The Washington times., 1903-01-25

/ brought you to me, was the answer,
/ very quietly given.
/ Although the Bishop of OkIaho had
( been in a measure prepared for this
( ever since that close scrutiny Of the
/ lads features on the ferryboat. yet
now that the fact was announced
/ by Helen it came upon him with al
most as great shock as if he had
not been telling himself since that
moment that it must be so. He
( groaned inwardly.
He is very like you IN some ways"
went on the voman's calm tones.
/ and 1 have trained him to be manly
and noble. AS your acknowledged
/ son, even. he never would shame you
! by want of breeding I think"
4 am sure Of that, Helen" said
/ the bishop. looking at her, and then
! the two sat for some moments in
/ silence which the woman was the
/ first to break.
Perhaps you are wondering. Err
nest, why have sent for you. There
} were two reasons for i.-One affecting
you. the other myself 7 feared after
/ this mornings recognition that YOU
might imagine I should urge claims
/ against you IN the future. might
make myself your enemy, in fact. I
wanted you to know that nothing
was farther from my Intention. that
/ I had no desire to exercise a disturb
! ing influence in your life. I might
/ have written all this. it is true, but
/ because I am a woman, Ionged to
/ speak with you once more. / wished
that my boy should speak with you,
too, although he viii never know that
You are his father. and there was
just the shade Of qulvering in the
/ voice of the speaker here
The bishop. who was feeling very
little like q, bishop at this moment.
bent his head lower and lower, as
! ne listened. Had Helen. then. no
least word Of reproach for mis- de-
/ sertion Of her? Her implied forgive
ness vas more bitter than any ac-
/ cusation she could have made. and
! cut more deeply into his soul
Then. too, there was another rea-
son" she resumed. her tones quite
/ firm now Il wanted to say to you,
+ in case you had ever felt as If you
/ had caused my ruin. that it was a
( mistaken fear. and that you need
not be troubled by any remorse. I
/ preferred to say this rather than
write to you, lest by any chance the
! letter should fall under eEes 26ther
than yours. Soon after you saw me
I last we moved from Boston, and
/ later my father had It reported that
II was dead. Then In Toronto we
/ began a new life I took my mothers
name Of Eccleston, and passed for
n young widow who had returned
+ TO her fathers home. Then my boy
was born, and on my fathers death.
/ two or three years later. nv son and
/ 7 came here, where we have since
/ lived very happily. and. I have rea-
son to believe, respected by our
neighbours
| The bishop had raised his head by
this time.
/ Helen" he cried. when she had
finished, Il proved my-elf all IN
worthy Of you IL those far-on days.
am unworthy CT you still. but such
as am"-and here he thought of his
/ episcopal honors half with pride and
half with shame-"sIich as I am. viii
/ you not take me and let the rest of
my life be spent IT, atoning, so far as
iatonement is possible. for the wrong
! of the past?''
She shook her head sadly
DO you know what you ask" she
queried DO you know, do you real
ize at all what such step involves %
Not the faintest shadow need touch
you, Helen" he answered, IF this is
what you fear Your past and mine
need never be questioned. We might
write to each other for time. and
then, after a few months, have a quiet
wedding. after which I will take you
and the boy to my home"
But I am not thinking Of myself
she exclaimed at is of you" and IS
she spoke the lad passed before the
open window Ernest" she resumed,
when the boy had gone from hearing,
+ don't you see how nearly ne resem-
bies you? Would 1t that single fact
raise a scandal a once if you were
seen to visit ne here often? It would
follow you TO Oklaho as well The
truth would be surmised very soon,
and then it might be said that I had
hunted you out and forced you to
marry me. And what would your
clergy say Of you, or to you? And
how could you place matters in way
to satisfy them? Ernest. I would die
sooner than bring this disgrace upon
YOU"
Yes, the Bishop Of OkIaho saw it all
now. Tina young face. so like his
own. would tell the truth, and even
more than the attn, TO all the world
! if he were Eov. % marry Helen. And
Yet his old love for her lad returned
as he sat there No, not that. It was