Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-08-04

silence made me, curious. | knew he
wouldn't let the old lady believe for
a momentsI was luny, If once he could
be sure himself that wasn't. You
lie, Tom Dorgan, he wouldn't! Well
But the poor baby, how could he ex-
pect to see through a game that had
caught the dowager herself? Still. |
could hear him walking softly toward
me, ana felt him looking keenly down
at me long before opened my eyes
| When | did, you should have seen
him jump. Guilty he. felt l. could
see the blood rush up under his clear,
thin old skin, soft as a baby's, to find
himself caught trying to spy out my
! secret.
Just looked, big-eyed, up at him.
You know; the way Molly's kid does,
when he wakes. looked long, long
time, as though | was puzzled
Daddy" I said, slowly. sitting up.
"You-you are my daddy. amt your"
"Yes-yes, Of course" II was the
Dowager who got between him and
me, limiting heavily at him with mods
and frowns. But the dear old fellow
only got pinker in the effort to look
a lie and not say II. Still, he looked
relieved. Evidently he thought | was
luny all right, but that had lucid in
tervals. | heard him whisper some
thing like this to the dowager just be-
fore the maid came In with tea for
me.
| Yes. Tom Dorgan, tea for Nancy
| 0lden of silver salver. out of a cup
like a painted eggshell. My. but that
almost foored me! was afraid Id
give myself dead away with all those
little jars and Jugs. so said wasn't
hungry. though, Lord knows. | hadn't
had anything to eat since early morn
Ing. But the dowager sent the Maid
away and took the tray herself oper-
ating all the jugs and pots for me. and
then tried to feed me the tea. She
was about as handy as Molly's little
sister Is with the baby-but | allowed
myself to be coaxed. and drank It
down.
Tea, Tom Dorgan. Ever taste tea?
II you knew how to behave Yourself
in polite society, I'd give you card to
my friend, the dowager. ny in the
square
How to get away! That was the
| thing that worried me. I'd just
made up my mind to have lucid in
terval. when cr-creak. the front door
opened, and in walked
Tom. you're mighty cute--so cute
you'll land us both behind bars some
day-but you can't guess who came
in on. our little family party. Yes
oh. yes. you've met him.
Well, the old duffer whose watch
was ticking inside my waist that very
minute. Yes. sir. the same red-faced,
big-necked fellow we'd spled getting
: full at the little station In the country
Only. he was bit mellower than when
you grabbed his chain. Well, he was
Edward
almost dropped the cup when saw
him. The dowager took il from me, say
ing:
There, dear, don't be nervous. It's
only--only-"
She got lost. II couldn't be my daddy
the bishop was that. But 1t was her
husband. SO who could it he?
Evening. bishop. Hello. Henri
eta, back so soon from the opera?"
roared Edward, in a big. husky voice.
He'd had more since We saw him,
but he walked straight as the bishop
himself, and he's a dear little ram
rod. "Ah!"-his eyes lit up at sight
of me-"ah. Miss-Miss-Of course,
I've met the young lady Henrietta,
but hang me- if haven't forgotten her
name" co..
"AIiss-Miss Murieson,' lied the old
lady, glibly. IA relative"
why, mummy" I said, reproach.
fully.
"There-there. It's only a joke.
Isn't II q joke, Edward" she de-
manded, laughing uneasily.
Joker he repeated with q hearty
below of laughter. BEST kind of q
Joke, call II, to And 30 pretty girl
right In your own house. Ell bishop
"Why does he call my father bish-
op, mummy
couldn't help IT, The fun Of hear
Ing the dowage' lie and knowing the
bishop beside himself with the pain
Of deception was TOO much for me
could See she didn't dare trust her
Edward with my sad story.
"Ho. hO The bishop-that's good.
No, my dear Miss Murieson. II this
lady's your mother. why must be
at least, ] ought to be. your father.
AS such. I'm going 20 have all the
privileges Of a parent--bless me, If I'm
not"
don't suppose he'd have done It II
he'd been sober but there's no tell
ing. when you remember the reputa-
ton the dowager had given him But
he'd got no further than to put his
arm around me when both the bishop
and the. dowager few to the rescue.
My, but they were shocked Ispuldn't
help wondering what they'd have done
IL Edward had happened to sea the
bishop in the same sort of tableau