Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-07-09

"Aoh1h l'i uhg bhiiBt bul 4 hih hOlg tA-
cept indeed to know whether he was yet
the husband Of Ada Montrose At last
| ne made some remark about the country
/ through which we were passing, and
replied that 81 believed It was not the
first time he had been over that road, as,
! If l mistook not, | saw him in the cars
with his wife the year before"
The wrinkle in his forehead grew deep
err, and his face flushed as he said,
quickly 81 do not remember of meeting
you before, though ] was here last fall
but not with my wife, for l have none.
1t was my ward, Miss Montrose."
Nothing could have given me more sat
isfaction than this announcement, for if
Ada were his ward, it explained, in a
measure, his attentions to her; and as
cast stolen glances at him, | felt more
and more convinced that there could be
no affinity between him and the naughty
imperious girl to whom he was guardian
1t seemed to me a very short time ere be
arose, and Offering me his hand, said
he must go, adding, "We shall undoubt-
eddy meet again, as / occasionally travel
this way"
1t was nearly noon of the next day
when / reached Sunny Bank, where
found my father at the depot, waiting to
receive me. found them all busted with
the preparations for Juliet's wedding
which took place within a week after
my return, l officiating as bridesmaid
After Juliet had left us for her Lew
home, in an adjoining town, there ensued
at our house n season of lonely quiet, in
which we scarcely knew whether to
laugh or to cry. There Is always some
thing sad in the giving up of daugh-
ter to the care of another, and so my
parents found 1t, particularly my faith
er, who, broken in spirit and feeble in
health, was unusually cast down.
During my journey back to Rockland
did not again meet with the stranger,
although l looked for him at every sta
ton. | had expected Herbert to meet
me, but he was not there. | was just
wondering what / should do in case be
failed to come, when my attention was
attracted toward a tall, athletic looking
young man who was inspecting my trunk,
which stood upon the platform. He fixed
upon me pair of singularly handsome
hazel eyes, while at the same time there
swept over me strange, underlined feel
ing as if somewhere. In a dream, per-
chance, | had met that glance before.
Are you Miss LeeY he asked, and
the tones of his voice thrilled me like
an echo of the past.
/ replied in the affirmative; and with
ont once taking his eyes from my face,
he said, Il am Henry Watson, Mr..
Langley's hired man. He sent me for
YOU and the wagon is at the other door"
Mechanically | followed him to the
place designated, and then, as if had
been a feather, he took me in his arms
and placed me in the wide chair, wrap
ping the buffalo robes around me. He
did not seem to me like hirellng, for his
| language was good, his manners gentle
| manly, and ere we were half way to
Breeze Hill l was very much progresses
| ed in his favor. He was quite laxative,
| asking me of my parents, of my brothers,
and appearing much gratified when l
told him how well Charlie was doing as
clerk in dry goods store in Worcester.
And Mr.. Langley is only your cousin
| by marriage" he said at last. Have
| you any other male cousins?' he asked.
II had boy cousin once" l said, but
he is probably dead, for we have not
heard from him in six Long years"
Forgetful that Mr.. Watson was to me
an entire stranger, l very briefly told
him the story of Cousin VIII, who re-
turned not with the vessel which bore
him away, and who had deserted the ship
at Calcutta. For many days they search
ed for him in vain, and at last left him
alone in that far-off land, where he had
probably met an early DEATH
He was Wild" l explained, ~but
liked him very, very much, and cried my
self sick when he went away"
Again the strangers eyes fell upon me
with a look | could not fathom We
turned into the long, shady avenue which
led up to the house. A wondrous change
had been wrought in my absence; for
everything around the building wore an
air of neatness and thrift which betok-
ened that there was now a head to man
age and direct. Herbert, too, was per.
fectly sober, while Annals face was far
happier than when | last saw her. The
cause of this she explained to me the
first moment we were alone Herbert
had signed the pledge! Had become q
sober man, and all through the exertions
of Mr.. Watson, whom she pronounced
an angel in disguise. And, truly, his in
huence over Herbert was wonderful; for
never did an anxious mother watch ever
her sickly child more carefully than Mr.
Watson watched over his employer
shielding him from temptation, and gent
ly leading him in the path of rectitude
Early in April, we received invitations
to attend wedding party at the hous,
of Judge Perkins, whose broad acre,
and heavy purse of gold had purchased
for him a fair young girl just his edes
daughters age. 1t was to be a splendit
affair, and, as matter of course, | forth
with commenced looking over my ward
robe, and declaring had nothing t,
wear. Anna, on the contrary did no
seem at all interested, and when | Ques
toned her for her Indifference, she re
piled, "What if they have wine, an,
Herbert should drink"
"They wouldn't have wine," told her
for Judge Perkins was a stanch temper
ance man, and it was not probable tina
he would do anything so mconsisten
( with his profession.
= All, would it had been so, Would tina
the sparkling champagne, the ruby win,
. and the foaming ale had not graced tina
marriage feast, for then, perchance, ON
grave ut least would not have been mad
I