The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-04-30

position c. the two. suddenly raised
her eyes from the shock of brown hair
and said quickly:
Leave the child with me q short
time. She is happy, and Lined
some one"
There was break in her voice. but
she continued with more self control
"But | must go away for a doctor.
Father is very sick and he needs help
and medicine"
Henry Egerton had been thinking OF
the picture the two made framed in the
doorway, and he started at the men.
tion of her father. Then, apparently
without thinking. he said: 'I'll so fol
the doctor If you'll keep Virginia until
| return. III be back soon"
He strobe away rapidly without
glancing again at the picture, which
somehow had strangely affected him,
and within ten minutes lie was riding
liercely toward Oklahoma City. Dur.
ing the ten miles he hardly saw an
object on the landscape. and when he
returned in company with the physt
clan he was quiet and taciturn.
Virginia and Dorothy were not in
the doorway TO greet him OH his return.
but unmindful of the feud between the
two families he strobe into the small
shack behind the physician. Then,
while that individual examined his pa
tient he waited patiently at the foot
of the rude bed, furtlvely watching
two faces which seemed inscparably
associated together.
Jared Wellington was n long time
in bed and the fever wasted him tC
skeleton. Nature had robbed him
of the power and strength TO protect his
shack from the approach of the enemy.
But before his complete recovery the
dead line' had been obliterhted. The
little footsteps of Virginia had worn
smooth path across it from shack to
shack. and often Henry Egerton fol-
lowed after his tiny niece "to 20 and
see muzzer." Somehow there was as
much attraction for him as for the
innocent child, who had found In
it's bereavement another who had
quickly healed the wound.
Then one day Henry Egerton walked
to the old shack with lines drawn
tighter around his mouth, and with
eyes hardened to bear Il new burden.
The decision of the courts in their re.
spective claims had been handed down.
The ownership of the valuable quarter
section was decided forever. Beyond
the hearing of the convalescent man,
who sat in the sun of the doorway,
Egerton told the news to Dorothy.
Under the blunt announcement she
paled and flushed by turns. Then pity
for the drawn face before her made her
eXclaim:
"Oh, I'm sorry for you, Mr. Egerton.
l think you should own half
mo. it was all or none. Now the
courts have decided it all belongs to
your father. I'm an interloper. and
must leave at once. You have tho
right to order me off before night"
But l won't do it, Mr.. Egerton.'
Dorothy replied, with n bright smile,
.'You can stay as long as you like
NO man COulu 10 tnut uiiitsS hc
hesitated-"unless you could let me
work the place for you. l could stay
as your hired man until your father
was well again; but l won't. ! would
stay at your bidding-if-if-you would
always be Virginia's mother
Dorothy held forth trembling hand
He seized it and covered it with kisses
hastily interpreting the action as a
plea to stay, and Dorothy did not have
the courage to break his Illusion. Then
from the shadow of the shack a small
figure toddled forth and baby's voice
exclaimed: "MuzZer, make Uncr
Hen'y stay an play bear with me. ]
wants him."
Dorothy, with n happy smile and
cleaning eyes, licked the child up III
her arms and replied between her
caresses: "He will stay. Virginia. ana
he shall play bear with you all the
morning."-N York Times.