The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-07-21

meeting the surprised question I'm he'
eyes. 1T changed all my life. l fourd
myself with my mother and widowed
sister to care for. left with barely
pittance Ii was necessary | should
try at least to carry on the old busi
ness mt home. Iscame to bid you good
by, and you were out. And what could
l have said? You, beautiful, courted.
the only child of an indulgent father;
| merely one OF the many who sur
rounded you. How could dream that
you would ever spare me even a
thought? So went away. resolved to
forget And them
"Yes," queried the girl as he paused.
land them Her eyes were hidden,
but there was note in the soft voice
that aroused his courage.
Il found out that l could not for
get" said the man. yet what claim
had /? And then. yesterday-Oh, how
can l thank you property he broke
of earnestly "Yesterday-the woman
you helped-she was my sister"-speak-
ing with steady tone. mot long ago
her child died, and. half mad from the
loss, she came to the city. resolved to
destroy herself here, where we would
not know OF ii. But when she reached
New York the commonplace, everyday
aspect of things seemed to calm her
mood, and her resolution faltered. Yet
she had expended what money she had,
not even the price Of ticket home
being left. Determining to put fate to
the test, she wandered about, seeking
a familiar face-my sister alone in this
great city. where she knew no one
resolved, should her plea for help be
refused, to put an end to her life. And
then she saw you"
For moment the man was silent as
a shudder seized him at the thought or
what might have happened.
"Oh, if she had not met you-if- But
| dare not think of it. II have pho
tograph of you. bribed your maid for
it," he confessed shamefacedly. From
having seen it so often my sister felt
vaguely that here at last was friend,
although, of course, unwilling why.
And so she dared TO ask" Miss Mallo-
ry. who was sobbing unrestrainedly.
lifted her face.
'Oh, the dear woman she exclaim-
ed brokenly. How glad l am! How
glad / am! And is she safer"
quite safe" was the thankful an
swer. THE shock, your kindness, some
thing, must have strengthened and
braced her She returned last night.
And you can fancy what 1t meant to
us. But when she showed me the bless
ed card which told me who 1t was that
had saved her it seemed to me as II
also had been sent a message. Was l
wrong. dear?" and the mans voice was
wonderfully tender. The girl, puzzled.
shook her head
IL don't understand" she said faint
~. Humason laid visiting card in
her hand.
Look" he said. 1t was the card up
on which she had scrubbed her address.
Turn it over" as the girl seemed be-
wildered. A low cry broke from the red
lips.
"Oh," she stammered, while the color
flooded up to her pretty curly hair. 81
| was in n hurry. | thought that it was
one Of fathers. r. Her confusion in
creased pitiably. But the mans strong
clasp had again caught the fluttering
little hands.
81 thought that if you had cared
enough to carry a mans card in your
cardcase for three years that you must
have cared little for the man him
self" he said eagerly. "Was l wrong,
sweetheart? Are you going L. send me
away again?"
The girl. her eyes fixed on the betray-
ing bit of pasteboarG whereOn in fine
script ran the words, "Mr. Roland HUI
mason" dropped her head.
NO" she answered shyly. please
please stay"