St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-09-11

I QuICk6uSu LNnOTSS IUOFSIu2HIs ne
would not d the memory of those
past days Ike possession of his
mind
When with a half mile of the vii
lage he reach a road leading direct
ly to the rive The thought came to
| him that the would be some Inter
est in seeingA river at nearer range.
He turned hiAorse in that direction.
He rode Slow taking in the breadth
of landscape iefore him. Suddenly
child's cry coke the stiffness. Les
ter looked aroad. At the side of the
road sat chi. a girl of four or five
years. She w holding one foot in
both her smalhands.
"Hello!" exoimed Lester, jumping
from his horse''What is the matter
little one?"
The little cid looked up at him.
MY foot, 1t huB" There was fresh
burst of tears. And I'm lost. ! want
to go back"
Lester bent yer her. She was
beautiful little Feature. She had a
profusion Of bywn wavy hair and
great gray eslhaded by thick dark
lashes.
She cried SOFT as Lester examined
her foot. She ad evidently turned
her ankle violetay in walking over
the rough stonesaf the road.
Where do yq liver asked Les
ter. Don't cry, I'll take you home"
Don't live herewe're at the hotel"
She stopped crypg, and looked at
Lester with the onfidence which the
glance of his eye and his smile al
ways won for him
"At the hotel? Well, my horse will
take us there veF soon." He lifted
her in his arms, md placing her on
his saddle, sprans up behind her.
"She belongs, no 6ubt, to those peo-
pie that Morris san are staying over
on account of the lood," he thought.
The little girl laned against him
comfortably. Leste chatted gayly
to her, and soon she was laughing
merrily. Her name was Dolly, she
told him, and she had run away be-
cause she wanted to see the river.
By the time they reached the vii
lage and were riding. up to the hotel,
she seemed to have forgotten the pain
in her foot. The streetseemed deserted
and there was no one visible about
the hotel except a young woman stand
ing on the Veranda which ran around
the building. Dolly called out as she
say her: Here l am! Here I ami"
The young woman screamed and
ran down to the road.
"Oh, Dolly, Dolly, you naughty
child"
Then as Lester drew rein, she saw
his face. "You, joint"
Lester had turned white to the lips.
els this your child?" he asked, his
voice sharp.
He had dismounted and held the
child in his arms. my child" she
returned, impetuously. mo, John, I
am not married. No" as Lester
made a movement toward her. Mat
tiers are unchanged but l am going
to tell you what would not before,
because / did not want to appear as
trying to influence you to accept your
stepmother. She-is my sister. She
was married to your father while
was at France in school, / did not
know for some time after / met you
that you were her stepson. When it
was known to mel decided not to
you. But now-well, Dolly Is
your stepsister. She was left with
me this morning while your father
and my sister went for drive with
another member of our party. Sud
denly she was missed-oh, | was so
frightened-your father adores her,
and if anything had happened to her
and, oh, John, to think that you
found her!"
Lester had stood rigid and white
during this explanation, his eyes on
the sweet face of the speaker.
Now he folded the little girl closely
in his arms and rested his cheek
against hers.
Il have been fool" he said, terse-
ly. "I'll tell my father and your sis
ter so. is she as sweet as you, Alice?"
Much nicer than /. Oh, John, your
father will be SO happy to have you
back"
And you, Alice? viii you have me
now?
Yes, John"
Lester laughed happily. ST must
carry Dolly in. Her foot must be at
tended to. She has hurt it."
Dolly seemed to thoroughly under
stand all that had been said. She
put her arms around Testers neck.
1 am glad that you are my broth
err" she said.