The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1899-09-28

Pearl paused here to take breath.
"And it's all true" said Tom.
EVERY word of it," said Pearl.
&Hush, Toni"
A movement on my part caused her
DO turn toward me, and we gazed at
each other in silence for a few mo-
ments. Pearl turned white and red,
and Tom sat nursing his knee, watch
Ing us both very intently. Presently
Pearl came to my side.
Are you angry with me still?" she
asked.
Angry, my child" I said, very
slowly. what have I to be angry
about?"
Tears came into her eyes. "You will
kiss me, then, Daddy Beecroft!"
She laid her face close to mine, and
put her arms about my neck.
"You will soon get we'll now" she
whispered.
81 have been i'll a long time, have I
not, my Pearl?"
"a long, long time. And you will
some among US again? Say you will"
"Mayhap, my child; but not yet.
When l am strong enough"
"We'll soon make you strong, Tom
and I. You must thank Tom. He
built this place, and he has been with
me every day. We have all been SO
sorry for you. You haven't any Q
wicked thoughts, have you?"
"Let me think, dear child. Things
are not clear to me yet"
I strove to recall what had taken
place, and gradually during my con-
valescence my memory returned, n
with it the dark, morbid thoughts that
had been almost fatal to me. l battled
hard against them. I knew my dan
ger. and knew also that l was not
strong enough, unaided, to gain the
victory. I looked about for help, and
found 1T at my side in the pure spirit
Of a child. Pearl saved me from my
self. She nursed me with such gentle
0ess and tender love, that my heart
would have been stone indeed had it
resisted her sweet influence. She must
have had an instinct of my peril, for
she left me only for an hour each day,
and she slept beneath the same roof.
Ouu0TSLduu Ill., 4 UC4AON0o ALJ VA
to have been false to me; but she was
dead. and, with better feelings stir
ring within me, I dared not lay her sin
against all my kind. This was the re-
suit of no goodness in myself; L was
ready enough to condemn, but a ch1lds
pure heart and simple spirit had soft
ened and chastened me. I had not yet
a- 80 ~ aNYononinnC with the
exception of Pearl and Tom Wren.
Words which I had repeatedly dropped
In my delirium had been construed by
my nurse into fixed determination not
TO meet them; and even now, notW1th-
standing my promise to Pearl, the re-
(uctanee to rejoin them was very
strong. Pearl urged me gently.
ST want you to help me so much"
Help you, dear child! In what
+way?"
"I keep a school," she answered with
a merry laugh. "Think of that! You
remember when you gave the paper tc
Mr.. Bowden he could not read, and
zone of the others could but you and
me. Now some of them know thell
letters quite nicely"
1 gazed in delight and amazement a.
her flushed, bright face.
"How do you teach them. deal
child?"
ST have only two books. On tina
dreadful night mother put them in al
oil-skin bag round my neck. Herr
they are"
She placed the books in my hands
One was a torn primer, the other
child's copy of cinderella
"You were reading Cinderella t
Tom," l said.
eyes, Daddy Beecroft," she replied
with another merry laugh; "and, d
you know, he goes all about the forest
looking for pumpkins! He says h
will be sure to find some, and that on
shall be turned into ship, and anothe
into money, and others into othe
things-al for me, Daddy. Tom
very good; next to you, I love hil
best. You will come, won't your"
"Let me have my own time, m
dear" l said; 81 will come one da,
but l have still some rebellion
thoughts to conquer. Is the sigma
fire still burning, Pearl?"
eyes; but we have seen
ship"
CHAPTER XIV.
~@a-1s G