The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-05-24

the lady of the miniature.
''He is gomez" she almost whispered.
''Mr. Gaylord is really gomez" She
held note in her hand, which Stubbs
at once eaw was in his departed pa.
irons handwriting.
'He is gone, madam" said Stubbs,
bowling profoundly.
She walked back and forth in the
room in apparent distress of mind.
"You are his man?" she asked at
length, stopping suddenly and facing
StubbS.
Il am, and if can be of any service
to you, pray let me know, ma'am. I'm
sure Mr.. Gaylord would wish me to do
anything in my power-or-or his,
ma'am."
"Mr. Gaylord" said the lady, "was-
was a friend of mine. He has gone just
when 1 needed him most. 1 do not
know what to do-what to do-what to
do!' She wrung her pretty little hands
together.
won't you tell me what can do for
you, ma'am? There is certainly some
thingr
Listen" she said, drawing near the
valet and looking at him with dilated
eyes. Il have something so terrible to
say that you will hardly believe me! No
one knows yet, not soul. AS soon as
l found it out l locked the door and
came here. ran all the way. l knew
the number of his room, and l came
right here, and he is gone. had note
saying he was going, but 1 thought I
might get here in time. Do you know
what has happened? My father'-she
took hold of the valet's sleeve, cropping
for human sympathy-"my poor father
has killed himselfw
Stubs instinctively and respectfully
supported her swaying body.
BY and by she grew calmer and per-
mitted him to inform the proper per-
sons and to send for her carriage and
grams after the departing train on
which his patron had gone, but no re-
sponse came. Gaylord himself had had
no idea of his destination. He did not
know when he left whether he would
stop in the mountains after he crossed
the divide OF go ON to the Pacific coast
or still farther to Honolulu.
The death of George Lowman at
tracted but little attention. When the
news Of his insolvency and his suicide
went abroad, people simply concluded
that they had overestimated his wealth
and had been mistaken as to the source
from which it came.
His daughters existence was I'M
known to many of those who had an
acquaintance with her father, for it
was but a few weeks since she came
to the city. The women who had taken
it upon themselves to introduce her
and to show her courtesies We're kind
now and visited her and invited her to
their houses and sent flowers.
The poor child turned toward them
a white face of refusal and shut her
doors ON all the world. She dismissed
the servants the next morning and
bent herself to the task of looking
after her fathers affairs. She gave the
whole thing over finally into the hands
of his attorneys and quilted the place
at twilight, when none might see her,
with no attendant save the faithful
Stubs.
He had sent her trunks to n quiet
place in the suburbs, where the noun
tains looked down on a grass grown
table land and white streets, irrigating
bitches and clumps of wild willows.
For several days she did little but lie
on the settee and watch the rise and
fall of the fire. The consciousness that
she would soon be penniless had
prompted her to forbid Stubbs to let
any of her few friends know her
whereabouts. \ few days more would
spirit would not endure the idea of
mendicancy, even in it's most agreeable
forms, and she shut herself close in
the house and kept her heartache as
her only guest.
AS time went on her little purse suf-
fered perfect depletion. She might
have given lessons in bad French or
mistaught pupils on the piano, only no
one in Denver was paying for luXuries
of that sort just then. Denver was
economiZing-drama 1t was, In
fact, in an ecstasy of conscious mar
tyrdom, and it made the most Of it.
Heth Lowman. however, had no call
to be histrionic, because she had no
audience. She kept diary and made
notes of her emotions, and she watch
ed the mails and was forever expect
ing a letter from Gaylord, who had
gone, as he explained to her in his fare
we'll note. to retrieve himself and
would return to her only when he was
once more n rich man.
She was convinced that he was keep
ing watchful care over her when,
about n month after her misfortunes
and just when her fortune looked the
blacklist, an envelope came, containing
number of bills-quite enough to
Keep her in comfort for several weeks
to come. She told Stubbs about the
money-she was confidential with
Stubbs-and asked him ii he didn't
suppose Mr.. Gaylord had caused his
banker to send the money, which
would account for the Denver stamp
mark on the envelope. Stubs said
that was a reasonable supposition. and
little Miss Lowman was perfectly
happy.
Though she had entertained such
violent scruples against accepting
help from any one else, she had no
compunction at all at receiving it from
Thaddeus Gaylord. He had told her.
with frenzied iterations, that he loved