The Holly chieftain., 1900-09-28
III 0xxC the Horrors
e> os War
AS0S4 NSSS 1y a WELSh..
Ay n q. WELSH....

C&AA10 anu - 04t H0E W0W wv y Il
child now. at seventeen.
Eve never quarrslsd,. she said.
holding my hand tightly. "Thers u
not much, time to quarrel now. You
won't will you, Frsd!' Il shook my
head. A lump In my throat kept me
from speaking. Promise me before /
tell you-something.'
my poor little Naisie!" cried,
brokenly. " promise" She had bssn
pet OF mine from the days when ahss
was toddling baby and big. avk-
ward boy.
1T is about you and Lucy-whsn
you quarreled." She stopped abruptly.
"Yesr' Lucy was her elder sister.
We had been engaged. >
You wrote her an explanation-a
satisfactory explanation
Apparently she did not think 20.
She never answered the letter that +
gave you to deliver"
IL kept it." She buried her face
in the pillow. l was too astonished
for words. but i kept stroking her
hair. Il read 1t first. Then.I burned
it."
III you get well. May" said. land
grow up l shall like you better than
everybody" She laughed family. II
believe l always did" wiped her
eyes.
Il sha'nt," she said. "so-you will
like her again now. won't you!" !
hesitated. My affection for Lucy died
natural death. 1t had never been
very deep; neither, fancied. had hers
for me.
frowned. You have not told her
about the letter." She shook her
head. Sr
But you will be good to her? You
will make 1t up, won't you? You need
not tell her about me-only say that
you are sorry and want to be friends.
Then you can be engaged again; and
I-and-some day" Her lips quiv-
cred.
Marry herr" She nodded. "But II
l NO longer care for her? II know
that l can never love her a. could
love? My dear little playfeilow and
friend, am not half 10 fond OF Lucy
as l am Of you.''
''Ah!" she looked at me With big,
deep eyes, Il am only child, dear
Fred" The wistful affection in the
child's face touched. me to the heart,
and l kissed her frail hands.
Lucy met me at the bottom of the
stairs.
"Maisie told me that she never gave
you the letter, Lucy; that all the
blame was hers"
"she told you-that-tust to-screen
me-" she said, brokenly.
do not trouble about 1t any MORE"
do not care for you after ALL"
There was nothing more to say. So
I turned to go; but there was knock
at the front door and heard some one
say. THE doctor" So waited to hear
what he pronounced.
After few minutes he came down
the stairs talking to Mrs. Dormer.
1T is natural sleep" he said. 1.-THE
pulse IL steadier and the temperature
more normal The odds are still
against her. but there is hope"
| The tears came to my eyes at last,
and Lucy came and put her hand on
my shoulder.
"You can win her back to life,
Fred" she said, ''our little girl. Stay
till she wakes" had already resolved
to stay.
went upstairs and sat with my al-
bow ON her bed and my face ON my
hand. watching my little fayorits.
Presently her mother came and knslt
beside me.
| Lucy has told me all. Fred" she
whispered. "You-you will not tell the
others?"
Il will not" promised. y
| When my little girl awoke she was
not looking toward me.
Better dear?" asked her mother.
why yes" she laughed feeb'y. "It
must be Fred. Do you know, I believe
he would make me grow well II he
were often here with me-" 'f
HE will be- little sweetheart." said
softly. She turned to mo with happy
cry, and whispered In her ear; what
knew, and other things that were only
for her and me. They were the things
that won her back to life, she says,
when We talk Of such mattsrs.-Chi-
caso American.