Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-16

my father said THAR" groaned John,
sitting down. Let me think. l do not see
my way! / do not understand"
LET me see my daughters, I tell you!
Give me back my Fairlie, my Kate!' cried
the angry father, "or, by the God whom /
have served these sixty years, l will slay
you with my hand and He will hold me both
scaithless and guiltless!"
John looked up quickly at David Glenden-
nlng's appeal.
See" he said, 81 would have stricken off
that right hand had 1t written such words.
But they are none OF mine. Look at these,
and thesei" He trust a half-inished college
essay, half a dozen notebooks and innumer-
able scattered papers which happened to be
on the table across to the old man. He
opened a desk in which were all Fairlies
little, simple notes and the first three pages
Of n letter which he had begun to her.
these are in my handwriting he cried.
Compare them with tnG which you have
shown me. leave the verdict to yourself"
The old man dropped into a chair.
searched long and earnestly In his pockets
for the spectacles which he had already on
his nose when John came In. Then, when
the young man gently pointed them out, he
thrust aside his hand pettishly and spread
the papers on the table. There was, in
deed, no similarity. The essays and papers
were written In a small, neat, collegiate
script. The crumpled paper which David
Glendenning had brought, on the other
hand, was Uniformed and clumsy in hand
writing.
But in spite of this the old man was but
half convinced.
"But We may have forged the hand o.
write he said, doubtfully. "Ye' are a
college-bred man and may be able for sic
things. / haze heard o. the like. But what
matters the paper. l tell ye my son heard
them speak-spakin' ABBOTT you the NIGHT
afore, and yin o. them was g%reetin', sair."
which one7' said John, quickly. His
head was buried between his palms and
he was thinking deeply.
'It was Kate that spak' your name maist.
Will said, but It was wee Fairlie that graft"
replied the old man. after a pause.
John Glendonwyn put a neatly folded
bundle of papers into the j~oiner's Clipped
and roughened hand. His old Sunday hat
lay on the table, and his ludicTous blacks
runkled and crinkled. worlds too big for his
shrunk shanks. hung about hin like a wind
ing sheet and tapped as he moved.
There" said John Glendonwyn. "is every
scrap Of paper that has passed between
EhlTllc anu myself 4 ha0 ~ nOtc rum
Kate the week Fairlie was laid up with a
cold. II is there with the others. She sent
me a college book Fairlie had borrowed.
And here are my swe every one, from
first to last.
He lifted a copying book out Of a little
press OF japanned iron. 81 loved her, sir.
with all my heart. though / never told her
more than you will fnd written here. And
/ would not have spoken till l had the
right. But in writing I gave her OF my
best. And ! have copied every line and
syllable here. They are clear for you to
read. and As for plotting mischief against
my beloved or her sister, think you. who
have watched me from a child. might have
known me better"
Name kens the heart when the blood o.
youth rims red" said the old man. sen-
tentiously. but deed ! thoeht name III o.
ye, Johnny, lad. And yet-and yet"
what is it-speak out. Perhaps I can
clear ALI" cried John.