Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-12-16

was but fourteen years OF age -(and
YOU and Lois were but four years Of
age. for it was in the first year of my
union with your father)-she was
stolen by an Irish dragon. who made
her his wife, and took her to his home
in the south! Since then have never
| received letter from her, nor Suf-
| fered her name to be mentioned in my
| presence. Let it die now and hence
forth. Yet learn from her story this
one lesson-never to cross me in the
dearest purpose of my heart You are
aware that you and Lois are and have
been from your earliest infancy, des-
tined for each other. 1t was the wish
of my dearest husband, your father,
| and it is therefore. my set purpose.
You are nearly approaching the age
now. when young gentlemen, very pre-
maturely, but very certainly. begin to
! think of young ladies. Fulke. look at
| me. Forget that there is any other
young lady in the world except Lois"
AS she spoke, broad. blue glare like
| sheet lightning flashed from her eyes,
but was gone in an instant!
But what terrible look it was!
What a revelation Of her real charac-
ter! Now, caress him as tenderly as
she might, the fish boy would feel that
her hands We're the paws Of leopard
ess upon him. So he thought. as he
fastened, with trembling frame. and
blushing cheeks. and faltering tongue,
to assure her that he loved Lois better
than his own life: that he would rath-
err have her than possess the whole
world; and that if he lost her, he
should die.
You shall never lose her; will take
| care Of that" said the lady. grimly.
| And thus the interview closed.
Married three times, and still so
handsome. l wonder if she killed and
ate her three husbands, one after the
other the splendid tigress! And. oh.
but won't she tear me, neither when
| she finds out who am" said the fish
boy, with a shulder. And from this
day he dreaded the denouement worse
than ever.
The denouement seemed ut length at
hand.
Mrs. Greville was preparing for a
| voyage and long residence in Eu-
rope. Her object was to place her
daughter Lois at Partisan school.
| and "son Fullle" at a German UNIVERSE
ty and afterward to give them the ad
| vantage of extensive travel over the
continent. While the fish boy was
| completing his last term at the Collegi-
ate school and Lois her last term at
! the Ladies' academy, and Mrs. Greville
| was settling up her home affairs. one
| morning letter was placed in her
hand. Seeing the postmark, she was
about to fling it from her; but upon
looking closer at the writing. She
seemed surprised, and opened and Pc
| rused it contents. They We're as fol
/! lows:
Fu!joys Island, July LIST.
Madam-I break the silence of many
years to inquire of you whether you
| have totally abandoned your step-son.
young FulSe Greville? Whether you
! think him quite unworthy of your fur
Their notice; and whether you think it
| was we'll done so thoroughly to repro
bate so young an offender? For sup
! pose he gave you just cause of anger
in leaving the school where you placed
him; but insist that there was no rea-
son for leaving him to his fate. AL
| though l have waited in vain to see
some advertisement for him. l still
! hope that you may be pleased rather
than otherwise to hear that he is not
utterly lost. About eighteen months
ago. in the midst of the severest wealth
er of that severe winter, he came on
foot to my house. He had walked all
| the way from New York. He arrived
| travel-stained. weather-beaten, ragged
and emaciated. He told me his sad
| story. which I do not wish to wound
you by repeating. I received him as
my own son. and placed him in the
university of Virginia. How he has
conducted himself during the eighteen
months of his sojourn there, you will
see by the annual report of the uni
yersity. which l have the honor of
sending you with this. Young Fulke
Greville is now spending the midsum-
mer vacation with me. AS you are his
legal guardian. he is. of course. at
your disposal. He desires to know if
he may be forgiven and restored to
your affections. if not to your favor.
l am, however, quite willing to provide
for him as for my own son. I have
the honor to be, madam,
| Your Obcdient servant
William Fuljoy. of the Isle.
The lady read this letter with the ut
| most astonishment, remained in deep
! thought for some minutes, and then
| drew her writing desk before her and
sat down a0d answered it. She dis
patched her letter, and summoned the
fish boy to her presence.
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