Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-14

laughed so delightfully."- that Faith Join.
ed him, and neither of them heard q
step in the other room and did not
know any one had come in until Nal
/ com Stanley stood at the entrance gaz-
ing Mt them.
Raleigh had risen and had laid his
palette and brushes down. At sight
Of Stanley he exclaimed, "Come in,
young giant, and let me introduce
some one you ought to know
Malcolm came slowly forward, look.
Ing at Faith. who had risen. Each Of
them was evidently excited at what
was now evident to them both.
Miss Kirk said Raleigh, with an
emotion he did not try to conceal, this
is Mr.. Stanley = Malcolm Stanley =
whose likeness have so faithfully re-
produced on the canvas therey'
| Malcolm and Faith faced each other
In silence, and then Faith put out her
hand.
"Will you shake hands with n hired
girl, Mr.. stanley, for fathers sakeW
she said half shyly, half in the manner
she had inherited from Malcolm Kirk.
"Will II" cried Malcolm Stanley. The
way he shook Faiths hand assured
everybody that he had no hesitation on
the score Of Faiths position. They
had all three been suddenly smitten
with unusual solemnity, and Malcom's
energetic handshake made Raleigh
laugh. Faith followed, and Malcolm
I Joined In, and the excitement of that
| sudden meeting passed into question
and answer.
ITS long way from the deck of
that steamer to this studio," said NAL
com Stanley. But truth is stranger
than tiction-at least any fiction l ever
read" And then he went on to give
Faith some account of his life since
the time when Malcolm Kirk had left
him with his aunt in London.
| The aunt had died when he was 2
years old, and he had been adopted in
to the family of distant relative, tax
ing the name of Malcolm at his aunt's
request In loving memory of his queer
nurse. The money that Kirk had rails
ed on board the steamer had been for
tunately invested. On coming of age
I this fund enabled the young man to fit
himself for an engineer. He had risen
steadily and had at last been promoted
to place of great responsibility. The
company for which lie worked had in
| terests In the United States, and NAL
com had come over to superintend the
opening of some mines in Colorado and
New Mexico. His business interests
had made him acquainted with Mr..
1 Fulton. md 1t was through him that
he had made the acquaintance Of Mr.
Raleigh and finally purchased the pic
ture. with the Intention of giving it to
Malcolm Kirk. The artist had assisted
on practically giving a large share of
the value of the picture to Stanley. and
the latter had planned surprise Tor
/ Kirk on his way west
All this and more did Faith hear
wonderinsly. The short winter day
was going by. and Raleigh suddenly
interrupted the conversation.
we shall have to give up our trip to
Kenwood today. Faith"
"And ! must be getting back to my
work." cried Faith, rising. She was
like one who had been In dream Of
the day, 1t all seemed so strange
the studio, the artist. the picture. the
big. hearty, honest young Englishman.
She found It hard to realize that she
was actually in the heart of the great,
rushing, prosaic, selfish city. All this
was so like story, like things one
reads about, but SO seldom knows In
the real life.
II IF your father were only here now"
said Raleigh, whose romantic tempera-
ment was moved deeply by the events
of the day, this room would contain
all the elements of genuine story"
i AS he spoke they all three turned in
4 stinctively toward the entrance of the
other room. There stood Malcolm Kirk,
his. tall. heavy figure filling up the
opening and his homely, loving face
showing unusual emotion.
j; Father" cried Faith, and the next
minute she was in his arms, sobbins
and ;exclaiming.
J. Then she stepped back, little
J., ashamed of her sudden outburst as
she remembered the presence of the
lWo'llleu Dtllllu uet, Uul she kept llOlU
of Malcom's hand and drew him into
| the studio.
, How did you come here, father.
, We had no idea
Its not long story, my DEAR
said Malcolm.
Mr. Raleigh, how do you do? It's
a long time since Il saw you ON the
deck of that steamer" Malcolm point
, ed to the picture, and still his great
brown eyes rested on Malcolm Stanley
who was standing there pale and ex
cited.
. Raleigh took Kinks hand and shool
] it heartily. He then turned quickly tt
Stanley.
You ought to know this gentleman
Mr.. Kirk. You met him before I did"
Kirk stepped toward Stanley. Boil
? men We're deeply moved.
J. "You were with my mother when She
! died. Mr.. Kirk" said Stanley in voice
that trembled little.
| "If we were RuSSians wa would or,