Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-09-11
THE CHARITY GIRL {
BY EFFlE 4. RoWLANDs
~~~0~~N~11~N1@~~

to keep the helpless, hapless child, was
the matter arranged. Constance never
asked after her baby, and when she was
tsld By her faithful maid what had BEEN
done with it. she made no sign, either
by word or look. The doctor who attend
cd hel had been taken Into confidence BY
Roderick, and be pitied the psor young
mother from the bottom Of his heart, for
he saw that 4 blow had been struck
which could never Be healed.
Constance was scarcely convalsscent
before she received a visit from her faith
er. who was In . state Of much perturba-
ton.
KNEW how It would be-" he said, when
he first saw the girls white facs. Boxed
up here with dying old woman-snough
to kill ysu In reality. And who could
have put this into tho papers7 Anstruth-
Or says It must have been some shicious
person In the village who Thought yeu
were Ill. and must needs kill you"
Constance took the Newspaper fFs0 her
fathers hand, and read the annsance-
nent Of Ter own death in = short para
graph. She was silent for . moment,
and then, as she handed 1t back, She said,
WITH q Iajnt smile:
1T is a pity you have to contradict
1t, father"
"Eh: What nonsense! Now, Con, I
shan't let you stop here any longer. I
never saw such a change in any girl
Pack up your trunks at once and come
away! Why, you look fortyi'
How little did poor Constance think,
as she journeyed to London with her
father. that at that very time Frank
Anstruther was reading the account Of
her death. not only in a newspaper, but
in loving, tenderly indited letter from
his brother Roderick, who had hit on this
idea Of separating Frank from his wife
az being the best. If he had limited at
anything else, Frank would have rushed
back to England at once, but with Con-
stance dead and buried. what was there
to bring him back?
Roderick's shrewdness was verified
Frank never came home. And when the
London season was at its height, and
Constance Gascoigne was winning fresh
iaurels for her beauty and wit, the news
aTrived of an outbreak of fever In Bur-
nah, and Frank Anstruther's name was
among the dead. They called him hero.
they sent home accounts of his courage,
self-sacriice, and bravery, and Con.
stances heart turned with a despairing,
yearning agony to the man she had loved
SC well, and she longed to be buried with
him, shut out Of the world forever. She
saw Roderick as little as she could. It
was from his lips that she learned of her
chi]d's death; the woman who had taken
It had reported always how delicate it
was, and the end. always expected, had
come at last.
Then it was that Roderick spoke; that
he showed himself In his colors. He
pleaded for her love; he told her how he
had adored her ever since their child
hoods days; how he had given place to
Frank against his longing, and entreat-
ed her to forget all and become his wife.
When he left her that day Frederick
knew his plan had failed; come what
might, Constance would never be his wife.
To lend aid to his final coup he had lied
to her about her child. He knew that
it lived, although If neglect and poverty
could have killed it the poor little thing
had its share. Stung to the quick with
the bitter words that came from Con-
stances lips at his Offering Of love, he
determined she should never be told the
truth. He had one interview with the
woman who had charge Of the child, and
after giving her large sum Of money
and sworn her to secrecy, he went out Of
England, and was lost TO the world that
knew him forever. He had lived for one
thing only during the space Of four years,
and when he knew he had lost his tri-
umph, he cast the dust of his shoes and
vanished.
wooing, the miserable hopeless time when
Constance learned that her hand was the
price Of silence over her fathers dig
honor and dishonesty. The rest We know
up to the day that Audrey came to Din
clewood a. maid to Sheila Fraser.
CHAPTER TX.
And you are my motherT They
were the only words Audrey could utter.
She vas bewildered, amazed; her heart
was beating with q nervous excitement
in which pride and Joy mingled largely.
She felt as though she were In some
6OEI VI uEchAAs VI WuAhuB tT6uCes every
now and then she passed her hand over
her eyes as though to clear away the con-
fusion that existed.
She was kneelins beside Constance
Fraser's slender figure, the pretty, white
hands were clasPing hers, the soft, nasi-
cal voice was ringing in her ears. Aud
this was her motheri She-Audrcy
Maxse-the waif and stray, the nameless
nobody, abe was this delicate aristocrat's
child!
you are my child, my darling. Ny
own, my very ownw
Audrey gave a little cry and NESTLED
close to her new-found mother.
ut Ii too beautiful, too beautiful to
BE- real |" was all she could say; and
then, a. she felt the soft, tender lips
pressed to her brow and cheeks, she bs-
gan to wake from her dream.
"Teu ne. tell me how It all happened,
how Jon found that l was not dead"
ut was ysur face that first seemed II
whisper hope" Mr.. Fraser replied
when you cane in that morning L wa
~ though Frank stood before me again.
You havs his vsry ayes; the sxpression
In tAen Il exactly what lived In his.
began b wondsN to dream. I was not
happy till l had learned your history.
MAJ vou knn~ INV hsva hsN a. rc>r~