The Florence daily tribune., 1898-11-09

Macready objected. She could not
bear to think of a separation from the
| little waif whose life, like hers, seemed
east in lonely paths. But there came
time when even Lizzie could no longer
expect TO retain control of Bee Rossiter.
A childless couple had come to summer
at neighboring resort in the Green
mountains, and while on their Journey
visited the orphanage They hal long
ago decided to adopt child. and a
glance at little Bee satisfied them that
she was just what they wanted. The
bargain was made and it was agreed
that Bee should be sent to them a few
days before their summer sojouru came
| to an end
From that time or Number Six wac
changed being, She pined ana fret
| ted, as the day drew near that would
separate her from the little girl. and
Aunt Sanders was more than once com.
PEELED to call in the house physician to
administer to her niece.
The girl who had tasted all the bit
terness of an orphaned life, cling to
the motherless child win ali ire We.
hemency of first love. Night and day
she prayed that something might inter
fere to let her keep the li;tlc girl liz
tie longer.
And the unexpected happened. A
stranger alighted one day from the
single-horse ny which piled between
the railway station and the hes, hotel
in town. He was handsome, prosper
Gus looking man. His clothes and the
alligator bag indicated that. lie asked
for the best room in the house and paid
for it in advance. The morning after
his arrival he set out for the parsonage.
and through the volubility of the min
lster's housekeeper, it soon leaked out
that he had come TO inquire about Mrs.
Rossiter. The parson took him first to
the little graveyard and showed him
the mound beneath which the old char
woman lay buried. Then he accom-.
panied him to the orphanage to see lit
tie Bee.
Lizzie Macready was busy at win
dow when the stranger and the parson
walked up the gravel path The
bronzed face of the former was aglow
with excitement. Lizzie had never seen
more pleasing face, she thought. II
was good, honest face, too, and when
moment later she was requested to
bring little Bee to the reception-room
her heart throbbed wildly. Perhaps
her prayer had been heard.
The woman and the child entered the
room, and the stranger came forward
to greet them. He caught the little girl
in his arms and kissed her. Bee, who
had never before been caressed by
man, wound her arms around his neck
and laid her head on his shoulder. A
good omen, thought Lizzie, and confid-
ingly shook the strangers hand. The
minister introduced the stranger as Mr..
Correll, little Bees half brother. His
father, a wild, reckless fellow, had left
his wife. He had taken their child, a
boy, with him. The boy was the man
who now stood before them They had
drifted to the mining camps of Colorado
and there Correll had amassed riches.
a few months ago he died leaving every
thing to his son and imploving Linn to
find his mother. This the son did. He
had learned of his mothers divorce and
marriage to Rossiter, and of the birth
of baby girl. Their trail led to the
little mountain town in Vermont, and
here he found one in her grave, the
other public charge in an orphanage.
Now he would take her away with him
and spend his riches upon her. In
day or two he would be ready to de-
part.
Lizzie Macready grew pale as death
when he announced his intention. The
child, still nesting in his arms, held out
her hand to her foster-mother.
Dear Number Six," she cried can
never leave you!"
Sweet bushes crept into the girls
cheek at this avowal of affection on the
part of the child. The stranger stopped
and kissed her hand.
How can 1 ever thank you for what
you have done for heri"
For days Mr.. Correll, the rich young
miner, fingered in the little mountain
town. Again the gossips got together,
wondering what kept him in place so
devoid of attraction to people with
money. There was nothing in the way
of little Bees departure. Surely that
foolish young woman, Lizzie Macready,
would not again interpose silly objec-
tions.
livery Gay the stranger went 10 'he
orphanage to spend hours with his lit
tie sister and her beloved Number Six,
for he insisted that Lizzie Macready
should accompany her charge on all
their strolls through the garden.
At last he informed the landlord Of
the little hostelry that he would depart
the next day. He ordered a four-seat
carriage instead of a single fly to take
him to the station.
81 am not going alone this time" he
said, with happy smile.
Going to take the little girl with
you, see," answered the landlord, say
ing to himself that there would he one
less for the county TO feed.
"Yes, and a wife." continued Correll.
"a wife 2n Cnsned the innE.ener