Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-05-22
CHAPTER XXvi.


. strange quietness. but az she tried to
read IL to her father her voice choked.
and she had TO hand It to Annaple. But
for the first time In her life she went up
md voluntarily kissed her fathers fore.
head. And perhaps II was for the first
time In his life that the exclamation broke
from him. "Thank God!
Perhaps It was well that the telegram
had not come earlier In the day. for Mr..
ERremont wns very restless. showing him.
self much shaken In nerves and spirits
before the time for driving to the station.
which he greatly antedated. Nuttie could
hardly keep him In the carriage. and In.
deed had to persuade him to return thith.
ef, when he had once sprang out on the
arrival Of wrong train.
And after oil, when the train did come,
his blue spectacles were directed to the
row Of doors at the other end. and Nuttic
was anxiOusly trying to save him from be.
ing 3ostled, when voice said. "Hcrc!"
and close beside them stood Mr.. Button.
with Q little boy by his side who looked
up Ia her face and said "Sister!' IL wns
said 10 q dreamy. almost puzzled way.
not with the ecstatic Joy Euttie had fg.
ured to herself; and there was something
passive In the mode Of his hearing his
fathers "My boy, my boyy' Instructive.
y oil turned to the barbor OF the carriage:
Mr.. Dutton lifted Alwyn In. and 40 Nut.
tie received him, a pang shot across her.
~ she felt how light. how bony. the little
frame had become Ia these three weeks.
"Come ini Come buck with Ms! Tell
ms all" said Mr.. Esremont, as Mr.. Dut.
ton was about to help him In.
my dog" said Mr.. Button. while Al.
wyn looked mp from nesting In Nuttie's
Imp to sny. "Aiither Dutton come! Aud
Mothur
I'VE have room for him." said Mr. Eg.
femont graciously. "Here. poor fellow"
HE has tho right" said MIR. Button.
"for no was the real finder"
And Monsieur, curly aud shiny. occu.
pied with great dignity the back seat b..
aide bis master. while Alwyn. in silent
but dreamy conscnt. AZ II he only half
understood where he was. rested against
his sisters bosom with bis hands 10 his
fathers.
'Come. old chap" said his father cheer.
lily. "tell ~ oil about H."
But Alwyn only shuddercd a little. rails.
ed his eyelids slightly. and gave q puny.
faint smile.
II think be must bs very tired" said
Mr.. Dutton. "Thcrc was q good deal to
he dono to make him presentabls this
morning. You must forgive me for sacri.
fclng bis curls. there was nothing else to
be done with them"
"Ah," aud Nuttie looked again. The
boy was In Q new. rather course. ready.
made sailor suit that hung loosely upon
his little limbs, bis hair was short. and no
was very pale. the delicate rosy fush quite
gone, and with Il tho round outline Of the
soft cheek: and there were purple marks
under the languid eyes. She bent down
and kissed him. saying: "Was Mr.. Button
nurse to you. WynnieY'
He smiled again and murmured; "Mr.
Dutton made me boy again"
After question and answer or two M
to main facts Of place and time Of the
discovery. Mr.. Dutton told his story. II
did not effect much with my inquiries AZ
ter the circuses. All ! heard Of were Of
too superior an order for kidnapping prac-
tees. However, I thought the only way
would be to haunt fairs and races. and
look at their camp followers. At a place
In Hertforishire saw q performance nd-
vertised with several children M fairies.
10 went to see II. I str0lled out with my
dog round the Held where the vans and
booths were getting into order. There
waa what thought little girl In faded
red petticOat sitting on the steps ut the
bottom Of a yellow van. with her head OF
her hands,"
"That was me-" said Alwyn. lighting
up. And MOthu came and kissed Fam
YES" said Mr.. Dutton; II verify be-
lieve we might have missed one another.
hut Monsieur ran up to him. and AZ !
was actually whistling him on ! heard a
little voice say: 'Mothu! Mothuv and saw
they wcre-well. embracing one another.
and then came 'Mithter Dutton. Mithter
Dutton, oh, take me home!"
Alwyn seemed to find It too much trou.
BILE to talk. and only gave little smiles.
more like his mother than himself. He
chung quite desperately to his sister. and
laid his head down, as one weary. with the
exhaustion of content; and nurse. who
had allowed that Mr.. Dutton had. con-
sideripg all things, done much for the out
ward restoration Of the daintiness of her
recovered child, was impatient to give him
the hot bath and nights rest that was to
bring back the bright, joyous Alwyn. 30
Nuttie only fingered for those evening
prayers she had yearned after 10 sorely.
When she held his mothers picture to him
to be kissed, he raised his eyes to her and
said: "Will she come to me at night now y
"Who, my darlingy"
"She. mother dear"
"Here's her picture, dear boy"
"N0t only the picture-she came ont of
II, when cried. up on the mast y-smelling
bundle In the van all In the dark"
"She cameT
Eyes, she came. and made II 30 nice.
and hushed me. ] wasn't afraid to 20 to
by-by when she came. And she sang.
Sister, can't you sing like thatY
She was much moved and awe-stricken
at these words Of her little brother; but
she had to dress In haste for dinner, listen.
Ing the while to her maids rejoinders and
vituperati0ns OF tho wretches who had
maltreated the child.
When she came down she found no one
IN the drawing room but Mr.. Dutton.
whom her father had asked to the happi-
est meal that had perhaps ever been eaten
In that h0usa.
She went toward him with winged steps
IN her white dress: "Oh, Mr.. Dutton, We
have not said half enough to you. but we
never, never can"
He gave curious, trembling half smile,
% she held out her hands to him. and
said; 1.-THE Joy IL great In ITSELF" speaking
IN very low voice.
"Oh! ] am 20 glad that You did IT,"
cried Ursula. ut would not have been
half 90 sweet to owe II to any one else. I"
"Miss Egremont, do you know what you
are sayingw he exclaimed.
"D0n't call me Miss Egremontl You
rover used to. Why should your
VI have ut dsred -' s. bessn.