The Washington herald., 1907-09-15

+ pray for myself. I can beg for pity for
my child-she is innocent" Who had SUI
fered the greater wrong herself or that
poor young mother. driven to despair and
death. or the child flung helpless on q
I cold grudg'ng world. and now so marvel
ously brought back 10 the place which
was hers by right2 Lady Stormont was a
/ devout as well ss just woman, and as
I she looked from the father 20 the child.
brought together at last. an awe feI upon
/ her
My poor child, YOU have little need to
/ beg Tor forgiveness" she said at last
/ What you did was for my sake. and
fal'ering-"I know Il would have baen
hard for you 20 do otherwise But sou
have been soreIy sinned agaInst-can You
forgive Jhat? He said you found il hard
/ 20 forgive-can you forgive your father
nows with a look toward the silent Wit
ness, who in the majesty Of death seemed
so beiittle the brief strife Of hot human
hearts so soon 20 be- stiIled even as his.
lsobel's tears came with a rush
IF you can forgive me. she whispered,
and with their dead between them the
wife and the child drew together again.
/ last Lady Stormont said. with a faint
smile.
We shall learn to know each other
anew, but I wish YOU % read this" draw
[ ing out Sir Davids letter 1t viii ex-
/ plain much and il VIII help you 70 under
stand your father, as well as to forgive
him"
/ IsObel slowly and nngeringly withdrew.
and left husband and wife alone together.
1 Lady Stormont had been kind. gentle.
! pitiful What more could she expect?
. That the doubiy b5reaved woman could
Teven bear the sight Of her was a marvel.
but-but though shq might find a friend
by and by, she had lost her mother!
/ A few steps down the corridor she en-
cOuntered Conyers, who had. indeed.
been waiting for her. One glance at her
face made him take her hands gently
into his in silence. Father and daughter.
he knew. had added but little 10 each
others happiness in these past weeks.
| but such a consciousness only imbitters
the blow when az last 1t falls. There was
something so lost. SO forlOrn about her
air that he would fain have taken her
I 10 his arms and COmfOrted her If he
could. but her sorrow hedged her round
and for a moment he could only stand
clasping her hands in silence; he could
find no words. while back in his mind
there rushed what had been driven from
It only for a short time-the memory Of
yesterdays strange scene with Ashe- Of
Isobels unexplained words. Was that
weighing upon her row as well as her
natural grief? Well, she had no father
10 stand by her now, be the trouble what
1t might; she must let him help her. he
thought with leap Of all his pulses, as
at last he said, in a low yoice-"Your
father didn't suffer and he IS at peace
II Is you and your mother we must think
OF now Isobel, you Will let me help you;
you will let ME serve you-now?
As he spoke she suddenly drew away
her hands; a wave Of some strong, re-
vivifying emotion or Of some great re-
solve seemed 10 pass over her. Like an
unstrung bow drawn taught again. her
figure drew erect. her head rose, a fash
Of light and warmth and color sprang 10
her face and eyes.
1 have been standing beside the dead, %
she said. with the intensity Of q COM
peling. overmastering impulse. There
IS no need there-no-place there for any
refuge of lies I must escape from il
now, whatever happens. He was my
father-yes-though 1 am nameless, home
less-mOtberless:" the last word was al
most a sob 1t is all there-read il, then
you will know-you viii understand
then you can help-serve if yoh Will,
and with a sudden darting recollection
OF what already seemed far away in the
past, 1t will explain-yesterday."
She thrust some loose papers into his
hands. and would have sped away, but
he caught her wrist and held her fast.
Stop, IsObeI" feeling like a man on
whom a sudden Hight is breaking. which
at hrst confuses rather than enlightens.
What do you mean?'
You need not force ne TO tell It." in
Hash Of young. hot pride. 1T is ali
there-you have only TO read-I want you
to read it: insist on you reading It"
passiOnately.
Basil flung the paper aside. It might
be neither the time nor the place for #.
but the man in him would be denied no
longer. He, too, had his uplifting. con-
quering moment.
'Isobel, my dear love- it's you I want.
Whoever you are, you are yourself-that's
enough for me. Perhaps you think
should not speak now, but I must and
VIII. My help. my service. all I am. al