Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-06-06
CHAPTER XXI.

felt capable of a bold stroke, which her
conscience had seemed TO cry out against,
thl lottler thoughts enlarged ii. She
oehvered to her dear niece a letter, writ
ten In pale ink and upon strange paper,
which she drew from a tucker one ad
dressed to herself, and received through
their butcher from a postofice. Won
dering who their butcher was, but de-
hghted to get her dear fathers letter,
Trace ran away to devour it.
IL vas dated from George Town, Eng
hsn Guiana, and though full of affection,
showed touching traces of delicate health
ana dependency. The poor girl wiped
her eyes at her fathers tender longing
10 see her once more, aud his earnest
prayers for every blessing upon their IN
valuable friend, Miss Patch. Then he
spoke of himself in a manner which
made It impossible for her to keep her
eyes wiped. so deep was his sadness, and
yet so heroically did he attempt to con-
ceal it from her; and then came few
lines, which surprised her greatly. He
SAID that little bird had told him that
during her strict retirement from the
world, IN accordance with his wishes, she
mad learned to esteem a most worthy
young man, for whom he had always felt
warm regard, and. he might even say,
affection. He doubted whether, at his
own time of life, and with this strange
languor creeping over him, he could ever
bear the voyage to England, unless his
little darling would come over to fetch
him, or at least to behold him once more
alive; and if she would do So she must
indeed be quick. He need not say that
RI g nj
was impossible; but if, for the sake of
her father, she could dispense with some
old formalties. and speedily carry out
their mutual choice, he might with his
whole heart appeal to her husband to
bring her out by the next packet.
He said little more, except that be had
learned by the bitter teaching of adver-
sity who were his true friends, and who
were false. No one had shown any
truth and reality except Mr.. Sharp of
Oxford but he never could have dream
ed, till it came to the test, that even
the lowest of the low would treat him
as young Mr.. Overshute had done. That
subject was too painful, so he ended with
another adjuration to his daughter.
Aunty, l have had the most eXtraor-
binary letter." cried Grace coming in
with her eyes quite dreadful; sit aston
ishes me beyond everything. May l see
the postmark Of yours which it came in?
shall think l am dreaming till l see
the pOstmark."
The stamp Of the office. do you mean.
my dear? o, yes, you are welcome to
see, Grace. Here it is, George Town,
Demerara.' The date is not quite clear
without my spectacles. Those foreign
dies are always cut so badly"
Never mind the date, aunt. I have
the date inside in my dear fathers writ
ing. But l am quite astonished how my
father can have heard"
Something about you, sly little puss
You need not blush so, for l long have
guessed it,"
But indeed it is not true-indeed, it is
not. l may have been amused. but new
er, never-aud oh, what he says then of
somebody else-such thing l should
have thought impossible How can one
have any faith in any one?'
My dear child, what you mean is this:
How can one have any faith in worldly
people? With their mouths they speak
deceit; The poison of asps is under their
lbs"
'Oh, no, to see him walk would show
you that; and if being good to the poor
sick people, and dashing into the middle
of the whOoping cough"
How am l to know of whom you
speak? You appear to have acted in
very forward way with some one your
father disapproves Of"
Il assure you, l never did anything
of the kind. 1t is not at all my manner.
l thought you considered it wrong to
make unfounded accusations"
Grace, what do you mean, if you
please?"
Il mean what l do not please. / mean
that l have been here at least five
months, as long as any fifty, and have
put up with the miserablest things-that
/ am to marry boy with a red cord
down his legs, and a crystal in his whip.
aand a pretty face that seems to come
from his mammals watch pocket, and a
very nice and gentle way of looking at a
lady, as if he were quite capable, if he
had the opportunity, of saying DO to any
goose on the other side of the river"
my dear, do you prefer bold rufflans,
then, like the yagabond you were res
cued from?"
Il don't know at all what l do prefer.
Aunt Patch, unless it is just to be left to
myself, and have nothing to say to any
one. Somehow or other howl do not
mean to be wicked, aunt-but 1 don't
think my father ever wrote that letter
l mean, at any rate, of his own free will.
Somebody must have stood over him
feel as if | really saw them-and made
him say this, and that, and things that
he never used to think of saying. Why.
he never would have dreamed, when he
was well, of telling me ! was TO marry
anybody. lie was so jealous of me. he
could hardly bear any gentleman to dare
TO smile; and he used to make me prom-
Use to begin to let him know five years
before | thought of any one. And now
for him TO tell me to marry in a week
just rs if he was putting down a silver
side to salt-and to marry bov that he
scarcely ever heard of, and never even
introduced TO me-he must have been he
cannot but have been. either wonderful
ly affected by the climate, or shackled
down in a slave drivers dungeon, until
he had no idea what he was about"
Have you finished, Grace, now? Is
your violence over?"
mo; | have no violence; and ii is not
half over. But STILL if you wish TO say
anything, l will do all l can TO lister
TO it
You have made my head ache sadly
Leave your fathers letter here"
'Oh, no, if you please let me take i
with me. How can l think without it ?
Miss Patch was so sleepy that sh,
said. VERY we'll; let me see it agar
when you have made the tea" Where
upon Grace having beaten up the cush
ion of the good lady's only luxury, ant
laid her down softly, and kissed her fore
head. stole her own chance for a littl,
quiet thought. in shelter of the woods
more soft than thought. For the sum
mer was coming with n stride of light
and bashful corners, full of lateness
tried 10 ease it off with moss.
IN a nook of this kind, far from an.
path, and tenderly withdrawn into it
own green rest, the lonely and bewildere,
girl stopped suddenly and began {,
think The beautiful light of the glanc
ing day turned corners. and came roun,
20 her; the lovable joy of the many. man,