Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-07-09
The Conquering Hero.


to everything, and particularly y about
baby"
''It is all | eau do, now-to try aud
please you," he answered, weakly;
and the perspiration was like dew on
his brow. He took off his hat and
stammered something about its being
lawfully hot"
yes; perhaps You have walked fast
it is very warm, and you look tired.
Won't you sit down?" She moved
little further away to make room for
him, and he dropped into the place be-
side her.
"We used to say there was just
room enough for two," he said, with
a smile, and she turned her head
away-perhaps to pluck a rose, for she
snapped one off short and then threw
it away.
Sam 1 to see baby today?" he
asked, after few moments of awk-
ward silence. 81 haven't seen him,
you know, since"
''Oh, yes, she answered, hurri ed
| j, and, looking about, ''there they
are, he and Annette, yonder in the
woods; they are coming this way. Oh,
Sidney" she cried, suddenly turning
toward him, show could you? can
never, never forgive youl"
81 could never dare to ask you'll"
They were almost the very words of
Pauline and Claude. She remem-
bered in moment that it had been
the first play Sidney had taken her to
see after they were married. and how
often they had laughed at that pair of
lovers, each dying to forgive and be
forgiven, and neither daring to say
the right word. She used to think
she could never be so foolish as that,
and now--it was getting very awk-
ward, for this was far more serious
matter, and she knew that she could
never forgive. What woman could?
And then she heard the laughter
and shouts of little Sidney, who had
just caught sight of his father, and was
now running wildly to welcome him.
1t was fortunate interruption to
scene that was nearing painful eli
max, and she was very glad to take
step or two toward the laughing boy,
who was already flying across the
bridge, followed by his nurse; then
there was crash, shrek; the side
of the bridge was gaping outward; the
maid stood wringing her hands; and the
golden curls, that had foated for a mo-
ment above the rushing water, were
gone.
1t was so sudden, SO inexplicable,
that the frantic mother could not real
ize at first what had happened. When
she did, the air resounded with her
agonized cries, and it was the nurse
girl who was the first to see that Sell
den had already reached his child, just
in time.
Courage, ma'am, courager' the
girl whispered, while she supported
her mistress. ''See-he is safel His
father has him-look, lookl the dar-
ling has his arms about the masters
neck, an he's hugging an kissing of
him just as if nothing had happened at
allr
The girl assisted her mistress back
to the little rustic seat, aud when the
father and child had reached the young
mother, little Sidney was already
laughing with delight; and as he put
one dripping arm about her neck, he
drew her close till her face touched
her husbands face.
"Kate," whispered Selden, 'Kate,
may l beg forgiveness now?"
"Oh, Sidney L have been so proud
and heartless! was jealous and vain
and -and-so selfish and unfairl
l wouldn't listen to you, and all the
time 1 knew you never cared for that
womanl Can you forgive me, too?"
"Just give me chance, that's all"
and then two pairs of arms met and
clasped each other close about the
conquering hero, who seemed to find
himself quite suddenly an object of
only secondary Importance.
1t then occurred to Annette that
Master Sidney would have dreadful
cold unless his dripping garments
were changed Immediately; so she
carried him off in pursuit of dry cloth
ing. Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly.