The Washington times., 1914-06-28

ions. Ne took out his handkerchief
and wil\ed the damp perspirltion
from his <orehead. The big burden
was off his mind. Whatever happen
ed in the fN.ure. they would never
be able to s\J him through his
heart. So muN for the folly of his
youth.
1t was 4 quarteS after 10. Miss
Susan Farlow had Just returned to
the reception room from her
nightly tour of the upper halls TO
see if all her charges were in bed
where the rules of the school con-
fined them after $50. 1t was at
this moment that she heard the
thunderous knocking at the door.
The old maid felt her heart stop
beating for a moment Who could
it be. at this time of night? Then
the thought came swiftly that per
haps the parent of some one of her
charges was i'll and this was the
summons. Stilling her fears. she
went resolutely to the door and
opened it
There was no one in sight.
who is it?" she called.
No one answered. She cupped
hear the Clatter of horses dimly.
Well" She exclaimed. rather
anCrily. too.
She was in the act of closing the
door when the light from the hall
discovered to her the bundle on
the steps. She stopped and touched
it
Good heavens; it's a childr'
She picked the bundle up. A
whimper came from il. a tired lit
tie whimper of protest She ran
back to the reception room. A
founding. And on her doorstep,
1t was incredible. What In the
Oh H.. n
create a scandal and hurt the pres
tiCe of the school. Some one had
mistaken her select private school
FOR a farmhouse. 1t was friGhtful.
Their she unwrapped the child. 1t
was about a year old. dimpled and
golden haired. A thumb was in its
rosebud mouth and its blue eyes
looked UP trustfully into her own.
Why, you cherub,' cried the old
maid, a strange turmoil IN her heart.
She caught the child to her breast,
and then for the first time noticed
the thick envelope pinned to the
chil6's cloak. She put the baby IN
to a chair and broke open the en-
velone
Name this child Florence Gray.
will send annually a liberal sum for
her support and reclaim her on her
eighteenth birthday. The other half
Of the inclosed bracelet viii. identity
me. Treat the girl well. for / shall
watch over her in secret
Into tia fixed routine 0f her hum
drum life had come a mystery, a
tantaliz'IIg. fascinating mystery.
She rad read of foundliags left on
doorstens-from paper covered novels
contisCatsd from ker puplls-but that
one shon be placed upon her own
respectable doorstep Suddenly she
smiled down at the child and the
child smiled back. And there Vas
nothing more to be done except to
bow hefr-e the DEGREES of fate. Like
Ill prir, old maids. her heart was
full of unreqUited romance, and
her. was something she might spend
its foods upon without let or hind
rance. Already she was hoping that
the man or woman who had left
& might never come back
The child grew. Regularly each
year, upon q certain date, Miss Far
low received = registered letter with
money. These letters came from all
parts of the world; always the same
sum always the same lIre-'I am
watching
Thus seventeen years passed, and
to Susan EarlOw each year seemed
shorter tnan the one before. Tor
she loved the child with all ner
heart She had not trained young
girls all these wears without becoin-
ing adeDt in the art of leading the
true Signs Of breeding. There was
no ordinary blood in Florence; the
fact was emphasized by ne exquisite
face. Re" small hands AMI feet, ner
spirit arG centleness. And now. at
any day, some one with a broken
brace!e; might come for her. As
the days went on the heart of Susan
Farlow grew heavy.
Never mind. aunty." said Flor
ence: Il shall always come back to
see YOU
She meant it, poor child: but how
was she to know the terrors which
lay yOnder. beyond the horizon?
The house Of Stanley Hargreave,
IN Ri"erdale, was the house of no
ordinary rich man. Outside Il was
simple enough, but within you learn
ed what kind OF a man Hargreave
was. There were rare Ispahans and
Saruks on the floors and tapestries