Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-03-10

ming In his mind.
CHAPTER TX.
Pegs Future.
~ NE day the chance Of solving the
whole difficulty q, of Pes gcaf future
hands. But the means were so
distasteful to him that he hesitated
about even telling her
He came in unexpectedly in the early
afternoon Of that day and found let
ter waiting for him with an English
postmark. Peg had eyed it curiously
off and on for hours. She had turned
it over and over in her fingers and
looked at the curious, angular writing
and felt little cold SILVER run up and
down her as she found herself wonder
ing who could be writing to her father
from England.
When O'Connell walked in and pick
ed the letter up she watched him ex-
citedly. She felt, for some strange rea-
son, that they were going to reach
crisis in their lives when the seal was
broken and the contents disclosed.
Superstition was strong in Peg. and all
that day she had been nervous without
reason and excited without cause.
O'Connell read the letter through
| twice, slowly the first time, quickly the
second. A look of bewilderment came
across his face as he sat down and
Ic,Ao lot
"Who is it from at all?" asked Peg
| very quietly, though she was trembling
all through her body.
Her father said nothing.
Presently he read it through again.
tits from England, father, isn't it?'
queried Peg. pale as ghost.
eyes, Peg" answered her father, and
his voice sounded hollow and spirit
less.
II didn't know We had friends in Eng
land" said Peg. eying the letter.
II haven't" replied her father.
Then who is it from?'' insisted Peg,
now all Impotence and with a strange
fear Juggling at her heart.
O'Connell looked up at her as she
stood there staring down at him. her
big eyes wide open and her lips part
ed. He took both of her hands in one
Of his and held them all crushed to-
gether for what seemed to Peg to be
long, long while. She hardly breath.
ed. She knew something was going
to happen to them both.
At last O'Connell spoke, and his voice
trembled and broke:
"Peg, do We remember one mornin',
years an years ago, when I was 60
in to speak in County Mayo. an we
started in the cart at dawn, an we
thraveled for miles an miles, an we
came to a great big crossin' where
the roads divided an there was no
signpost, an we asked each other
which one we should take, an we
couldn't make up our minds, an l left
it to you, an We picked road, an it
brought us out safe and thrue at the
spot we were maxim for? Do you re-
member it. Peep"
Faith l do, father. l remember it
we'll. Ye called me yer little guide
and said ye'd follow my road the rest
of yer life. An it's many's the laugh
we had when I'd take We wrong some
times afterward." She paused. "What
makes ye think Of that just now, IA
tber?'
He did not answer.
els it on account O. that letther?" she
persisted.
1T IS, Peg" He spoke with difficult
tv. as If the words hurt him to speak.
We've got to great big crossin'
place again where the roads branch
Off, an l don't know which one to
take"
Are We goin' to lave it to me again,
father?" said Peg.
''That's what l can't make up me
mind about, dear, for it may be that
yell 60 down one road and me dovr
the other.''
mo, father Peg cried passionately
that we won't. Whatever the road
We'll thravel it together"
"1'll think it out by meself, Peg
Lave me for awhile-alone. I want tc
think it out by meself-alone."
IF it's separation ye're thinkin' OF
make up yer mind to one thing-that
I'll never lave you. Never!'
take Michael out for a spell and
come back in half an hour, and in the
meanwhile I'll bate it all out in me
mind"
She bent down and Strengthened the
burrows in his forehead with the tips
Of her fingers and kissed him and the1
whistled to the wistful Michael, ant
together they went running down thu
street toward the little patch Of greer
where the children played and among
whom Michael was a prime favorite.
Sitting. his head in his hands, hi.
eyes staring into the. past, O'Connel
was facing the second great TRACED,
Of his life.
While O'Connell sat there in that lit
tie room In New York trying to decide
Pegs fate man who had playe,
some considerable part in O'Connelr.
life lay in splendidly furnished room
In a mansion in the west end of Lon
don-dying.
Nathaniel Kingsnorth's twenty years
OF loneliness and desolation were com