The Bowbells tribune., 1900-08-17
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- By Frances Warner Walker. *
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BY Frances Warner Walker.
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his tone. HIS hand, still resting on Hef
hair, unconsciously clenched. A light,
half anger, half pain, shone in his
eyes.
Harry" she exclaimed.
The question in her voice restored his
composure.
He laughed, but it was not the old,
mirthful laugh which had ever been as
sweet music to her ear. There was a
hard, discordant note which Jared
upon her.
$50 you would give me half your for
tune, Grace?" he said. "a quixotic
generosity worthy of you. little one;
but men cannot accept such gifts, my
child. Wait, Grace. One Of these days
your fortune and your heart will go to-
gether, and I will convert myself into
whole orchestra-con .ealed from
view, by the way, by a screen of sm1-
lax Qsn't that the proper place for or
chestras, as per latest fashionable in
telligence? ?)-and strike up, 'Lo! the
conquering hero comes!"
Strange! For the first and only time
in her life, Harry's jests hurt her.
He refused her gift, and talked light
ly Of her loving and leaving him.
II shall never marry-never! she
!
uncle tired of me, Harry, that you
want me to leave you?"
"Tired Of you, Pussie?" and again
something sad and pathetic stole into
his tone. "Why, all the sunshine
would go out Of the old house, dear, IT
you should run away from it. can't
even picture it without you; I don't
think I ever have been able to picture
| wit lo "a
when your little baby hand locked it.
self in mine, and your baby voice whis-
pered, I like you!' Grace, last night,
dear, as lay awake in my boating
tent, down on the river, it's waters
silenced into glorious beauty by the
moonbeams, I thought of you, and
strange longing came over me to look
into your eyes and feel again the touch
Of your hand. 1t seemed to me that
you were the one thing true-the one
heart loyol-in all this great, bitter
world. o, Grace, you could not curse
mans life-tell me you could not?"
His voice died in a groan.
But the girl, listening, felt new
strange thrill Of rapture, which ended
in pain for the suffering, ere she had
paused to question whence and how 1t
came.
Yet her woman's intuition taught her
that words could bring no healing to
this wound, and so, only lifting her
hand to slip it into his, she leaned her
head against his knee, in silent sympa-
thy with this unknown grief.
One by one the minutes slipped
away, until a step, heard in the outside
corridor, startled them both.
A moment later, Edgar Reynolds en-
tered the room.
He was man not yet sixty years OF
age, but his hair was already white
though his form was still erect and Wig.
orous.
| Between father and son a strong like
ness was apparent, as their eyes met.
Grace did not stir, but her hold un.
consciously frightened on Harry's hand
A momentary gleam of surprise shone
in the elder mans eyes; then he came
forward, outstretching his hand.
Harry, my boy, welcome back
again!"
Thanks, father!" the young man re-
piled, now rising from his seat and &C.
cepting the proffered hand-clasp.
Then he resumed his old position
and in a few minutes all were talking
about trivial matters, as though but
yesterday they had parted. 1t was
meeting characteristic of both men
Had the months been years, it would
equally have lacked outward demon.
stration. But that night, when Grace
had left them, Edgar Reynolds sum-
moned his son into the library.
zone question, my boy" he said
after carefully closing the door. "an6
then the matter never shall be opened
between us. You've given"-a mo-
ment's se-"her"-strange bitter
emphasis on the pronoun-"up forev.
er!"
A harsh, discordant laugh broke from
Harry Reynolds lips.
"She's given me up, father" he an
swered. "Yes; she whom you termed
adventures and schemer has thrown
me over for penniless lieutenant
You see how you have wronged her
father, when you imagined my money
or yours, her aim. It was her heart led
her astray-her heart! Oh, God! that
the pulses Of life should beat in such a
stone!"
"You will live to thank her for your
deliverance, my son. I, too, owe her
such a debt of gratitude, that am al
most tempted to forgive her the misery
that she has brought upon us both
Harry, it was but an infatuation-a
dream! You will waken to look shud-
deringly back upon it, as one recalls a
nightmare! All, my boy, the confession
of your deliverance lifts stone from
my heart, and gives me courage to
point out to you a true path to happi-
ness! Harry, all my life have
dreamed a dream. Must I put it into
words to make it clear to you? 1t is
that you should make Grace in very
truth, as she is in heart-my daugh-
teri"
The young man gave visible start.
and his face paled.
Marry Grace! Why, father, she Is
but child, and always have looked
upon her as sister,"
"No tie of blood unites you, and
Grace has already passed the threshold
Of womanhood. If mistake not, un-
suspected even by herself, her heart is
already yours. If not, little struggle
and you can win the prize. Harry, my
boy, for more reasons than you dream
of, it were we'll that the engagement