Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1908-12-25

miserable over leaving her little girl
alone In the world"
DIR. Van Valkenberg sat silent. II
was true, then. This was Katbarine's
child. He had not known Of the death
Of Armitage nor of the subsequent
poverty Of his widow, but he had
known Katharlne's baby, he now told
himself, the moment he saw her.
well" the nurse resumed, 'after
she died we raised a small fund to buy
some clothes for Hope and take her
to Chicago to her new home. Mrs.
Armitage has cousin there who has
agreed to take her In. None of the
relatives came to the funeral. There
are not many of them, and the Chlca-
go people haven't much money,
fancy"
DR.. Van Yalkenberg was hardly sur
prised. Life was full of extraordinary
situations, and his profession had
brought him face to face with many
Of them. Nevertheless a deep solenl-
nifty filed him, and a strange peace
settled over him.
II want her" he said briefly. Her
mother and father were old friends Of
mine. and this thing looks like fate.
VIII they give her to me-tbese Chi
cago people-do you thlnk?"
Tears filed the womans eyes.
Indeed they WILL" she said, land
gladly. There was"-she hesitated-
there was even some talk of sending
her to an institution before they finally
decided to take her. Dear little HopeI
How happy she will be with you!"
He left her and went back to the
seat where Hope sat grooming to the
doll. Sitting down. he gathered them
both up In his arms, and thrill shot
through him as he looked at the yellow
curls resting against his breast. Her
chid-her little, helpless baby-now
his child to love and care forl He
was not a religious man. Nevertheless
q prayer rose spontaneously In bis
heart.
Hope" he said gently, "once long
ago I asked little girl to come arN
live with me, and she would not come.
Now / want to ask you to come end
stay with me always and be my own
little girl and let me take cares0f you
and make you happy Will you come"
The radiance of June sunshine broke
out upon her face and shone In the
brown eyes upturned to his. How well
he knew that look! Hope did not turn
toward Mana, and that significant omis-
sion touched him deeply. She seemed
to feel that here was a question she
alone must decide. She drew a long
breath as she looked up at him.
Really, truly2' she asked. Then,
as he nodded without speaking, she
saw something In his face that was
new to her. 1t was nothing to fright
en- little girl. for 1t was very sweet
and tender but for one second she
thought her new friend was going to
cry. She put both arms around his
neck and replied softly, with the ex-
quisite maternal cadences her voice had
taken on in her first words to him
when she entered the car:
"I'n be your own little girl, and III
take care of you too You know, you
said could"
DR.. Van valkenberg turned to the
nurse.
II shall go with you to her cousins
from the train" he ANNOUNCED I'm
ready to give. them all the proofs they
need that I'm suitable guardian for
the child. but" he added. with touch
of the boyishness that had never left
him, II want this matter settled now"
The long train pounded its way into
the station at Chicago and DR.. Van
valkenberg summoned porter.
Take care Of these things" he said,