Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-04-30
Continued.

- must go. Let me see WhaJ
Hettle says uncle. | have longed to
speak of her 1t eases my heart even
to utter her name"
Silently tho general placed the
letter In her hands, and watched her
face as she read.
Simple and pathetic were the
words addressed by Kettle to the
general She seemed to think that
the presence OF death leveled all dis
tinctions. She addressed him as
Dear Uncle" and went on to say
that all through the summer her
father had been very i'll, but that
lately he had becn much worse. Ten
days since the doctor had thought
him dying Since then he had been
in n terrible statc-dying, yet could
not die Last night" he had called
her to him, and told her that he
could not die until he had seen Leah
once more. Il cursed her, Hottie,
when she left me-" he had said, "and
] want to take the curse from her.
| cannot die until have seen her.
Write to the general, and ask him to
bring her hither."
Il must GO" Leah repeated, with
white lips, turning to the general
"How horrible, uncle! My poor
father did curse me, but they were
only words. ! have never been
frightened about 1t; have you?"
Il have never liked even to think
OF 1t, my dear" he replied, IF any
one was to blame In that terrible
business, 1t was myself. was too
harsh, but thought was carrying
out my dead sisters wish-that was
all Everything looks different in
the presence Of death and yet | do
not see how could have acted
otherwise win you 90 at once,
Lean =
"Do you really believe that he is
DYING she asked,
Eyes" replied the general; II sec
no reason for doubling what Hottie
says. ! do not thlnh he would ask
10 see you, Leah II he had any
chance OF life"
"rhen we must 80 at once" she
said. But was there every anything
so strange, uncle? IT looks to me
moro than n coincidence that they
should have lived nj Southwood and
wa at Denc Abbey, 80 near them,
yet never once have met, Is 1t fate
or Providence"
"provldonco, replied the brave
soldier. 81 do not believe in fate, |
remember when we were at Demo,
hearing the duke speak OF some worn
out old ponllcian who lived at South.
wood. need hardly say that | never
for one moment dreamed that II was
Martin Ray"
Leah shranR back with shuddcr
at tho sound Of tho name.
'Do not think me unlcoling,
uncle" she said hut | suffered SO
terribly In my early life that | can
not bear even to recall II, And to
think that have been so near
Hottie and never knew it,"
Sir Arthur took out his watch aud
looked at It,
I'VE can catch the midday cX-
press" he said, III we lose no time
but Leah seemed hardly conscious
of his words.
"tInec," she said there was u
time when Hottie and | had but one
heart and one life between U.S. How
strange that we were SO near, with
only the great groom hin dividing us!
wonder what Hettie is like"
"She was a very sweet girl" said
the general. Il wish she had chosen
to come with us, but admired then,
rs do now, the faithful, tender
heart We must not lose time,
Leah" he added,
Hut there was something in his
nlece's face that made him stop and
draw her closer to him, that made
him Kiss her again and again, while
he said
"You are the child Of my heart,
Leah: and you, who camc with mo,
are the one shall always love bost
In this world, Go now to your room
To dress, and | will get ready ut once.
stay we must think Of BASIL Write
a note to hinl--oEo of the grooms
shall take IL overland tell him that
wo have been sent for quite suddenly
to the siclrbed of a relative lut that
we expect to return In day or two
NO not say whore we are going.
will tell him tho whole story ON my
return. intended to tell him II
tho course of n few days; II is tim'
he knew, How surprised he vii
be-"
So they parted; but, for the frs
time since he had adopted Leah
there was In the generals mind
slight sense of disappontment-h'
could hardly tell why or whorofor
He would have felt happier had sh'
shown moro pity, more affection 70
Martin Ray. more anxiety to be Wit
him; and yet II was by his wish tina
she had left him. And In Leah
heart there was something like
feeling Of resentment or jealous,
1t seemed To her that he admire
Hettie for staying with her fathe
quite as much MS he had admired he