not to tell of his visit.
Yes. he failed OF course. there was no
time to canvass the men properly, and at th
meeting Gibbons, who Is glib talker, wor
| over enough to defeat the efforts Of :ht
others. Il wasn't much of victory, bu
| sufficient for the purpose. They had, l un
derstand. very stormy meeting and Glib
bons won by some dozen votes or therea
| boutsi'