The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-10

ry for him and I'll be good help
'causen my Luck Stah.
With this purpose in view, as soon
as Nanny had dressed her, late In
the afternoon, in the stiff white froch
and the red stockings and slippers
which finery was in honor of the re
turn of Aunt Eleanor--she slipped out
to her gate.post the warning of Nam
my Emily following her as she vent
Now. member, honeybabyl VOC
dasnt go outcn dis yarhd, an voc
keep dat Sunday dress spink-spank
clean! An doan yoo climb up nowhars
an tear hit!'
She got up very carefully to the
top OF the post and waited patient
ly, her little white skirt standing out
| like a tub about her.
After a while she saw him coming
| his eyes bent TO the wax. his hands
clasped behind him. walk g very slow
ly, as # in deep thought She climbed
down and stood very still in the shad'
ow of the post until he had passed
| then she took two quick steps and slid
/ her slim brown hand into one of his
/ and walked timidly beside him.
He clasped the warm little fingers
! tightly and smiled down at her. And
so they walked in silence up the
square, crossed over and came back
TO the steps of the great house. When
! they reached the veranda she sat down
! on the bench close beside him.
81 knew who you were, all the time,
she said shyly.
did your he asked, smiling at her.
"And who am |, White Bird?"
You are the Prince with the Iron
Mask, and will you please tell me how
long ago it was that you lost the
! Princcss?"
! lie looked at her thoughtfully and
| the smile had quite left his dark eyes
as he grew reminiscent and said soft
| ly: "Since-I lost--the Princess, 1t
| seems forever, dear--but by the calen.
dar Il has been ten years
"Oh, N.Y. breathcd the child. But
that is most rorever--ten years. And
don't you s'pose youll ever find her?"
There was half whimsical smile
about his lips now and his eyes were
on the white cherry trees in the or.
chard across the road.
The child felt that he had quite for
gotten her but she waited patiently.
Presently he answered.
"I-still hope | shall find her; that
is why ! came back" And his eyes
rested again on the swaying cherry
! boughs.
81 am going to help you" she said.
81 can because OF my Luck Stah"
"Your what?' he asked bringing his
eyes back TO the small person at his
side.
"MyLuck Stah, 'c8usen my harh Is
norburn Nanny Emily says | win
suah have good mck forever and ever.
And my Aunt Eleanor will, too. What
ever is ours is suah comm to us"
"Ah!" he said softly.
MY Aunt Eleanor is jes fine. What
ever you want she lets you have, IL il
isn't bad for you, and she doesn't care
a mite If you do climb trees
I'm going to help find the Princess
for you I've already found all hcJ
things in little trunk and her let
ters; but you must never tell! Cross
your heart, It's forever secret
Mebby ! will show you the letters
sometime-thcy are all tied up.
u wanted to read them mighty bad
but didn't even unite the ribbon.
I'm just suah wen find her. ] mus
go, There comes the carriage, and
OH my Aunt Eleanor is comm home
bringing my new doll with the open
andshut eyes | got to go"
And she slipped from the bench ant
ran with flying feet across the street
Later as he sat smoking in the twl
light, little white figure ran swiftly
, around the house, across the road ant
up the steps TO his side.
Held tightly to her bosom was
, package of letters Breathless, sh,
, dropped them into his lap.
, "Oh! | had such a time to ge
J them" she painted Nanny Emily
always botherin' round me | WASH
never, never goin' to tell anybody bu
/ seems as If you ought to have the lei
/ ters to help you find her P'r'aps wei
find her tomorrow. Some time II
5 brinh over my new doll; she's go
r open-and-shut eyes and truly eye
. lashes, not just painted on-she cer
: tainly is fne!" And she was gon
4 again, her tiny bare feet making n
sound
B He got up and took the package tie
! with the narrow white ribbon, and
/ going into the old library, stood looh
ing at it curiously In the gaslight.
b 81 should never have given then
= back he said softly "They wer
@ mine and ] might have had them al
!, these lonely years" He read the Lei
2. ters over, one by one, and the hear
r of the girl who wrote them was re
e yealed TO the man as II had not bee
4 to the boy.
I'VE were both so young he said
, so young-and so foolish IL thin
e | will not wait for tomorrow. / hay
y waited too long already. will try I
y find the Princess to-night--now."
e And he walked Quickly out of tn
:. house and across the street to tn