The Bourbon news., 1901-12-17

and we'll"
He meant to shake his head and be
done with it-but there came a sud
den memory of Little Quiet's clapping
her hands at the sight of him that
morning, her starry eyes alight, as
were these others before him. He
cleared his throat.
"She is we'll and safe"
"For so much L thank you. You may
write to your client and tell him what
you please. Whatever he does, will
be righted-because there is no wrong
with me-and he has destroyed his
own happiness"
When she Aad gone Mr.. Hodges pulled
forward the cablegram. 1t told him
that the writer was about to return
and intended to at once sue for di-
vorce and the custody of his child. The
papers must be ready when he reached
New York.
"Yes," the papers are ready" said
the lawyer on the eighth day after.
ward to a tall and athletic young man
who seemed to fairly fill his small of.
flee; "that is, if you are fully deter
mined. Your wife will fight the case
She has retained Van Cassyl-and' will
fight for the child. Had we not better
arrange something?"
Harold Thyme shook himself like
weary dog.
'No, 1 wan: it ever with. l am sure
sure. 1t was my own mad folly
These women of the stags-pah!"
"But," interrupted the lawyer, "yor,
are +c1 rash, were too rash then
Think of the child-that is a nice little
child. You ought not to expect me to
not think of her in this case, for I've
looked after her for you"
$50 you have" said the man, gloom
ily, "but she is so like her mother"
"We will go and see her before we
do anything else," said the lawyer,
quietly. "In fact, 1 insist that you
MIST see her before going forward"
Half an hour later the two men
stepped quietly up the two flights of
stairs. The house seemed very still,
and there was nothing to lead Mr..
Hodges to expect the scene he met on
opening the nursery door. The child
was seated on her beautiful mothers
lap, the tiny arms about her neck.
Mrs. Hodges was crying in chair near
by, and Nurse Brown was blowing her
nose violently from time to time.
"Arethusa!" exclaimed Mr.. Hodges,
amazed beyond further speech by the
sight before him.
She turned fiercelY upon him.
When / never Won have though
Timothy, that you'd have hid away a
sweet child from its m. ther, and all
on account of a bad mans jealousy"
Mrs. Thyme had risen with the child
in her arms. Her eyes b'aZed as she
faced her accuser.
''You shall not have her, Harold.
You would make her as miserable as
you have made me. Think of snatch
ing a tender little thing from its moth
er's arms and then running off to Eu-
rope and leaving her with strangers. >
''It shows what rash. wildthought-
ed man you are" sobbed Mrs. Hodges,
'and you've had a bad influence over
my husband or he would never have
helped you"
Harold Thyme was pallid to the
lips.
Didn't I see you talking to the
actor you knew before we were mar
ried? Didn't 1 see you give him let
ter or note?-and you had promised
me to give up those people"
That's where 1 was foolish" re-
piled the little mother, bravely. u
should never have turned my back on
old friends-and should occasion Of
fer, L will show what that note was
and where it's destination"
'She was sending money to a poor
sick woman that had always looked
after her, you wretch" cried Mrs.
Hodges; "she told me so, and be-
neve her-and not asking her about it
you steals her baby, and her sick at
the time. Ugh! but you are a
thoughtless one and don't deserve
such a wife and child. Timothy shall
not take your case, not he"
The lawyer whistled softly.
But Little Quiet had been making
up her mind from her perch in her
mothers arms. She had been shyly
eying her father while smoothing her
mothers cheek. Now her seldom
heard voice was raised in entreaty.
"Papa, peas tum here"
1t was as if a bcmbshell had ex-
ploded in the room. Nurse Brown
fled, weeping audibly. The dazed
Timothy found himself hustled out
by Mrs. Hodges, who fairly drove him
down the stairs. Sitting down upon a
divan in the hallway she sank back
among the cushions with a wall of
recrimination.
eff it wasn't for that blessed child,
Timothy, you'd be a miserable sinner.
But the Lord has upset your plans, and
although 1 don't like that man, she
may bring him around so he'll act like
other people. They got little child to
lead them, anyhow"