Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-04-08
G6e PILLAR
OF LIGHT
BY LOUIS TRACY,
Author Of The Wings Of the horning"
Copyright. 1904 by Edward J clods

Madam" said Mr. Trail. beading
over her, "iu this instance at least
you have no DJrso 10 feel accrieved.
Neither The erl herself. nor her sister
iy adoption DOR Mrs. Nausittart. TO
whom until The past half hour. ] CON
sidprcd myself to b, engaged. is aware
OF thn uutou',cd fact which your son
ha- iust told You Let me say that /.
a- Deer father, ann proud 90 think she
has won tln affections Of such n man
ae S,.uUoun There is no reason why
yur. h.s mother. should not be equally
satisfied with tAr pedigree and pros
poets OF mv daughter"
His eaiu assumption OF q rank equal
u rot superior t1 her own was con
v.seur to woman OF her temporal
uent A-sgrc1y that evening was a
memorable orc to her l3dyship. The
rrrosa OF We're de We're was rudcly
SHOCKED FOR once Nevertheless the
Eu0u'c1-, Tint her lifelong ambition
laI been realized in q way little
dreamed Of Ay any Of those most con
,.u'j was iu itself coBsoling. Mr..
Trau. quite uuconsciously. doomed
large iu Tie social eve of Pcnzlnce.
and the widowed lady had not been 50
long withdrawn from the wealth wor-
Shipping world Of London as to be
wholly uulpaveuod with the worship Of
the golden calf.
So 10 was with quickcned interest
That she set herself to listen to the
story Of Euid's pIrentage. and. if her
fear OF local gossip moHgcrs shrank as
hor perception Of Ends real social po-
E.t,gu increased much may be forgiven
90 the mOtherly sentiment that no wife
can De too GOOD for an excellent son.
Meanwhile Brand and the sorrow
laden girls, ushered by obsequious
servants TO the entrance hall. were con-
strained to comfort themselves with
true British phlcgm i'm view of the in
trC-t caused 10y their appearance.
The hour was not late, about $780,
Lvo1 while the hall porter was sum
uouiug q cab the news spread, within
and without. that the lighthouse keeper
aud his daughters, whose exploits filed
a., minds of all men, were standing
near the door
Several people, complete strangers,
came to them and offered warm
congratulations. \ smart journalist
pressed forward and wOve his own
complimentary utterancCs into an in
tcrvicw. crowd gathered quickly on
the pavement Policemen those mar
shals of every English demonstration,
cleared n path for them through the
throug. SO, with smiling words on
their lips and anguish in their hearts,
they made a triumphal exit. How lit
tie could the friendly enthusiasts who
cheered them realize" that these three
had been atrophied by the deadly
malevolence of fate in the very hour
when great achievement had ended
happily.
Enid suffered almost as keenly as
Brand and his daughter. Their joys
and sorrows were hers. The startling
nature Of Brands avowal rendered it
difficult for either Enid or Constance
to piece together certain fragmentary
memories of Mrs Nansittart's odd be
havior during her enforced sojourn on
Ale rock So thoroughly mad she shat
tered those dimly outlined impress
sons by The quietly vivacious charm
OF her manner at dinner that they both
experienced a tumble of sensations. \
terrified woman. in wet and torn cloth
Ing. covering in the gaunt interior OF
q storm grit lighthouse, is very diff.
fereut being when attired in expensive
garments and surrounded by the lux
uries of first class hotel.
1t was a relief to drive to their cot
tage in silence. yet so easily moulded
Is our human clay. it was greater
relief when the tension of the noisy
rattle Of the cab was relaxed. 1t cost
some effort to assure Mrs. Sheppard, q
LuXom. motherly soul of sixty or there
ahouts. that they could not possibly eat
any supper The effort was forthcom
ing They pleaded WEAKNESS, and a
last they We're alone
Constance knelt by her fathers sid,
when he dropped listlessly into TIL
armchair placed in his accustomed
corner.
Now. dad" she said. bravely I'm
emotional. there will be no NOR
tears. Tell me all that l ought t
know"
Enid drew hassock TO his feet AM
seated herself there. claSping her hand
about her knees
Whatever she did l am sorry 70
her" said the girl decisively. 'An'
she cannot have been a really bad VIC
man. dad or you would not have love-
her once"
Brand sighed deeply. His strong vii
had deserted him for little while. III
shrank from the ordeal before him
Why should he be called on to sull
the mirror of his daughters innocenc
by revealing to her the disgrace of he
mother?
Constance caught something Of tn
dread I'm his soul
Don't tell me If it hurts you. dad
am content to bear more than hav
borne tonight If it lessons your sui
ferings." she whispered.
He placed an arm around each G