Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-02

had TO do and made the most of her tact
full way In asking Pete Higgs to let her
adopt Hester Blair.
For, plain TO LONELINESS she undeniab!y
was, even Miss Mays!e had had dream
that did not come true, In the years agone.
and It's sweetness linked her to Hester. A
wlnsome, elhsh little creature, every prank
recalled that other time. and love OF her
filed every niche of her heart. And now
that the death of her aunt, who was Petes
wife within a year after being orphaned,
had left her at Pete's mercy, an impelling
sense of duty urged her to make her her
own.
mo, ma'aU." Pete declared, and. as
though to give his denial every whit Of the
weight he could throw into it. he drew in
his lips and brought the end of his nose al
most in touch with the point of lis chin
with a jerky nod. NO, man." he re
peated I'm under promuss to them's that
dead an gone to take kear o that chl, an
she'll not leave my house to I've with no.
body
But she needs a woman's care and III
be a mother to her she insisted
My promuss is my promuss, to dead or
Twin, an I'd scorn to give up dyin'
charge" Pete solemnly affirmed.
I'll relieve you of all the bother and ex-
pleaded.
mo. ma'am, | can't do it-not as things
now stands" said Pete. For whilst you
an my sainted Mollie was all In all to one
mother, an you an Frank Blair was sorter
sweethearts like In times gone by. them
Biairs was mighty heightened folks, an
being as you was brung up in show, l
don't know as 'twould be for Testers best
interusts for you to take her. But meow
there is a way ne hesitatingly remark
ed and paused as If for her to think 1t out.
Miss Maysie caught her breath, equally
offended at his taunt and hurt with ms
nippant mention Of the secret that she had
believed was hers alone, then the words
came rolling OFF her tongue.
THE Blairs were nice people. but they
wern't too highfau,in to be friends to me,
and you know it, too, Pete Higgs. When
my father died here in Oakdale FRANK
saved me from being swindled out OF my
property. and l mean to pay the Kindness
back to his child now If l have per-
formed in a circus, I'm not the woman to
forget a favor. I'd like you to know.
That's SO, as I'm well KNOWN to, Pete
conciliatingly assented. II wasn't 'tendin'
to hurt your feelings. No. ma'am, not t
all was Just amin to- we'll now-er-er-
If you to change your name for-el-
er-I was amin to lead up toto sorteT
dress you on the pint o matrlmony ne
stammered. hitching his chair nealer hers.
His not replying in kind was so unlike
the irritable Pete of her knowledge that
Miss Maysle felt a foreboding of something
beyond the ordinary from the first. Win
each word her wonder grew. and by the
time he concluded she threw out her hands
and stared stupidity at him, dLSmiyeu AT Niie
thought of taking his name
Huh" mumbled Pete, nettled at her
manner. but ne was mindful that If she
was averse to him she loved Hester the
more. II could keep my promuss then an
Won could have Hester, too, ne PEI sua-
sively added An bein' as she can't I'VE
with both of US less we do the way to SET SET
hearts an hands in matrimOny.'
Il want Hester. but l won't do as you
saw" returned Miss Maysie with more
..yo'I will If YOU git her" Pete snap
pishly rPjoned and. jerking himseIt out OF
the chair, he stood grimly erect anu io Iti
ing over his shoulder, threw pack ms W.
matum IAN that's the long an snort
She was disappointed and vexed, and
did not doubt that If he went away angry
with her II would be of piece with ms
piy-headedness not to allow Hester 10 WISH
her again. and she impulsively stepped De-
tween him and the open door. .x,.
ooh don't say that she begged lou
ask somebody else to marry you and let
me have Hester. You'll do that. won't
your" .o,,,. on
couragement You walt and sense on,
this thing I'll be back, say this comm
sa'dy week. an'-well-maybe youll be IN
the notion then o Akin your sign an seal
with a missis TO II hereafter
Hts unctu0us persuasiveness was so dis
gushing that she shrank away. too DIS,
couraged to say more: but fete asci i,'ei
her manner to emoarrasSiheh' anu ""'N
out smiling graciously -,
And as though to set at naught her mis-
vIyinre at the end of the week he sent
or her arriving Miss Maysle was palned
N End her listless and peevish. and on the
third morning she was too III to leave her
bed From day to day sne gre" 49, ~
worse, until the Gays CouA'Su "P
n wasting fever. - ,
so helpful TO Miss Maysie mat her re
Dugnance 20 him grew into something AKIN
10 resuect Meanwhile the mortgage On
his farm was foreclosed and, being forced
10 give up all he possessed TO ms cfeu1'oi -
he came 10 Oakdale to live ana PosIp9heu
.,oirg to work as he duly explained 10
her. in order TO look after Hester. IN.
AZ she became stronger he began 10 taiR
of going west and taking her with MIN
1S,yreina her back to health Miss Maysie
feIt that she had made the child all her
own. There was no legal ground Tor
complaint 10 wrest the euafu'atsiDp 1o
pete yet every instinct or fho'herhhess
cried out against suffering him 10 carry
her away and place her where she woulo
probably grow up utterly uncaleu iua, .,o
pete was fully sensible of the advantage
,hIs was TO him and so played on her ihN-
iety that she reluctantly accepted MS terms
OF adopting her u, . ,,
IN agreement. legally drawn up and wit
messed yestiug the control of Hester In her
iron, the date of their marriage and since
n bOded no emergency for which Pete dld
not fancy himself equal, he willingly com
Piled. ,-- 49,. .,o ,,o,,so
pete kent his new winning ways to the fore'
and three weeks went happily by. linen
Singular evil came into their Eden,
Hester bounded in 10 supper with kit-
ten that had strayed in the yard IN her
arms While holding II up for Miss Maysie
20 admire. It jumped away scamperi I'm
across the table and upsettng Petes lcea
tea and on retreating 10 the corner pehlha
The sideboard whined piteously.
pete pushed back his chair and sTore a.
q with an energy Miss Maysie had never
known him to apply to anything else
Sbe was frightened and Hester cried ana
pIaintiveTy c0aX6d the kitten 70 come out.
pete cursed away trembling Ike person
In an ague-whether from nausea, as he
said, or q make-believe 70 cover his mean
ness Miss Maysie could no, decide CON,
fusion reigued supreme ultu she Managed
10 grab the kitten and put It In the kitchen
Motheriy Mrs. Brown, who HVed next
door heard the hubbub and came 10 IN
ouire the cause of II.
Miss Maysie loyalty yelled the uglihess OF
~ farfn