The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-06-15

AI~ 4GAAA4 ONOA
since in a death-like stupor. The
physicians were much puzzled. as thew
could see no cause why the wound in
his chest, from which the ball had
been extracted, and was now healing
nicely, should cause this comotose
state.
Nello sat a little back, near the table.
where the rays from the lamp iell fully
upon her pure, sweet face. She was
toying idly with a little gold heart,
attached to a narrow blue ribbon about
her neck. Uncle!as it happened, looked
up at that moment.
why, what's that's" he asked play
fully, another present from HarryG"
oh, no." she answered; 'it's only
my pussy-cat with one eye"
"Your what, child9" asked Uncle,
rising hastily from his seat and going
over to where she sat. "What did you
say it was9"
"a gold heart with a little black
cat on it," she answered, untying the
ribbon and handing it to him. Sect"
she added; isn't it cuteG But the
poor little kitty has but one eye"
Must have lost the other in a fight"
I laughed.
Uncle took the trinket to the light.
He examined it closely for a moment,
then turned deathly pale.
"Where did you get this9" he asked,
in a strangely altered voice.
Surprised beyond measure at the
unusual interest thus displyed by Uncle
Richard in a mere bauble, we him in
silent wonder.
"Speakl child-did you hear me7
Where did you get this things" he
again asked.
NelIo started. "Aunt Polly gave it
to me-" she answered, finally.
AUNT Polly7 Who's Aunt Polly9-
Ali yes, now I remember; I believe
I have heard you say she was Nick
Stephenson's sister. When did she
give it to youG"
1.-TWO years ago-a few days before
she died."
Did she tell you who it belonged to
and how it came into her possessionH'
Eyes; she said that she had found it
over fifteen years ago in the pocket of
a cast off coat belonging to her brother,
Capt. Stephenson, and when she asked
him about it, he had at first denied
knowing anything about it; but on
being pressed, finally admitted that it
belonged in our family, but would tell
herno more, and advised her to destroy
it, as it might be the means of hanging
the last one of them"
"How old are youG" he asked,
hoarsely.
81 don't know exactly. Aunt Polly
said that I was about two years old
when I was brought to the cabin, and
that was fifteen or sixteen years ago.
So / guess / am somewhere between
seventeen and eighteen.
"God in heaven!" cried my uncle.
''Can it be-OhI my Gods" he groaned.
His face before was pale, but now
it was the color of death. His limbs
shook az though with a fearful ague.
Such agitation we had never before
beheld, and we looked on in speechless
amazement, unable to utter a word.
What did it men9 I looked at Nello;
she looked at me. Strange forebodings
of coming evil filed my bosom.
Uncle" I said, ''tell us; what does it
all mean9" The sound of my own
voice startled me. 1t was 80 hollow,
so unnatural. Turning to us, now
outwardly composed, but with eyes
filed with anguish, and a voice that
trembled despite his effort to control
it, he said:
Harry, my boy-Nello, my little
girl, how can l tell you the truth-the
awful truth-the knowledge of which
will separate you two, now and forever
more, and fill your lives with a sorrow
no time can ever erase"
"Uncle |" I cried-''dear Uncle! Sure.
Iy you cannot mean what you are say
ingI"
"Would to God that I could save
you the awful truth-this sorrow more
bitter than DEATH" he said; but I can
not. Heavens curse would fall upon
me shouldI withhold this knowledge
from you two. Listen: This little gold
heart with the mosaic cat, I gave to
my baby girl when a wee bit of a
thing. One Of the minute diamonds
that represented the eyes of the cat
having come out and lost, I teok it
one day and put it in my desk intend