The age-herald., 1900-05-20
HIS OWN GIRL.
By Eleanor Babcoek.

Gerald Fancourt flung himself out of a house in Grosvenor place one night about F o'clock with excessively bored ex- pression upon his features. He was in evening dress, and had evidently been at tending some society function.
 He had a kindly face, and as he walked rapidly along he seemed to inhale the cool air of the night with a sense of de- 1ightful relief. He pursued his way on the Green park side of Piccadilly
 As he passed beneath the flare of a vivid lamp his eye was attracted by an object insignificant in size, but great in pathos- female child in poor rags and with naked feet. The chi1ds hair was tangled and not too clean; her face pinched and white, but her eyes were large and brilliant and stared out with an expression of bewilderment sad to behold.
 Gerald bent down to her and said gently, Little one, what are you doing here?"
 The child looked at him much as very tame cat regards stranger-not frighten- ed, but doubtful.
 'T dunno" she replied, after a pause
 "Where do you live?"
 'I dunno"
 Have you no mother?"
 Ees. Mudder far away"
 Are you hungry?"
 "'Ees''
 "Wil you come with me-"
 A long pause-then a little sigh.
 "Ise tired"
 Without another word Gerald lifted the child in his arms and carried her into a small restaurant off King street There he ordered for her little warm soup and an egg pudding. She took them greedily Her hunger being appeased, Gerald again lifted her in his arms and bore her to his chambers in a fashionable hotel She fell asleep on the way Indoors he laid her on soft couch and then sat down to contem- plate this find of his over a cigar
 The thoughts of what he should do with this waif of humanity, which fate had thrown in his path, gradually shaped them selves into vision of prophetic fancy. Sanguine temperaments are prone to castle building. Gerald thought he would claim this bit of femininity for his own
 He was rich. He would have her edu- cated. He would make of her all that money and care could make of her If the total result pleased him he would make her his sister; if it more than satisfied him he would make her his wife
 The waif under the name of Carrie King, vas sent to a series of schools and fninsh- ing academies. Fancourt stuck to his scheme; he never saw her. He signed checks; he answered school principals let ters; he gave permission for his ward to visit her school-fellows at their homes, and he provided her with pocket money to keep up her position as a lady; that was all
 The crowning pleasure and reward for all his care and expenditure was to come at the end of ten years when she would be nine teen years old and he would see her in the glory of her budding womanhood
 The period of the ten years was nearly closed The night before the final day when Carrie was to appear before her pro tector and guardian, Gerald invited one or two choice chums to dine with him.
 They were laconic men of the world He had told them the tale of his fancy and its approaching completion.
 T have taken little house for her" he concluded. and tomorrow she enters into possession"
 'Is she pretty?"
 How do 1 know. She promised to be SD ten years ago."
 The whole thing seems Quixotic and risky
 Tomorrow will decide whether she is to be my wife or not"
 Not wise" replied the more taciturn of the two friends.
 Next morning Gerald entered the draw ing room of Carries newly-furnished house.