Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-14

There raj color in her aunt's face,
there was life in her eyes.
IL thought o would be utterly
crushed, Aunt Rena," she murmured.
Crushed? All. I am not happy. I
can never be happy, my child. But my
mind is at rest. My boy is not wan
dering. He is in heaven. Yes, in
heaven. for his mothers prayers ut
tered all through the days of his life
cannot have been without avail in tho
hour that he stood before his Maker,
so suddenly called, SO miserably unpre-
pared. God must have kept account Of
all my prayers. Chetwynd did not go
before Him unheralded. unrepresented.
a mothers love had spoken for him
through all the years,-eve through
those evil years when he was not what
he should have been. And God kept a
record of my prayers. Chetwynd is
with God today. Something deep IN
my soul tells me this. I know it. His
sins were Paid for in fun dur,
agony while he was falling to the
rocks. Did not Eric hear his single
cry to God? That one word-God'-
That was his prayer, and his salvation.
In h 18th hour, If we ask we shall
receive. In the final second of life,
Gods name is our refuge, our hope.
llC p1dyco ~ LOU IN lEdL SWlIC descent.
IN the half second Of life left to him.
No, Mary, he is not out there in the
liant He Is with Christ in-Ah,
my dear, you cannot understand! You
do not see 1T as l see it. But how can
your"
A smile Of ineffable sweetness illum-
mated her eyes.
TRY to love me, dear. That's all I
ask now" she went on. II am not
asking you to forgive Chetwynd. You
have nothing to cherish in the memory
OF your cousin. l do not expect that
Of you"
He hated Eric and me-" was all that
Mary could say She felt as though
she had committed a crime, the instant
the words were out.
Blagden. with a SILVER. How sweet.
how gentle, how tender is that other
Word-love! Come, | want you to draw
up a chair beside. We will watch for
the return Of your uncle and Eric. He
has gone out to find Eric. to bring him
back here before he can do anything
rash. See! / shall be sitting here in
the window where he can see me as
he comes up the walk. He is to be
our boy now
Mary burst into tears. The prom
Use Of mercy in that brief but signi-
ficant sentence was more than she
could nave hoped for. Eric was safe!
The Blagdens were great, after all!
Mrs. Blagden's voice, when she
spoke again after Mary's outburst vas
over, was strangely dull and l~istless.
"How long it his been. 1t seems to
me that l AVE sat in these windows
for centuries. waiting, watching, al
most dreading. And oh, the fear Of
Adam Carr! The fear of a blood
hound!"
Don't. Aunt Rena, please don't
think about it," came in choked tones
from Mary.
time, her far-away gaze resting on
the rim Of blue sky that topped the
trees.
II hope you uncle is not too late"
she said, a sudden WEAKNESS in her
manner.
Mary sprang to her feet. The
thought that had been lying dormant
in her mind all morning revived with
startling force.
Eric may have gone first to Mrs.
Payson's house," she said rapidly. He
tried to find John Payson last night. 1t
was to see about arranging a bond Of
some sort. Perhaps he is there now"
Blagden, her face s%tiffening. why
should he ask anything OF that MANI"
A lump rose in Mary's throat. She
saw red for an instant.
Because he needs q strong, true
friend. Aunt Rena,' she said.
II should think he'd had enough of
Adam Carr" said the other, with a
world Of meaning in her manner.
:! know what you mean," said Mary
patiently. But it isn't true-it isn't
true. Aunt Rena."
Your uncle says"
Il know what he thinks, If not what
he says. Uncle Horace is wrong. But
even If he is right, why should it mat
ter? John Payson can't help who and
what he is. The same God who made
all of us made him also. He is what
God made him, not what Uncle Horace
and other try to
Hush, Mary. Do not say anything
more. I should not have spoken as I
did. It was the old rancor cropping
out. Your uncle, good a that he is,
bears 10 i'll will toward Jack Payson
now. He said as much last night in
this very room. All, what a change
has come over Horace Blagden!"
She unconsc1ously gave expression
to the great wonder that had been
growing in her for days.
when you are married to him.
went on Mrs. Blagden, I'VE shall be
glad to receive him as our nephew,
not as we were"
Mary joyously.
D not speak for Jack Payson. my
DEAR" said the older calmly.
Let him do that for himself"
s 81 sE <r0o<fo,So5 -a-% 1p~~te Ef4H