Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-03-10

that IT gave her a pang to think that

that II gave her a pang to think that
the life must soon fade out OF 1t. The
girl upon the couch was finely formed
and rather long Of limb; heavy masses
OF hair fell here and there about the
pillow; wide blue eyes, with no o n
seriousness in their gaze, looked into
hers. They were appealing eyes
seeming to ask of life some better fate
or ending than this.
Has she been i'll long?" asked the
woman, abruptly.
"A long time-or so 1t seems" said
the old man. Think; If she had only
lived & little longer-only a little long
er-think what it would have meant!
Dreams Or me all the day and ell the
night-no one to stop memo n to
refuse me because | had no money.
She was to have been rich"
1T looks like it," said the woman,
with a little laugh. "You could dream
anything, old man, | should think"
This was no dream!" he exclaimed
eagerly. 'It's too late now; but 1t
would have happened. See here
he went across the room, reached up
to a shelf above the couch, and took
down an old leather wallet-"it's all
here; every word Of it. Over in that
England | shall never see again is a
great place waiting for her; it was
her mothers. Only now, when it is
too late. they are asking for her-ad-
vertising for her. Look; here it isl"
He pointed with one shaking hand
to an old, discolored newspaper sheet
he had pulled out of the wallet. Look
ing it idly enough, the m read
what was printed:
ESQ Reward-Yarwood-This re-
ward will be paid to any one giving
information as to the whereabouts of
a young lady of this name. Supposed
to have been born abroad about twen-
ty-onee years ago, and to have been
given the name of Grace. Is believed
to have travelled with her father in
many parts of the world; last heard of
in America. Address, Messrs. Stock
& Erling, Solicitors, Chancery Lane,
London"
SIS that the girl?" asked the wom-
an, nodding her head towards the
couch and speaking with some inter
est.
"Yes-my daughter" said the old
man. Here's a letter." he added,
pulling a sheet of paper out of the
wallet and holding it up. Followed
me for nearly a year; only came to me
by accident. Someone dead forget
who it is; my memory is not what it
was-and she was to have had every
~thing-every penny. Too late
too late!"
"But you-her father-can claim
it?" suggested the woman
Motley won't look at me. 1t was
for the girl-and only the girl. They
said l dragged her mother Town and
ruined her; they want the girl for the
mothers sake. Too late-always too
late with mel"
She took the paper from his nerve
less fingers and read what was writ
ten. 1t was stiff and formal enough;
simply stated that the writer's, as So
iicitors to the late John Hawley, of
Hawley Park, in the county of Surrey,
had at last succeeded, In accordance
with the instructions of their deceased
client, in discovering an address; that
they were writing to inform Mr.. David
Yarwood that the property Of the late
John Hawley was left, under certain
conditions, to his granddaughter, II
alive; if not claimed within a certain
time by her it would pass to others,
her death being p~resupposed.
She'll die-and never know It
never know that she might have given
her poor old father back his dreams
again. Hard-very hard! It's all
here"-he tapped the wallet as he
spoke-''all the papers that show it's
true. Ole letters-documents-all so
much waste paper now. And she'd
have wanted the papers, too, to show
them who she was; they've never
seen her; never set eyes on her, any
of them"
England! The dear England Of my
mother! / al see the shady lanes
the flowers and trees-the white cot
tages. My mothers England"
The cry had come from the couch; |
1t had died away again In q mere
murmur of incoherent words. The
woman was lingering the wallet and
looking idly from the figure on the
couch to the other figure by the table.
There came a quick thud of horses
hoofs outside; she sprang for the door.
The old man made q movement after
her.
They've come to fetch her; they've
come. with their hands full of gold. to |
buy me what I want and take her
back again. They're at the door!" he
gasped.
"Stay where you are: it's some one
for me-" she said. and went out to
face the man who was impatiently
calling to her
why must you keep me waiting at
such q moment as this?" he gasped.
Before heaven, l ran almost into the
middle of 'em; the party has split up,
somehow, and a dozen of them are
down there. in the one saloon, asking
questions. We must go; there's not q
moment to lose."
Then we won't go together" said