Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-05-27
CHAPTER XXI,

Ielt CapabIe OF bOIu strORe. WHICH her
conscience had seemed to cry out against.
ill loftier thoughts enlarged II. She
delivered to her dear niece n letter. writ
ten in pale ink and upon strange paper
which she drew from ticker one nd
dressed to herself, and received Through
their butcher" from II postotlice. Won
dering who their butcher was. but de-
lighted to get her dear fathers letter.
Grace ran away to devour II.
1t was dated from George Town. Eng
lish Guiana. and though full of affection.
showed touching traces Of delicate health
and dependency. The poor girl wiped
her eyes at her fathers tender longing
to see her once more. and his earnest
prayers for every blessing upon their In
valuable friend. Miss Patch. Then he
spoke Of himself In a manner which
made II impossible for her TO keep her
eyes wiped, 40 deep was his sadness. and
yet % heroically did he attempt to con.
ceal 1t 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
had learned to esteem n 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 II she would do 80. she must
indeed be quick. He need not say that
to dream Of her travelling 80 fur oil nlone
was impossible: but II. for the sake OF
her father. she could dispense with some
old formalities. 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 he 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
a. young Mr.. Overshute had done. That
subject was too painful. 80 he ended with
another adjurntion to his daughter.
'Aunty, l have had the most extraor.
binary letter." cried Grace. coming In
with her eyes quite dreadful; at aston.
ishes me beyond everything. May l see
the postmark Of yours which It came In
] shall think l am dreaming till see
the postmark."
''The stamp Of the ONCE. do you mean.
my dearf D, yes. you are welcome to
see. Grace. Here It Ia. George Town,
Demerara.' The date Is not quite clear
without my spectacles. Those foreign
dies are always cut 30 badly"
Never mind the date. aunt. I have
the date inside, In my dear fathers writ.
Ing. But am quite astonished how my
father can have heard"
Something about you, sly little puss.
You need not blush NO, for long have
guessed It,"
"But indeed It IL not true-indeed. It Il
not. may have been amused, but new.
er. nevcr-and oh. what he snys then Of
somebody else-such thing ! should
have thought impossible How can one
have any faith In any one?'
my dear child. what you mean In this
How can one have any faith In worldly
peoplef With their mouths they speak
deceit; the poison Of asps IL under their
lips"
"Oh. no, to see him walk would show
you that; and II 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
a very forward way with some one youl
father disapprovcs Of"
II assure you. I never did anythinl
Of the kind. 1t IL not ut nll my manner
] thought you considered 1t wrong e
make unfOunded accusations"
"Grnee. what do you mean, II 20,
pleasef"
II mean what do not .please. NEAR
that ! have been here ut least fiv,
months, as long as any fifty. and hav,
put up with the miscrnb lest things-tha,
am to marry boy with red cort
down his legs. and crystal In his whip
and a pretty face that seems to com,
from his mammals watch pocket, and q
very nice and gentle way Of looking ut
lady, as II he were quite capable, IL b,
had the opportunity, Of saying 'bO' to am
goose on the other side Of the river"
my dear. do you prefer bold rufiians
then, like the vagabond you were res
cucd from"
II don't know ut all what I do prefer
Aunt Patch, unless 1t 10 just to be left I,
myself, and have nothing to say to an,
one. Somehow or other howl do no
mean to be wicked, aunt-but I dom
think my father ever wrote that letter
mean, at any rate, OF his own free will
Somebody must have stood over him
feel a. II ! really saw them-and mad
him say this. aud that. and things tina
he never used to think of saying. Why
he never would have dreamed, when N
was well, OF telling me ] was to MARI,
anybody. He was NO jealous Of me, h
could hardly bear any gentleman to dar
to smile; and he used to make me prom
Use to begin to let him know five year
before l thought Of any one. And nov
for him to tell me to marry In a week.
Just as II he was putting down a silve
side to salt-and to marry boy that h.
scarcely ever heard Of, and never evel
introduced to me--he must have been, h
cannot but have been, either wonderful
ly affected by the climate. or shackle
down In a slave drivers dungeon. unit
he had no idea what he was about"
"Have you finished. Grace, now? l
your violence Over!"
"No; have no violence; and II II no
half over. But still, IL you wish to sn
anything, will do all ! can to liste
to It,"
"YOu have made my head ache sadly
Leave your fathers letter here. f"
"Oh, no, II you please, let me take
with me. How can l think without 1t?
Miss Patch was SO sleepy that sh
said, Every well; let me see II agai
when you have made the tea" Where