The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-12-30

open her door. A small figure huddled
against it fell in toward her.
"Oh, please, I'm so frightened all
alone! May l come IMP
You surely may" said Anna as she
drew the shivering, weeping child into
the room.
She recognized her now. 1t was the
serious faced little girl who had room
two doors beyond. She had often seen
her on the sand and on the porch with
her nurse. II did not take Anna yery
long to learn that the child was moth
erless, in the care of young and heed
less aunt and an ignorant nursegirl.
The former was absorbed in the social
affairs Mt the inn and the latter in the
gatherings in the servants hall. Little
Grace had been left quite alone i'm her
room, and u strong draft had blown
out the lamp, SO that between the dark
ness and an ugly dream she had wax
ened up in terror.
That was the beginning of q new hol-
fday for Anna Whelan. The nurse and
young aunt had little to do from that
time on save to provide for Grace's
physical wants. Anna was her constant
companion. She seemed determined TO
give this shy ten-year-old girl all the
companionship, the sympathy, the sim
pie, unaffected pleasures which had
been denied her own childhood She
did not dream that in the moments
when they were not together Grace in
her stif, uniformed writing was send
ing q daily chronicle 30 their compan-
ions5i0 to he. father Nor could she
know OF the resentment which filed his
soul against the well paid and needless
caretakers of his child and the curiosi-
ty regarding the girl with the gray hair
and pink cheeks who was mothering
his wee BARN, for Grace assured him
in every way that Miss Whelan was
quite rs young as Aunt Hattie. .
When lie finally came down to spend
a Sunday with his daughter his first
step was to meet Anna. lie smiled
as his daughter gravcly introduced her
as "my friend, Miss NVhelan." They
were such an absurdly different couple
and yet so very much alike in interests
and pleasures. lie found lis gaze
travelling constantly over the brown
head OF his daughter to tie gray head
Of his new found friend, and lie began
to understand the letters better.
On Monday morning he did not 60
back TO town, but told his sister Hat
tie that he had only just commenced
to realize how the Office had worn him
down. He needed weeks rest
Three nights later he was sitting in
sheltered corner Of the veranda with
Miss Whelan when two members of
the elderly porch brigade strolled slow
iy by, talking in high keyed voice
which came squarely to their secluded
corner.
You wouldn't lave given her credit
FOR being SO clever. She probably
knew the child's father was worth a
million"
No; l understand he is not worth
anything or the sort. He is only q
corporation lawyer, and / think she
liked Grace for her own sake"
The two women passed out OF hear
ing. The pink had fed from Annals
face, leaving it tired and white. She
rose mstcadily, but the man took her
firmly by the arm and drew her bacl,
to her chair
Don't go. please. l know you care
for Grace for her own sake Do you
think you could care for me for mine i?
l wanted TO ask you thij the first
night"
lnstinctively Annals hand reached
up to her hair.
"Oh, l couldn't! I've known you
such short tme-people would talk
-and-I'm really too old to have a
love affair"
She did not speak bitterly, just sim
ply, as if Il thought long unspoken
had found utterancc. The man took
both of her hands In his.
My dear girl, love never grows old,
and neither will you"