Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-07-21


girl have been anything more than an or
phan, whom your father adopted out OF
the generosity of his hearth"
"Oh, she was something more! There
was a mystery. Did you ever see her,
aunt? / don't remember your coming 10
Parchment street or to The Hook while
she was with u.s."
mo. was away from England part
of that year. | spent the autumn at Ba-
den with my friends the TempIemores.
'Ah, then you knew nothing Of the
trouble Fay made in our home-most in
nocentlyf 1t is such a sad story, aunt
can hardly bear to touch upon it, even
to you, for it cast a shadow upon my
fathers character. You know how 1 loved
and honored him, and how 1t must pain
me to say one word that reflects upon
him."
Eyes, know you loved him. You could
not love him too we'll, Mildred. He was
a good mana large-hearted, large-mind-
ed man."
''And yet that one act of his. bringing
poor Fay into his home, brought unhappi-
ness upon US all. Ny mother seemed set
against her from the very first; and on
her deathbed she told me that Fay was
my fathers daughter. She gave me nc
proof-she told me nothing beyond that
one cruel fact. Fay was the offspring OF
hidden sin. She told me this, and told me
to remember it all my life. Do you think
aunt, she was justified in this accusation
against my father?"
''How can l tell, Mildred?" Miss Faus-
set answered, coldly. my brother may
have had secrets from me-"
But did you never hear anything-any
hint Of this mystery? Did you never
know anything about your brothers life
in the years before his marriage which
would serve as a clue? He could hardly
have cared for any one-been associated
with any one-and you not hear some
thing"
II never heard It limited"
And you do not know the secret oil
Fay's parentage-you, my fathers only
sister-his only surviving relation? Can
you help me to find any one who knew
more about his yonth-any confidential
friend-any one who can tell me whether
that girl was really my sisterW
mo, Mildred, have no knowledge OF
your fathers friends. They are all deal
and gone, perhaps. But what can it mat
ter to you who this girl was? Che Is
dead Let the secret of her existence die
with her. 1t is wisest, most charitable e
d. So
"Ah, you know she is dead !" cried MI
deed crickly. Where and when did
she die? How did you hear of herr"
From your father She died abroad
do not remember the year."
"Was it before my marriage?"
1.-Two or three years, perhaps. l can
not tell you anything precisely. The
matter was of no moment to me-"
"Oh, aunt, it is life and death to me
She's was my husbands first wife. She
and daughters of one father-as l.
alas can but believe we were-married
the same man."
al never heard your husband was y
widower."
"Nor did | know it until few weeks
ago" And then, as clearly as her dis
tress of mind would allow. Mildred told
how the discovery had been made.
may be good and bad hkeness-is a
small thing to go upon, Mildred" said
her aunt. 81 think you have been very
foolish to make up your mind upon such
evidence"
"Oh. but there are other facts-coin-
cidences And nothing would make me
doubt the identity of the original of that
photograph with Fay Fausset l recog-
nized it at the first glance; and Bell
who saw it afterward, knew the face i'm
mediately There could be no error in
that. The only question is about her
parentage. l thought, if there were room
for doubt In the face of my mothers
death-bed statement, you could help me-
But it is all over. You were my last
hope" said Mildred. despairingly.
She let her face sink forward upon her
clasped hands. Only in this moment did
she know how she had chung to the hope
that her aunt would be able to assure
her she was mistaken in her theory OF
Fay's parentage.
"NIy dear Mildred" began Miss Fans,
set, after a pause, "the words you have
Just used-'death-bed statement -seem to
me something very solemn, indisputable
irrevocable; but l must beg you to re-
member that your poor mother was a very
weak woman and q very exacting wife
She was offended with my brother for his
adoption of an orphan girl. / have heard
her hold forth about her wrongs many a
time, vaguely, not daring to accuse him
before me: but still | could understand
- l.. e !, - he
nursed these vague suspicious until they
seemed TO her like positive facts: and on
Aer death bed, her brain enfeebled by i'll
ness, she may have made direct assertions
upon no other ground than those long
cherished suspicious and the silent jeal-
ousies of years l do not think, Mildred
you ought to take any decisive step upon
the evidence of your mothers Jealousy"
my mother spoke with conviction. She
must have known something-she must
have had some proof. But even if j;
we're possible she could have spoken SC
positively without any other ground than
Jealous feeling. there are other facts that
CRY aloud 10 me, evidences to which
dare not shut my eyes. Fay must have
belonged to some one, aunt" pursued Mil
dred. with growing earnestness. claspins
her hands upon Miss Fausset's arm as
they sat side by side in the gathering
darkness. There must have been soma
reason-and a strong one-for her pres
ence in our house My father was not a
man to act upon caprice. never remem
Der any foolish or frivolous act of his in
all the years of my girlhood. He was q
man of thought and purpose: he did moth
ing without motive. He would not
have charged himself with the care OF
that poor girl unless he had considered
il his duty to protect her"
Perhaps not
L am sure not. Then comes the Ques-
ton, who was she if she was not my
fathers daughter? lie had no near rela'
lions. he had no bosom friend that ever
heard Ono friend 50 dear that he would
deem 1t his duty to adopt that friend
orphan child. There is no other clue te
the mystery that can imagine. Can you
aunt, suggest any other solutiong
"No. Mildred, / cannot.
IF there were no other evidence with
l. - A,ox-fa.lrs mr. fafhar'S manner