The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-12-27

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h brown and little rough. What b thisf
What b thiA Stephen, dsars d this .
woundf'
"Yes. " answered the prodigal, speaking
for tho first tina. "That 10 sword out
! got that In tho last war. I am colonel
In the Chilean army, or was before I re-
signed"
There was something wrong something
subtle, which tho dying womans duller
senses failed to detect. Her son, her Ste
phen, was quiet and had not much to say
for himself There was no enthusiasm,
but rathar restraint in his manner, more
especially toward Joyce.
The girl noticed It, but even her small
experience Of humankind had taught her
that large, fair skinned mon are often
thus
After tho first excitement of the return
was over it became glaringly apparent that
Stephen had arrived lust In time. His
mothsr fell into happy sleep before sun
set. and when tie active Young doctor
came little later In the evening he shook
bis head.
For the first time Joyces courage
seemed tu give way. When she had been
aions. she was brave enough; but now
that her brother was there, womanlike, she
seemed to turn to him with sudden fsar.
Mrs. Leach lived through that night in
the same semioomatose state. Tho two
watchers sat in her room until supper
time, whom they left their mother in
charge Of u hired nurse, whose services
= Joyce had been forced to seek.
After supper Stephen Leach seemed at
last to find his tongue, and no talked in
his quiet, almost gentle voice, such as
some big men possess, not about himself
or the past, but about Joyce and the fu.
ture
In deliberate, businesslike way no pro-
coeded to investigate the affairs Of The dy-
ing woman and the prospects Of her daugh-
TERN word, be asserted his authority
as u brother, and Joyce was relieved and
happy to obey him.
At 10 o'clock Stephen quietly insisted
that Joyce should go to bed while he lay
down. all dressed, on tho sofa in the dining
room.
They went up stairs together and told
the nurse Of this arrangement. joyce re-
mained for some moments by the bedside
watching her mother peaceful sleep, and
whom she turned she found that Stephen
had quietly slipped away.
Tho next morning Mrs. Leach was fully
conscious and appeared to be stronger.
hall ha hat ~ and
near She called her two children to her
bedside and, turning her blind eyes toward
them, spoke in broken sentences:
II am ready now ain ready" she
said.
"Dears, am going to your father-and
thank God, l can tell him that have
left you together. / always knew Stephen
would como back. found it written ev-
erywhere In the Bible. Stophon-kiss me,
dearl"
The man leaned over tho bed and kissed
her.
"Ah," she sighed, chow wish could
sic you-just once before die. Joyosr'
she added, suddenly turning to her daugh-
ter, who stood at the other sidO of the bed,
"tell me what no is like. Butt know
/ KNOW feel it, Listen! He is tall and
spare, like his father. His hair is black,
like his father's--it was black before he
went away His eyes, know. aro dark
almost black. He Is pale--like Span
iard!'
Joyce, looking across the bed with slow
horror dawning in her face. looked into u
pair Of blue eyes beneath tawny hair, cut
short as soldiers hair should DO. She
looked upon man big, broad, fnir--Eng-
lish from crown to toe--and the quiet com-
mand OF lis lips and eyes made her say:
eyes, mother, yos."
For some moments there was silence.
Joyce stood pale and breathloss, wonder
ing what this might mean. Then the dy-
ing woman spoke again:
kiss me- she said Clam going.
Stephen flrst-my firstborn! Aud now,
Joyce--and now kiss each other-Hcross
the bed want to hear til want--to
With last effort she raised her hands,
seeking their heads At first Joyce hest.
tated, then she leaned forward, aud the
old woman's chilled fingers pressed their
lips together. That was the end
Half AN hour aiterward Joyce and this
man stood facing each other In the little
dining room. IIe began IN explanation
at once.
"Stophon," he said, twas shot-out
there-as a traitor. could not tell her
that! did not mean to do this, but what
else could dor"
At the door he turned to justify himself
II still think, " he said grayely, that it
was the hest thing to do 3"
Joyce made no answer. There was
something very pathetic in the distress of
this strong man, fncing as it Were, M
emergency Of which he felt tho delicacy to
be beyond his oeverness to handle.
Last night" lo went on, II made all
the necessary arrangements for your future
just US Stephen would have made them
lis brother might hive done. The
and were brother officers in worry wild
army. Your brother-was not good
man. None Of us was.'
They stood thus--ho watching hor face
with his honest, soft blue eyes, she failing
~ meet his glance.
May l como back again?' he asked
suddenly.
She gave little gasp, but made no an