Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-21

busy preparing for her orphan visitor.
There was a small bed to drag down
from the attic and place beside her
own. and It had to be made up with
all the miniature bedclothing which
she had used as a child. There were
old fashioned dolls and other toys to
be resurrected from hair trunks and
brushed and reburnished. and there
was a batch of delicious ginger cookies
to be made 80 that she might fashion
a dozen gingerbread men and elephants
with currant eyes for the delectation
OF little Bessie.
At last when all was in readiness
and the little girl had been happily
transferred to the phaeton and allowed
to drive the gentle pony home there
was never such unalloyed bliss as
shone in the faces Of Miss Belinda and
her little orphan. The child loved M ISIS
Belinda and chung to her with affec-
don when she had a chance. and Miss
Belinda was almost ashamed OF the op-
portunities she afforded Bessie for
showing her affection.
ut certainly can't harm anybody TO
enjoy being loved" protested Miss Be
linda to her sterner self as she brush
ed away a tear.
lis you crying. Miss LindaT" asked
Bessie wistfully.
Just a teenty bit. dear. because you
love me so much" smiled Belinda.
bending to kiss her charge.
81 smile when you love me-" con-
fided Bessie 1T makes me feel 30
good here" She placed a tiny hand
on her heart. Miss Belinda kissed her
again.
That happened after Bessie had been
there three months. The adoption
papers had all been made out and
filed and Bessie Carson had become
Bessie Downs when one afternoon the
gate latch clicked sharply, and a tall
man strobe up the path and looked
strangely down at little Bessie play
with her dolls at Miss Belinda's feet
From her chair on the veranda Miss
Belinda arose with a sinking feeling
at her heart This man was not from
the home. although there was a
strange familiarity in his tall, lean
figure, his tanned cheeks. with the
firm, beardless lips and chin. He did
not look at Miss Belinda, but he push.
ed back his hat and held out his
hands to little Bessie.
"Bess! Darling little Bess! Don't
you know daddyY'' be asked hoarsely.
With a startled cry the child looked
at him earnestly and then ran straight
to his arms with the unfailing instinct
Of the child for its parent.
Then the man looked up and saw
Miss Belinda standing, white and
shaking. before him. I'm sorry.
ma'am. but it's my little girl. and
Mercy! Linda Downs. what are you
doing here with my BessieY'
In the long. cool twilight there was
time to relate how James Stearns had
married the girl he had been engaged
to when Belinda Downs met him In
the west so many years ago and they
had both fallen in love In spite of
his previous engagement, but he bad
been true to his promise and married
the girl who had been Bessie's moth.
er; how one of the devastating foods
of the west had separated the little
family for months. and at last the
wife and child had gone east in the
hope Of finding some of Mrs. Stearns
relatives. She had been taken Ill In
New York. registered by mistake IN
der the name Of Carson. had died ana
left the homeless little Bessie to the
care Of stranger hands.
In the meantime the distracted ia
Their had been hunting high and low
for his family. He had traced them
to New York. had proof of his wife's
death and now had come to Little
River to find that an all wise Provi-
dence had brought his little daughter
into the empty. longing arms of ths
one woman In the world who could be
his wife now.
When Emeline Brown heard of 10
she chuckled audfbly. Don't never
sniff at orphans again. Belinda |
Downs" she admonished the bride. |
you're under a debt of gratitude to
me for pressing of you to take one"
But Belinda and her orphan--or.
phaned no longer-smiled contentedly
at the man they both loved best In the |
unrld