The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-01-12

was. 1t was the moonlight ilSHt.
4 few words from her, hacked l,y tie
hameless influences Of the hour, un-
locsed his tongue.
"You mustn't think me an unnaturai
parent" he said. Its not that at all.
I'm awfully fond of him. I've got his
photograph in my pocket. III show 1t
to you when we go in-thc last che fGr
the time being. l get Il new one aroUt
once mouth-a regular Mcllln's 5 too"
series, in al sorts of get up, clothes and
no clothes, but all as fat as butter and
erinning from ear to ear with the JOY CT
life. You never saw such fetching lit
tie cuss. I'd give anything to get hold
of him-if could.
"But snrely-his own father -
"No. 1t sounds absurd to Eou, nat
urally, but that because you don't un-
deystand the situation.
II can't conceive of any situation
"Of course not. It's a prcpoStcroUs
situation, and | just drifted into It,
don't know how-oh, | do know. 1t
was for the child's own sake. So that
you really must not call me Il htartless
parent any more, Miss Lascelles. No
body would do that who knew what l d
suffered for him." Mr. Bell took the
second cigarette from his mouth and
sighed deeply. "Evcn i'll the beginning
it would have been difficult to get out
of it, having once got in, he continued,
after pause, .'but it has been going On
so long, getting worse and worse every
day and every hour, till now I'm tam
gled up and helpless, like that moth in
that spiders web'-poiuting to little
insect tragedy going on beside them.
Miss Lascelles leaned forward, rest
ing her arms on her knees and spread
ing her hands in the enchanting moon-
light, which made them look white as
pearls and made her rather worn face
look as if finely carved i'll ivory. 1t was
graceful, thoughtful, confidential
pose, and her eyes, uplifted, CLEANED
Just under his eyes, ineffably soft and
kind.
"I'm so sorry," she murmured. But
if don't know what the trouble is
Oh, don't tell me if you'd rather not!
can't help you, can l: do wish l
could"
$50 dol But I'm afraid nobody can
help me. And yet-perhaps fresh eye
"a woman's clearer insight He
paused, irresolutc, then succumbed to
temptation. Look here, Miss Lascelles,
III Just tell you how ii is if You II
promise not to speak Of it again. You
are no gossip. kDow-you will under
stand-anti it will lie such a blessed re-
lief to tell somebody. And perhaps you
could advise me. after all
"Let me try" she broke i'll encour-
agingly. For an instant her rcarly hand
touched bis sleeve. "Iou may trust
me- she said.
''I'm sure of it. I'm sure of it," he
responded warmly. He flung away the
remnant Of the second cigarette, took
moment to collect himself and plunged
headloug
You see, we bad nobody belonging
to US in this country. l came out to
make living and home for her-too
crowded up in England-and as soon as
Id got bit of a steady income sent
for her to join me. Of course we had to
be married from somewhere, and somo
kind old people that knew took her off
the ship and looked after her for a day
or two, and we drove to church from
-. l>L.;r Iorthfo~ ortk.1 q =
bridesmaid, aud she and my wife got to
be great chums. She used to come and
stay with us good dealt was lone
some for the poor girl in a strange land,
and me 50 much away-and we used to
put up with them when we went to
town. In fact, they were what you
might call bosom friends. That was
just the difficulty
You are speaking" queried Rose
gently, "of the person who has the
baby:''
Exactly. All, 1 see you begin to un-
derstand''
81 think so," said Rose, with 4 smile
broad enough to be visible in any kind
of moonlight. But what was the diff
culty:"
''Well, you know, being so really
fond Of her and all that-wishing to
do it for the sake of her dead friend,
what could say? Especially as those
women We're killing the unfortunate
brat between them. She was not SO very
young and was evidently clever at man-
aging
yes interposed Rose, smiling still.
"And peculiarly situated for under
taking the job-much as you are sit
uated here-living with two old folks
who dotted ON her and were only too
pleased to let her do whatever she liked,
fond Of baby. and III want Of some OBJ
iect in life, and so on. But chiefly 1t
was for Mabel's sake. To see poor Ma
bel's child messed ard n,auled about by
a set of buNgling, ignorant creatures,
who had no interest whatever i'll it, was
more than she could stand, she said. TC
tell the truth, couldn t stand it either,
and she begged me TO let her have it to
look after, as there WAS 10 female friend
or relative nearer to 1t than She was.
What could I do: She lived in nice,
healthy spot, and there was the old
mother With her experience, and was
obliged to go away, and-and-well, ]
just had to say yes and be thankful to
do it. We got the-the doctor found a
we engaged the sort of nurse that does
everything, you know, a fine, strapping
young woman, in the pink of condition,
md away they went to Melbourne to-
gether And at the first blush the worst
Of the troable seemed over instead Of