Morris tribune., 1904-04-30
'It was about-me-wasn't it?"

Suddenly she found ner voice. ID,
not misunderstood me-" she said rapid
ly. 81 have done the little that / hav,
done out of gratitude" She faced hin
now, but without meeting his eyes. %.
owed you more gratitude than q WON
an ever owed man before, | think
and l would have died to paw q par
of it."
what gratitude did you owe me?"
"What gratitude? For what you die
for my father"
81 have never seen your father in my
life"
Listen. My father is a gentle old
man with white hair and kind eyes
My name is my uncle's. He and my
aunt have been good to me as a father
and mother since l was seven years
old, and they gave me their name by
law, and l lived with them. MY IA
Their came to see me once year: new
'er came to see him. He always told me
everything was we'll with him, that his
life was happy, and l thought it was
easier for him not having me to take
care of, he has been so poor ever since
l was a child. Once he lost the little
he had left to him in the world, his
only way of making his living. He had
no friends; he was hungry and desper-
ate, and he wandered. | was dancing
and going about wearing jewels-only
did not know. All the time the brave
h0a rt LOTT r Ia
have known. for there was one who
did and who saved him. When at last
l came to see my father he told me-he
had written Of his idol before, but it
was not till l came that he told it all
to me. Do you know what I felt?
While his daughter was dancing CO.
tillons a stranger hadztaken his hand
and-and''- A sob rose in her throat
and checked her utterance for a mo-
ment, but she threw up her head proud
ly. "Gratitude, Mr.. Harklessw she
cried. 81 am James Fisbee's daugh-
terri
He fell back from the bench with a
sharp exclamation and stared at her
through the gray twilight She went
on hurriedly, still not looking at him.
81 wanted to do something to show you
that l could be ashamed Of my vile
neglect Of him-something to show you
his daughter could be grateful-and it
has been such dear, happy work, the
little I have done, that it seems, after
all, that have done it for love of my
self. 1t is what had always wanted
to do-to earn a living for myself, to
live with my father. When came
here. nv aunt and uncle were terribly
afraid l would stay with him. 1t was
TO prevent this that they determined to
go abroad, and my father said must
90 back to them. Then you were
were hurt, and he needed me so much
be let me stay. When you-when
vou told me"-sne broke off with a
strange, futtering, half inarticulate lit
lie laugh that was half tears and then
esumed in another tOne-'when you
old me you cared that night-that
hight of the storm-how could be
ure? 1t had been only two days, you
Zee. and even if could have been sure
# myself-why, 1 couldn't have told |
'ou. Oh, l had so brazenly thrown my
elf at your head time and again those
wo days in my-my worship Of your
GOODNESS to my father and my excite
nent in recognizing in his friend the.
zero of my girlhood that you had ev- !
ry right to think l cared; but if-but
{ 1 had-if l had-loved you with my
Whole soul could not have-why. no
voman could have-I mean the sort of /
irl l am-couldn't have admitted it
must have denied it. Do you think that
hen could have answered Yes even
had wanted to-even if l had been
ure of myself? And now Her
'oice sank again to whisper. "And
low"-
sand now?" he said TREMENDOUSLY. She
ave hurried glance from right to left
nd from left to right. like one in ter
or seeking a way of escape; she gath
red her skirts in her hand as if to run
nto the garden but suddenly she turn /
and ran to him. She threw her arms
bout his neck and kissed him on the /
orehead.
When they heard the judge calling
rom the orchard they went back
trough the garden toward the house.
was dark. The whitest asters were
ut gray splotches. There was no one
/ the orchard. Briscoe had gone in
OOrS.
'Did you know you are to drive me
ITO town in the phaeton for the fire.
,orks?" she asked.
"Fireworks?"
eyes. The great Harkless has come
ONE" Even in the darkness he could
ee the look the vision had given him
hen the barouche turned into the
4uare She smiled upon him and
hid, "All afternoon l was wishing
ould have been your mother"
He clasped her hand more tightly.
This wonderful worldv' he cried
Yesterday l had dOctor-a doctor to
Ire me of lovesicknessv'
After time they had proceeded
tile nearer the house. I'VE must
urry." she said. 81 am sure they have