Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-14

he placed an arm around each of them.
supposed to be delighted because they
are going to live with strange people.
Girls who are of that mind cannot be
happy at home. II thought that be-
ing married to Jack implied separation
from you and Constance
you would give him up and weep
your eyes out" He pressed her pout-
ing lips together as he went on: "Now,
my dear ones, I wish both Of you to
be prepared for very unexpected
changes. Two most Important events
In your lives have taken place within
a few hours. Constance, II you saw
your mother tonight. Enid also saw her
father. have known for two days
that Ends father is Mr.. Traill"
For an instant, 1t must be confessed,
Constance and Enid alike feared that
the mental and physical strain he had
undergone had temporarily deranged
him. 1t was not sheer incredullty, but
real terror, he saw In their eyes. Some
how, their self effacement in his behalf
touched bin more keenly than any
thing else had done during this troubled
period.
He bowed his head. A strong man in
agony cannot endure the scrutiny of
/, loving eyes.
Enid" he said brokenly, my words
to you must be few. Good fortune
needs but slight explanation. The
proofs Of my statement l do not pos
sess. but Mr.. Trails letter to ME could
not have been written by such n man
II he were not sure Of his facts. Here
1t Is. Read 1t aloud"
He handed her her fathers plain
spoken communication. Constance, in
capable Of deeper depths of amaZement
than those now probed, looked over her
sisters shoulder. Together they de-
cphered the somewhat difficult hand
writing of man whose chief task for
years had been to sign his name.
This drawback was good in its result.
They persevered steadily to the end.
Then Enid. the comforter, broke down
herself.
ut cannot be true, dadw she cried.
Il have been one Of your daughters all
my life. Why should 1 be taken from
you nowY'
II believe It is quite true" said
Brand quietly, and the need there was
to console her was beneficial to him.
self. "Mr. Trail speaks Of proofs.
You have met him. exchanged bare
~ word, glance, with him, but 1t
10 not believable that he would make
these solemn statements without the
most undeniable testimony"
Indeed, Enid" murmured Con-
stance. ut sounds like the truth, else
he would never have spoken so def
nitely Of my fathers first claim on
your affections"
Brand stroked the weeping girls
hair.
Zone does not cry, little one, when
one is suddenly endowed with a
wealthy and distinguished relative.
Now. 1 did not spring this revelation
on you without a motive. II q cleav-
age has to come let us at least face
every consideration. Providence by in
scrutable decree ordained that my wife
and I should meet after twenty-one
years. That cannot have been q pur-
poseless meeting. In my careless
youth. when assigned all things their
scientific place. 1 have scoffed at pre-
sentiments and vague portents Of COM
ing evils. retract the immature judy
ment then formed. During the height
Of the hurricane when I feared the
very lantern would be hurled into the
sea was vouchsafed spiritual warn
ing. could not read its import.
These things battle a man, especially
one whose mind leans toward materi-
alism. Nevertheless I knew, though
not in ordered comprehension, that my
life was tending toward q supreme
crisis. AS the storm died, so l be-
came normal. and I attributed a
glimpse Of the unseen to mere phys