Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-04-05


peated, YEARLY.
"Poor papa!" said Fannie, with af.
fectionate anxiety, "you look very tired.
Let me get my cologne and battle your
head, as dear mamma used to dO-that
always rested YOU"
Not to-night!" was the quick answer
that came almost painfully from the
stern, set lips-"not tonight, my child.
Kiss me goodnight, my dear, and
and''-Fannie was clasped to her faith
er's breast in sudden, close embrace
| Agnes child!'
Il wonder what makes papa so sol
cmn" soliloquized Fannie, as she pre-
pared for her peaceful slumber. There
is something wrong, surely. l haven't
seen him this way before since the
evening Herbert had that quarrel With
Il strange man in the woods. He don't
like to hear Uncle Basil's name men,
toned, and this unluclly tongue of mine
is always letting it slip; and yet l
know Uncle Basil was very good to
papa. He brought him up like his own
son, and started him in business, and
left him heaps and piles of money.
should think it couldn't be very great
crime to speak of him; and I did think
it would be a delightful thing for Her
bert and Sybil to get married. Pm SURE
if locked all over the world, could
| not pick out a sweeter sister. But,
dear, dear. people do go so crooked
and When it seems just as easy to walk
| along smooth and straight"
And With this conclusion, which was
an unusually cynical one for our pretty
| philosopher Fannie turned her rosy
cheek to the pillow and peacefully
| slept
| For a quarter Of an hour after his
daughter had left him, Robert Olive
paced up and down his spacious libra
| ~. with clouded brow and stern, set
lips.
| Then. as if coming to sudden deter
! mination. he pulled the bell cord, and
| told the answering servant that he
wished to see Mrs. Wyllis.
| The hOuSekeeper entered the room
ere he was conscious of her approach
| and stood. with folded hands, beside
the marble hearth, On which, despite
the advanced season, a few logs We're
burning with welcome heat.
She cast one OF her quick, stealthy
chances from beneath the white eye
lashes. at the dark. moody countenance
of her master, and the faintest shadow
of {; smile rested for an instant around
her thin lips: then, in a quiet, respect
| full voice, she asked "Mr. Gives pleas
ure:''
"Ah! you are here" he said, pausing
| in his restless walk. "Be seated, my
good Wyllis, if you please. have
! something to say to you"
| She obeyed him silently, folding her
! mittened hands one over the other, and
| letting her gray eyes fall demurely be-
| meath their yelling lids.
Il merely wished to ASK" said the
master of Give Towers, coming to a
staEdstill before the hearth, ''if you
! have been annoyed by any intruders
here during my absence? I have rea-
son to believe that that ruffian, who
| calls himself Basil Give, has returned
to this part of the country and fear
! may be bent on further acts of VIC
| lence"
| Indeed. sir, I am sorry to hear it,
was Mrs. Wyllis' meaning reply. "No,
we have not been annoyed in any way
rs yet; though really, sir, as far as my
humble judgment goes, you were too
| lenient before-far too lenient. You
| should not have suffered so dangerous
| a character to escape so easily"
Il hoped and believed that I was
done with him forever" Mr.. Give went
on, in an excited tone; but the fellow
seems to haunt my Path like an evil
fate. Only this morning l received an
other threatening letter. couched in the
most ambiguous terms. He dares to
menace me through my children
All. empty words, sir!' answered
the housekeeper, scornfully. GLOW can
such a wretched being harm you or
yours: Have you not prospered, in
spite of his threats and curses, in the
past? How can they affect your chill
dren in the futures''
Il have prospered-yes, answered
Mr.. Give, thoughtfully. 81 have never
| feared aught for myself; yet, as we
grow old, Willis, and look back upon
the path we have trodden, the bravest
: CT us sometimes tremble for the young
feet that must come along the un
known ways; and the shadows we have
passed through unframed seem dark
and terrible when they hang over the
tender beings whom we would shield
from even passing cloud. If I could
buy off this yindictive being with half
my fortune, l would give it gladly fol
for peace and rest"
Have you offered toto compromise
with him. sir?''
AYE; but he will accept no compro,
mise.'' was the bitter reply; nothing
but what he calls justice-full and
complete JUSTICE
HE is mad" said Mrs. Wyllis com.
posedly.
"Aye. he is mad!" repeated Robert
Give. ficrcely. "Let him dog my path
way as he will. he shall never wrest
from me my children's birthright! Let
him do his best to poison the cup OF
life whose fullness and sparkle he has
always envied; let him plead as he will
for his child! His child! What is his
child to ME? What is his child's fl
ture, compared to the future of mine:
some lowborn, low-bred, nameless out
cast. unfit to breathe the same air, IL
tread the same ground, with child OF
mine!"
Who was the white-robed figure tina
gliding, noiselessly, by the half-closet
door, caught these words? What crue