Bisbee daily review., 1913-09-26

his death stood open mouthed with surprise and shame at my care
 less forgetfulness. and stared at her.
 What is it?" she asked. instantly noting my amaze
 "I am a fool. madam. laundering
 fool" said '. drawing forth the paper
 "here is letter addressed to you
 which 1 should have delivered at
 once" continued, extending if toward
 her.
 She tore open the envelope as she
 spoke and drew forth a letter. un- | folded it and there dropped from it a
 little piece of parchment which in
 stantly picked up and extended 10 her | but she was SO engrossed in The letter i that she did not see my action and paid no attention to my outstretched hand
 looked at the parchment [ held Tn
 my hand IL was evidently the half of larger sheet which had been torn
 in two. The right half wns in my | possession A glance showed me that
 it was a part of rudely drawn map.
 apparently of sn island, although lack
 ing the other half of that could not | be quite certain. it was icttered in | characters which were very old and
 quaint. and some figures in the upper | left hand corner gave a latitude. The
 outlines Of the map and the letters
 and figures were all very dim and | faded.
 My lady's letter was a short one. for ' she looked up from il presently, her | eyes filled with tears. the first I had ! seen there, and for that reason 1 was l glad she should enjoy this relief. suppose the fact that she was so alone 1 and had no one else induced her to l confde in me. At any rate she extend ! ed the paper 10 me
 Read it." she said. Iris my ia
 ther's last word to me" | took it from her. and this Is what read:
 ! afy Dear Lucy-As an ancient king ef | France once said "Eyerything is lost but | honor" and that trembles in the balance | I have speculated. gambled. tempted for | tune. first because 1 loved 1t and at last i hoping to win for you. But everything l has gone wrong You are penniless Even | your mothers fortune. of which she fool | ishly made me trustee. has followed my ! own. Master FiclSlin may save some | thing from the wreck. I hope SO l can ! do no more. and perhaps-nay. certainly | the best thing can do for you Is to leave you. May God help you since l cannot ! Your shaIned and unhappy father. GEOFFREY WILBERFORCE | Post scriptum.-The last thing that 1 possess IS this scrap of parchment. It l has been handed down from father to son | for five generations. The tradition of i, | Is lost. but there has always been at i tached 10 it a singular value. Perhaps ! some day the missing part may turn up Al any rate, of all that 1 once had this is ] what is left Should you marry and have | children pass it to them A foolish re- | quest. but am moved to make lt as my father made it 10 me. C. W. l l read it slowly. IL was not a brave
 mans letter. Liked Sir Godfrey less | then than ever before Some of the 1 ancient awe and reverence I felt for the family went out of my heart then. Here" said l. "is the incloSure tC which your father refers" She took 1t .iistlessly, but as her | glance fell upon it her face frightened
 Why" she exclaimed. brushing aside
 her tears. ''l have the other half Ii came 10 me from my mother. When
 she died, five years ago she gave it to me with much the same account as my father gives ] have never shown it
 Co any one-never mentioned it even.'' Why nOt:" l asked.
 ''I scarcely know It was valueless.
 attached no special importance to it But now. now'-
 'lt is a miracle" I said. that the two pieces should have come together in your hands"
 'I don't yet understand what 1t al. means" she said. 'aDut"-
 Meanwhile" said |. may respect
 fully suggest that you get the other piece and let me look at it."
 Your she flashed out in one of
 those sudden changes of mood. some
 times so delightful and sometimes the
 reverse.
 'I am seafaring man. as you know,
 mistress" said humbly. "and I am accustomed to study mans and charts