The evening world., 1900-07-26

rived IN the morning nail and contained an -
- founding proposition:
Eric, dear boy. viii you nc, a. guardian y ~
little gir- I know you ere young a, thirty to al NsA
4 position, but | aisc know that young a you 0s
here ia no on, se,,sr n,,ed for he srduous tAs2L NJ
plantation IS large and valuable; Stella viii - Heh
'ane day, but ! hope you viii not md the work sf
riuing Up my business Affairs too Ereat 4 task an
resret that you have undertaken H. You see, old NJ
Nv. | am akins 4, toy granted tina, you will ao, fall
me now. Come Al once. u possible; I want 10 80
jou once more sstOrs | 90. Yours. anec,ioni,sly.
'PHlIIP AUSTIN
Eric BradioD folded the letter ~ sith , ~
whistle curling his mustached ii2 He was hAndssmA
dark-eyei. dark haired and athlet!e.
well. Of all things he CALCULATED. TO think e
Phil Austin remembering our dt-tims eompact-thas
the one who died arst should take charge Of The Il.
fairs o. The ons that vas left | shall start for the
South at once to attend to his las, w,,he, ami sss
dear old Phil before no goes. And here, mother has
invited Miss Lura wsrner-that smps1ns. ddi.fassA
fashion pate-,o pay " a visit FOR an lndeAnits stag.
Il 10 mothers secret hope hat I may fall IN love With
her. but | know all the little mothers guileless p,sss-
bless her dear h~ssrt!-and In ihs particular instances
she will fail"
II was . crisp October evening. nrs DECIDED 10
walk TO the plantation. which was bu, two mlss lis-
tsnt. With his travelling bag In hand Bro wsiksd
along At q brisk pace. All at once he found himssif
the hero Of an adventure.
A runaway horse. with a rrl upon is back- OF
course Eric few to The rescue.
oh sir: I can never thank you" she fhtsrsh Z
was going for the doctor for papa All the nsrross
are In the fields but some Of tho women. and thsy
we're afraid TO ride Robin. yonisr. % I started And
he threw me" khe sdied With a CONFUSED dun. %
his dark eyes stu dvslt upon her face with q ~pt
expression.
"canno, so-' n. asked. ,nxious,y 'r am On MP
way to NJ Philip Austin, plantation. and
why. that Is papa she cried t~sAr.ully. "yss. "a.
re .. ETH living. but ne Is In on. Of hs sinking spsas
that Dr.. Gray warned me Of. ! Wish ne ioctcr could
SEQ him now. Yes: II you DO no, mind I would nks
you 20 60"
She gave hin careful directions. and n4s svra.s
upon the pony and was OF like q fash. Hs found
The Doctors once and returned In his company. 4
little later b. stood once more beside his ia f1suA
Philip AMI saw that his hours were nearly numbered
He iisi that nigh,. ard Stella Austin was alone In sAs
world save for her young guardian. lie 10 fsuaA
likewise, that the Girl was past eighteen. and not tAs
"half-grown hoydeh" he had expected to hnA-
All this Erie wrote home TO his mother. syrss1rG
his determination to remain In the South until ne
business OF the plantation vas settled W.
Then one beautiful wtntv DAY Mrs. Brsd6sn ~
rived IN full force and with her Lura Warner. This
was the plot which the two women had laid, with The
expectation 81 Eric falling q victim. Al ssht Of Nm
Lara rushed into Lis arms
Dearest Efc she gushed' i cohd not I've sr1
longer without you. % 7 came With your dear usothsr
- soon, I hope. 20 he ny own mother. It's . dreadful
thins 'o- you 10 30 roaming about an uncivl,rei ooun.
t-y like this when you knew my heart was breaking
fCr you at home
nut Eric W.. TOO thoroughly On us risrd. and ~
,iies he had n s%lrprlre - spring upon them. He
turned 90 stella. who stood near. pais and trenuious.
ara drew her slender form close TO his heart. right
there before me others.
uNotrsrf' he rriei utterly irnnrfnr ira f1o'ish
,~,l.shoods Of the painted tol bcsii- her. 7 have
aiken m important step rircs 'as, wrote ycr. mi,
Is my dear VIE. Stella; We we're married a week aro."
There Was No use ~ object n was too late now.
Ana thir king 4, III over IN The 'erths ~ her secrs,
herr, Mrs. Rr,ddon WIS more than pies'.-. for ths
bride hai cone well Covered and vas fair 20 icos
upon The Western w1rii.