The Greeley tribune., 1906-01-11

self
re could hear the mans voice now
anu l ne eFouched lower, lest he might
E., Ile poor fellow actually asked me
/ thought a girl would wait five
ye''5 lor an absent lover, and hadn't
lAs heart to say what thought
SUN Yes-twenty years.! Poor
Shapt | suppose he fancies somebodv
Is waiting for him" =
Inc voice ceased, and the tramp.
peeIng out from his hiding place, saw
tuaI margaret had withdrawn her
nunu from the mans arm and was
walking a little- apart from him
80 she hasn't told him ANYTHING
ABOUT me. Naturally" said the tramp
to himself.
He got back to the road, and thrust
ti,E ~ ms uahi into his pocket, his fingers
C!oSeu on the piece of money In an
olnsr instant he had dashed it down
On the road, and was Fastening back
to the harbor. '".A
-, Ihat night he spent in an clubhouse.
me next day, driven by hunger. he
went TO farm house, asking for
work, but hoping to get some food
Inc farmer, by way of Joke, offered
MN Job, and seemed surprised when
he jumped at the offer.
BY degrees the tramp began to as.
sumo the appearance of decent
working man. He wore moleskins in.
stead OF his old rags; on weekdays
ne worked hard; but on Sundays he
Went and lay on the sand and lis
tened TO the surf breaking on the
beach, and dreamed.
one Sunday afternoon, little mite,
three or four years old got surround
ed by the tide as she was building a
castle on the sand There was not
a shadow of danger, but it was i'm
possible to reach her dryshod. The
tramp waded through the water,
picked up the child, and looked around
Tor her mother.
1t was Margaret who dropped her
book and came flying over the sands
Margaret
He put the little one down gently,
and turned away.
In moment there was pattering
Of soft footsteps behind him.
Won't you let me thank you-?
Oh, Alan, 1t is you! Don't you know
me?"
Yes Margaret, | know you but |
thought | had better keep away from
you. I've treated you badly, precious
badly But | can't stand by and see
you another mans wife"
Aunt Margaret! Auntie Me want
'oo!" piped a childish voice Alan
Dean gave a great start. His heart
beat wildly.
"What?" he cried you are not
the child's mother? You are not Mr..
Bannister'5 wife?"
mo No, Alan. Jim Bannister mar.
ried my sister. IL knew you would
came back and | waited"
Your uncle found out after you had
goue," Margaret said, as they made
their way slowly homeward a good
hour afterwards. that he was quite
wrong. He had made a mistake in
the accounts, and you were perfectly
honest, He bitterly repented his
words to you and would have writ
ten If he had known where to address
You He told me so himself. And to
show that he was convinced that he
had misjudged You he left you half
share OF everything he had. The house
is yours, and the farm with it."
"Why, | thought Charley Hudson
was TO have that. He was the favorite
you know"
Yes, but your uncle thought he
owed you some reparation for think
ing you had cheated him, and so
driving you away from home. He died
almost four years ago. My sister had
been married some time before that
And you, my dearest? What have
you been doing?'
ooh, live in London now. | have
pupils. And, l have been-waiting
He turned suddenly and caught her
to his breast. please God, my little
girl" he whispered, as he strained her
yet closer to him, 'our waiting days
are nearly overt"