The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-12-30
Written fort Bannerl
THE GIRLS CHRISTMAS GIFT.
BY BEATRICE MAREAN.


see you III his private ofice,'' an
Office boy informed the confidential
clerk the next day after his return
from the mines at Pineville.
Mr.. Leslie's heart gave an appre-
hensive throb. Were they going to
discharge him to make room for a
younger man? What would become
of his motherless girls then?
A faint atmosphere Of violets fell
on his senses as he opened the door
Of Mr.. Hoods elegantly appointed
Office, and he saw a richly attired
lady sitting with her back toward
the door.
Gone in, Mr.. Leslie" called Mr..
Hood from within, Mrs. Cameron
wishes you to give her a detailed &C
count of how you found the business
! al the mines"
mrs. Cameron had risen with the
! lawyers words and stood facing the
LAWYERS desk. Then a strange palor
suddenly overspread her fair face,
which made the old lawyer fling
open the window and hasten to his
clients assistance.
1T is nothing" she said, smiling
family as she gained her self-con-
troll. .-only a sudden faintness. 1t
has passed now, thank you" But
the hand that passed the glass of
wine he had given her back to Mr..
Hood shook peIceptibly.
Il am ready to hear your account
! of the mines, Mr.. Leslie" she said,
resuming her lady-like composure as
she seated herself and Mr.. Hood,
/ looking from the pale face of his
wealthy client into the equally pale
! face of his confidential clerk, mar
Z veIed vaguely.
: That night the girls had gone with
Vincent to a Christmas eve enter
tainment. and SIR. Leslie sat alone
in his little study at the cottage.
The package of old letters was un-
. tied and its contents lay spread out
, on the desk before him, while he sat
with bis elbows resting upon the
desk. his head supported between
his hands and his eyes fixed on a
pictured face that looked up at him
from an old-fashioned miniature case.
A carriage stopped in front of the
cottage. There was the sound of a
clinking latch and dosing gate;
swift. light footsteps crossed the tiny
porch, lying peacefully serene be-
meath the bright wealth of moon
J light creeping in through a tangled
network of vines; then a timid ring
Of the door bell started the lonely
watcher from his reverie.
When the door was thrown open 1t
revealed a ladv's familiar form, and
faint odor of sweet blossoms which
carried MIR. Leslie back to his youth
full days, came floating in on the still
night air.
Before he could find his voice to
speak the caller had entered and
stood before him in the tiny hall I'M
der the Pickering light of the lamp
hanging above their heads.
The woman was the first to speak.
Henry" she said, pride played
sad havoc with my happiness once,
but, as far as 1 am concerned, it
shall not do so again. knew that
YOU were here alone, and that is why
/ came to you. 1 did not know that
YOU lived here when came to this
town. Indeed, I feared that you
were not in the land of the living.
Today 1 learned all about you from
my lawyers, and heard how you have
suffered, and have manfully battled
against misfortune and adversely that
would have appalled, the heart of a
less courageous man and driven him
to the drunkard's bowl or the sui
cide's grave.
81 am a childless widow, i'm
mensely wealthy, as this world