The Ordway new era., 1906-03-23

- ! IN q siavinss. r sav I'm ~
moraiug. not since then" -
~ok, II he should have fallen ~
the vater!" cried Constance. "Hsvs
Won any idea where he can bef'
mo, but viii md him." he ssid.
confidently. II win flnd him."
Mr.. Carter looked At him In some
surprise. "well. I hope you can get
him home before nightfall He may
be somewhere In the neighborhood
with the other children"
Inquiries were made through the VII
lags, but no trace OF the little fellow
could be found. Nothing had been
seen Of him since he stood In the yard
at the close of school; but one little
girl professed to have heard him say
he was going after beechnuts. with
this clue n company of men and boys
a, nightfall started TO scour the WOODS
with lanterns and torches. Constance,
nearly frenzied by this time. sat with
tightly clenched hands, listening Tor
any sound she might hear from the
direction of the woods. Clare had
cried herself to sleep on the sofa. ana
Mr.. Carter walked nervously about the
yard and down TO the edge OF the
woods a score of times.
II wonder where Edes went. | didn't
see him with the men, he said 10
Constance.
did you not?" she asked, lifting
white face to his for moment. He
hn could find ptFlRN.
uncle
so he did. Constance. Well. the
night is warm. and Perley won't be
apt TO suffer much except in his feel
ines." said Mr.. Carter as cheerfully as
he could.
"oh. but my baby out in the dark
woods all alonei" and a rush of tears
checked her words.
Mr.. Carter choked at the thought
and started OFF again down the street.
this time followed by Constance. who
fancied she saw lights coming toward
the village.
Yes. lights. and shouts. and cheers.
They have found him." cried Mr..
Carter. hurrying away. and Constance.
faint with sudden joy. though she al
most feared TO give it room. was
forced to loiter for moment.
Not many rods away now came the
tramp of forty men and boys who held
their torches high above their heads
and made the village ring with pro-
longed shout as soon as they left the
woods and entered II. Mrs, Hamilton.
with wildly beating heart. was at the
entrance TO the bridge. made darker
by the flashing torches beyond Its
range. As she entered II she saw not
far away man with something in his
arms. who no sooner saw Mrs. Hamil-
ton than he said. in a voice so over
charged with feeling that 1t vibrated
upon her nerves like an electric shock.
Il found him. ! knew | should. He
lay fast asleep with his head on his
arm. in n hollow shut in by tall trees.
But | found him"
''Oh. thank you. thank you My
baby. my baby" taking the boy. still
sleepy. into her arms and covering his
face with kisses. Poor little darling.
to get lost,
NO one could find him but me-" said
the man again. with his childlike air.
as II longing to be praised again and
again. an air strangely at variance
with his thought-seamed brow and well
shaped head.
After this. II was impossible to one
OF so grateful a disposition as Con
stance to be unmindful of Primus Edes.
She felt that he had claim on her
kindness which 1t was pleasure as
well as a duty TO requite.
With one so absent-minded 1, would
be easy. she fancied, to make changes
in his surroundings which he would
never notice except in n vague way. or
suspect that they came through her
BY gradual evolution, therefore. his
room at Mrs. Fry's came to wear tho
dainty look that white drapery. pic
lures and books could give II. Next.
as cool weather approached. stove
mysteriously found its way there. and
comfortable dressing gown. or loose
coat. If he chose to call 1t that. was
found hanging in the closet.
ITO be continued.)