The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1910-01-28
BEL AIR. ND, FRIDAY MORNING, JAN 20, 1910

den.
After all my care. JOSIE" muir.
INJURED the elderly Miss Snowdcn--
after | had taught you how erii men
are!"
WAS Il really 30 awruly" The girl
looked up penslveiy. Every one
thought 80. hut II seemed all right.
"Josie!" the elderly Miss Snowden
calculated In shrill horror. Her hand
grew rigid upon the girls head.
Years before there had been Il wed.
ding under Miss Snowden's roof. Then
had come II baby girl and. the mother
being In delicate health. Miss Snowden
had the entire care Of the child. She
used TO battle her and dress her. put
her to bed at night and lilo with her
till she went to sleep. The girl baby
Ind grown TO be girl when the young
husband ind fnthrr, who was soldier
IN the service Of the United States,
sailed for the other side OF tho globe
with his regiment and remained away
n long while.
But the time came when he became
impatient that he heard nothlng OF his
wife and child. lie sent u trusted
messenger. who In due time returned
with the news that they were both
dend. lie mourned for them and
| when he was ordered home with his
command naturally sought the place
where lie hnd left them u was
risky game Miss Snowdcn. who had
sent back the report that his wife nnd
child were dend. was playing Aud
now she had come to the end OF pass.
able deception.
Some one was coming up the path.
A man.
lie wns opening tho gate.
ITS he!" gasped tho girl, rising In
dlsmay.
She fled toward the house. leaving
Miss Snowden to face the enemy.
lie came leisurely up tho path. stop
ping now and then to caress n peouy
In u reminiscent way.
"Wcll. sir. How dare you come
hercf" rang out the challenge from
the rocking chair aud brought him to
| u halt At the bonny brlcr.
II am looking for the parent OF n
Miss rnyson," he said quietly. "one of
the young ladies who graduated from
the high school i0dny. am Colonel
Robert l., I'ayson. May | nsk whom
am addressing"
II refuse to answer. SIR respond
ed the elderly Miss snowden hcsitat-
ingly. Your presence IL m Intrusion
"a great Intrusion"
He bent his head slightly aud lis
tened TO the voice rather than the
words.
II know your voice" he snld slowly.
1T seems connected with something
very distnstefui. hut | cannot place
you"
lie stood In profound thought for II
moment.
The reason l called" he said DELHI
| erntely, "ls rather curious. Eleven
yeurs ngO | went TO the Philippines.
leaving II wife and four. yenrold
girl. They were to follow when the
country became settled. News reach
cd me year Inter that they had died.
Little Miss l'ayson looked NJ much
like my wife Ia her girlhOOd TINT 1t
it-wcll. illlcd me with wild. unren
sonnblc hope TINT perhaps there hud
been some mistake"
Miss Snowden preserved II vcnomous
silence.
These peonles. the honcysuckie. the
wlstnrin," he murmured, moving about
tho garden. nil speak 10 strongly of
my wife that II seems to me she must
| DO here"
Miss Sn0wden's niece ca me down the
walk from the house. Behind her.
clnspIng her han |. was slender little
| woman.
| Miss Sn0wden. hearing the steps ON
the pntb, turned stared hrlplessly aud
| heightened IA, ia her rHkrr
| bessie, hi'"i'i you Any more
prlde;" she cried Shrilly. Think, he
never wrote when you w"r" nearly
dead. Think Of the report ls c"rr"rnl
brought me. Think Of his not cunning
home for nll these years ThInk "f
his never answering your l"it"rs"'
| The colonel durtcd forward NJ til"
pnth
Miss Snowden flashed past. pale with
niger and venom and fear.
| Inside the house she hurried To the
big old fashioned Ii"hrii. Irk"d The
doors mud from NJ ,urlnard drew
forth II packet OF letters aud threw
them into tn" range.
| "Thcy'll never know" III" muii"r,"'.
| staring nj III" packet. feeling Vaguely
the shadows OF coming dissolution and
isolation creeping upon her with" the
| vicious Jealousy OF years. burned and
llnncd In her heart.
| There wnE n gentle knock on til"
| kitchen door ufter the knob had been
turned. Sl" did not heed.
| "Thry'vr told rlcli other" she inui.
tered. and now they know TINT did
II. lie Ind no right 10 take her from
me. I wnS 10 nlonc,"
Sh" snt In the kitchen chuIr and
stared into the future
| Aud whnt did sie see? For herself
| n lonely old ngr i'nbit cred by re-.
morse. for her niece life for II few
| years with her reunited parents IN the
nrmy post. then love. then marriage
with II young officer and II group ot
rosy checked. bright eyed children
springIng up about her. Then she Nh ".
ut II did not enable her 10 throw IN
her selfish regret. TINT the others gnin
was her lUss. for II selfish nntur" cnn-
not become II generous one. CO.O:.ei
I'aysOn md his wife left the cause OF
| that nm f.rsaI aanu rn linn Wlfhnut no.