The Cook County herald., 1904-01-09

Etenderly taouxht youf NH s
No, cannot sleep cannot even
die till my boy comes Is it not time
for him to be here? Iss.5
The vessels arrival has been tele-
graphed, papa, and Travis may be here
at any moment. Try and be patient: Z
NY darling own little Avlce!
I must place you in your brother care
until he may transfer his trust to an
other, who will guard 1t yet more sa.
credly. Do not blush, my child, but
promise me to fulfill your childish
pledge to Milton Lennox, should he
claim it, Nay, more, would rather
these years of waiting were dispensed
with, and that you should at once be-
come his wife. You are too beautiful
to be exposed to the world without q
fathers or mothers shielding love.
Your heart will be safe in this mans
keeping, and fear not but that his
true, nobility of character will soon
win your. confidence and respect.
Promise me. Avice, that you will be-
come his wife without delay"
''Oh, papa, do not force me Upon
him! For myself, I care not! If God
takes you from me there is nothing left
to live for; but do not thrust me into
the arms of man who perhaps opens
them unwillingly to receive me. Do
not forget I have your blood in my
veins, papa, which could not turn sup
plant for forced affection"
What was there in her words which
made the sick mans face blanch 10 an
awful pallor as he turned away from
her clear, searching gaze?
Travis! Travis! Why does he not
come? I must see him-must arrange
this matter! No, darling-no!" recov.
ering himself. 'You are right, but YOU
do Milton Lennox wrong. He will love
you, he will seek you. Promise me it
shall not be in vain!" :.
Papa, PROMISE" the girl answered,
solemnly, falling on her knees by the
bed, while the thin, wasted hands rest
ed on the sunny hair in silent blessing.
1t was this picture which met the
gaze of the young man who impetu'
ously burst open the door Of the room
where his father lay dying.
"Father!"
'"Trayis!" burst simultaneously from
both lips, as the young man sprang
forward, and with a deep "Thank
God!" bent tenderly over the dying
man.
Ten years seemed to have passed
over that young head since the night
On which his eyes had rested on Bar
bara Bretton's pictured face.
The ten days of his voyage had to
him no measurement by hours, shut
up as he was in the cabin, one moment
overpastered by love for woman who
so cruelty had deceived him, the next
outraged and hopeless by the pangs Of
memory, while now and again his
fathers white dead face would doat be-
fore his senses, a look of reproach id
the sightless eyes, until madness
would threaten him.
But this last agony had been spared
him. His father lived, though ono
glance into the worn and suffering
face convinced him that life was ebb-
ing fast, that death had only so long
been kept at bay by the fevered hope
of his coming.
The kneeling figure he had sur.
prised, now kneeling beside him, had
been forgotten in that first moment of
mingled pain and happiness, until a
low cry of "Brother!" burst from her
lips, and in another moment the Sob
bing girl was clasped close to his heart.
Yet, as he held her there, pang
shot through him. What was there in
this fresh young loveliness to recall
the fatal beauty of the woman whose
head so lately had been pillowed
there? Was her image hereafter to
haunt him until he fancied her eyes.
her features even, in those of the little
sister who had been his plaything in
all these years?
"Travis, must speak with you alone
at once. There is not time to lose.
Thank God, you have come. You might
have been-toO-late-"
f-o o.