Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-06-10
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CHAPTER AAll.-tSoNIiNSEp
Pearl paused here to take breath.
"And it's all true" said Tom. :.
Every word of It," said ari.
Hush, Toni" Fi7ftaIsl ~.
A movement on my part caused ner
to turn toward me. and we gazed at
each other in silence for Few mo-
ments. Pearl turned white and red'
and Tom sat nursinr his knee, watch-
Ig us both very in.jntly. Presently
rearl came to my side.
"Are you angry with me still?" she
'sked. Hifit i I
Angry, my child" said. very
slowly. What have I to be angry
about?"
Tears came into her eyes. you VIII
Mss me. then. Daddy Bcecroft!"
She laid her face close to mine, anu
put her arms about my neck.
"You will soon get well now," she
whispered. 80
Il have been i'll long time, have
1c:. ily Pearl?"
90 long, long time. And you Will
rorle among us again? Say You Will =
"Mayhap, my child; but not yet.
When l am strong enough.
well soon make you strong, rom
.nd L. You must thank Tom. ne
luilt this place, and he has been with
ne every day. We have all been 60
TORY for you. Ycu haven't any more
clicked thoughts, have your
LET ME think, dear child. Ih!ngs
l-e not clear to me yet"
strove to recall what had taken
Ylace, and gradually during my con-
ralescence my memory returned, anu
;sith 1t the dark, morbid thoughts that
lad been almost fatal to me. l battled
ard against them. ] knew my dan
,er, and knew also that l was not
;trong enough. unaided, to gain the
ictory. l looked about for help. and
found 1t at my side in the pure spirit
Z child, Pearl saved me from my
elf. She nursed me with such gentle
ess and tender love, that my heart
.:ould have been stone indeed mad II
esisted her sweet influence. She must
ave had an instinct of my peril, LOT
She left me only for an hour each aay'
and she slept beneath the same root.
And one night she wooed mo to pray
or. and we said "Our Father" together.
The. II was that my heart became
truly contrite, and as 1 bedewed my
pillow OF leaves with grateful tears. l
felt that had learned the lesson OF
humbleness and submission to Him
whose mercy endureth forever.
Understand me. l believed my wife
70 have been false to me; but she was
lead, and, with better feelings stir
;iuy within me, dared not lay her sin
.gainet all my kind. This was the re-
salt of no goodness in myself; l was
ready enough to condemn. Tut chiid
pure heart and simple spirit had soft
sned and chastened me. l had not yet
seen any OF my companions. with the
execution of Pearl :.1d Tom Wren.
Words which had repeatedly dropped
In my delirium had been construed by
my nurse into fixed determination not
to meet them; and even now, notwith-
standing my promise to Pearl. the re-
luctnnce to rejoiu them was very
str,ng. Pearl urged me gently.
"I want you to help me SO much!"
"Help you, dear child! In what
vay?"
81 keep a school," she answered with
4 merry laugh. Think of that! foi
remember when you gavo the paper to
Mr.. Bowden he could not read. and
none Of the others could but you and
me. Now some Of them know their
letters quite nicely"
gazed In delight aud amazemcnt at
her flushed, bright face.
"How do you teach them, dear
child?"
"I have only two books. On that
dreadful night mother put them in an
oii-skin bag round my neck. Here
they are"
She placed the books in my hands.
One was n torn primer. the other a
child's copy of Cinderella
You were reading Cinderella to
Tom." I said.
Yes, Daddy Beecroft," she replied,
with another merry laugh; .'and, do
you know. he goes all about the forests
looking for pumpkins! He says he
will be sure to find some. and that one
shall be turned into ship. and another
into money, and others into other
thirgs-all for me, Daddy. Tom is
very good; next to you. I love him
best. You will come. won't you?"
"Let me have my own time, my
dear" l said; II will come one day,
but have still some rebellious
thoughts to conquer. Is the signal
tlre still burning. Pearl?"
"Yes: but we have never seen a
ship"