Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-05-02

door OF the shack. she had never given
expression TO such parental rebellion
before. and she half shuddevcd ut it.
by way OF apology. she added in an
uEGertone:
Poor father. He suffers. too. He
has been disappointed and il is making
him old. Why did that man want 10
come here"
She looked bitterly across The dead
line" Henry EGerton had juat emerged
from his shack and stood. with hands
shading his eyes; watching her. Nearby
she could see his gun leaning against
the side of the shack;
He must he bad. or he would Offer
TO compromise" Dorothy continued.
HE is young and able and father
is old and feeble. He might move on
and
She suddenly dropped her voice to
an indistinct murmur. for an apparition
appeared in the doorway of the shack
which made her excited. She shaded
her eyes and looked more keenly. 1t
was Il small. toddling child. scarcely
two summers old. holding uncertainty
To the side of the doorway. and cooling
at the big bail of fire slowly diSap-
pearing below the horizon. The man
raised his hands and the child ran
to him and jumped into his arms.
lie is married. then. and has Il fam
lily" Dorothy breathed. Maybe !
have misiudgcd him. Has the child a
mother. or--"
Again her sentence died ont in an
indistinct murmur but the sun had SO:
and twilight was rapidly spreading
over the landscane. Dorothy saw an
other form. bent of figure ard white of
hair. walking across the field. and
after wavin. hand of welcome 10 him
she turned 10 her work inside.
There was seldom any mention of
their neighbors affairs between father
and daughter. and tonight Dorothy
merely told of the presence of the baby
on the opposite side of the dead line"
and then subsidized. Jared Wellington
raised his shaggy eyebrows and
grunted:
Then hos married? He'll bring his
wife next. l suppose. Maybe he has
heard that the courts
4 horrible suspicion entered the
minds of both Had the courts decided
respecting their claims. and had Henry
Egerton heard that he was the sole and
legal possessor OF the quarter section:
rt-lax lsn1 Ia. larnt1nhf hiS
family out to his lonely home when he
had lived without them for three
months?
Jared Wellington felt the heavy on
preston of disappointment. and his
white head dropped lower and lower as
the evening advanced. Dorothy tried
TO cheer him. but i'll vain. Finally she
decided TO present the after clearly
to her aged parent end show HIM
shat all would nc I be los. even if the
courts decided against them.
what of If. father she said. cheer
fully. I'VE can go back Eas. and live.
can work ard support you. ] Will
enjoy life more than ont here. | can't
stand this much longer. | must have
companions and EeighhOrS.
NO. no. Dorothy. ii can never ho." he
murmured. shall never live TO sec
the East again. II ii is true that-that
he owns it''-poiEting dramatically
toward his cnemy's shacl-"it will XII
mo- l cannot survive il"
The tears blinded tho blue eyes Of
- -. n
hide them. 1T may not he. father"
she murmuTcd IN Il thick voice.
But whether true or not. Jared Wei
lington took 80 his hcd. and on the NOR
row no was Unable to raise his head
from the pillow. Dorothy nurscl him
with all ;he skill she possessed. but he
needed more than she could give.
Slumbcring fitfuily. the patient wouli
awaken occasionally. and murmur il
distinct sentences. The fever of age
and anxiety he'd unsettled his mind.
and he raved like Il child of ten.
Dorothy turned away in despair.
impending death in the dreary shack
made even her stout heart quail. II
was ten miles 10 the nearest physician.
but il was necessary 10 90. Would the
feeble paiiei awaken. and finding
him sell deserted. commit some wild
act:
She held the door half open. dchat-
ing whether TO 20 or stay. when sud
denly Il slight pressure from without
made her turn hastily. There. ali::os;
.,,t.asI1n Of t...1 ,.Infl j.
ing. surmountcd by Il shock of light
brown hair. The pair of innocent eyes
looking MP NJ her suddenly CLEANED
with Il newborn happiness.
"Muzzer. MuZzer. Use fourd you
ut last. Where's you been so long:
Baby's been cryin' an cryin' fur you.
Hug baby. an tell him you'll ncbber.
nebber leave him again"
4 pair of warm arms We're raised he
scechingly upward. Dorothy picked
the little child up in her arms and
Rugged and kissed IT, The longing in
her heart for some enc 10 love and
speak to was almost too much. and she
broke into n violent Sobhing The child
cuddled close to her ana said softly:
Don't cry. muzZer. fur won't leave
you ag'ia Use soin' to stay forebber
an cbber with YOU"
The hands. chubby and warm. stroi.ed
the hair of the weeping woman. Dor
othy raised her eyes 10 look NJ the little
face pressed 10 hers. ana then she
started. \ dozen feet away stood Henry
Egerton. an expression OF confusion