Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-29
(Continued)

whisky in it, and it was put there by
Geraldine Benning!" The crackle in
Jean Stuart's voice became still more
crisp. She made Billy drunk, de-
| liberately to break his engagement
with you She sat in that chair at
four o'clock this morning, and con-
fessed it all, and Tommy Tinkle stood
over her and made her tell me! Now.
through her jealousy, she's lost both
| Billy and Tommy" Every line in her
face, every lash on her eyelids. every
hair on her head, showed that she
was glad of i'll
The effect on Tavy was magical;
at first, the incredulous horror of
what Geraldine had done; and then
the joyful realization that Billy had
not forfeited his second chance; and
then the. thought that she wanted
him! She looked toward the phone
but her father was already there,
and calling for Billy.
Yes, he was at home. and frantic
ally worried because Hal was missing.
| Would Billy come up to the enchant-
ed parlor, and take part in the fam
lily reunion? Would he! 1t seemed
almost no time until they heard a
whizzing noise far down the Drive,
and then he was therei
| Come in," invited Harrison Stuart
with queer sense upon him of play
ing master in, house where he had
small right.
1t was a very humble Billy, even
though very joyful one, who came
into the enchanted pink and gray
parlor, and a very surprised and
thankful one when he found that his
pledge was not considered broken.
I'm the happiest man alive" he
said with choking voice, as he stood,
his arm about Tavy. and saw that
there was nothing but affection for
| in hal
Shoulder to shoulder. Billy, side
by side!" encouraged Stuart. I'VE are
still on our way, and, when we reach
the end of our probation, We'll come
up here together and claim our re-
ward; not until then"
Jean Stuart turned to him in sur
prise, and her hands fluttered a little
way towards him, then she dropped
them at her side.
You're not going to stay?" she
asked. with a catch in her voice.
Not yet, jean" How straightly
his head was poised, with what pride
his shoulders were squared. II have
right to wear the name of Harrison
Stuart"
The lips of Jean twitched piteously,
but she looked at her daughter,
where Tavy stood by BiIly's chair,
and she conquered the great long
ing which welled up in her. 1t did
not seem possible that he should go,
now that he had come to her after
all these years; but Tavy must be
happy, and perhaps these two men
could fight out their long, hard bat
tie together better than they could
apart. Once more Jean Stuart took
up her privilege of solf-sacrifice; and
she put both her hands on her hus-
bands shoulders.
| nj hof uri1l ha
dear then it shall be as you say"
why, it won't be a separation,
Jean" He kissed her, and held her
at his side. I'VE are going to come
counting every evening, and We'll
show you what two fine young men
you have. Eth, Billy?
Billy shook hands with him. He
shook hands with everybody. He did
not feel much like talking just now,
| but he fairly ached to shake hands,
His good fortune was too overwhelm-
ing to be true, and it rather had the
effect of choking. him; and when
Mummy Stuart, patting his hand and
looking into his eyes with a fondness
which 1T was hard to have to conceal
said: You've been a good Billy to
him. Billy was compelled to hastily
excuse himself, and went into the din
ing-room alone, to inspect the gold
fish
What world of reminiscence there
was, by and by, when everybody was
Gained down, and they could talk
without emotion. Nearly everything
anybody said reminded somebody of
something which started. in a laugh
and might have ebbed in O. tear. ex-
cept that there were so many other
things to come; as for instance:
Now we can have Daddy at the
theater with us! Has he told you,
! Afltf1 anu h. l,s
under the balcony, with Billy's opera
glasses. and watch nothing but us
through the entire play?"
Then all that had to be told; and
how Billy had visited every Stuart
in the city before he found them;
and how Hal had made Billy describe
everything they wore and every article
in the room, after that first visit; and
how Billy had made fraudulent ex-
cuses to come again at first so he
| could tell Hal more about them and
then so he could see Tavy; and how
Hal had stood out in the cold rain and
watched the windows of the house in
pleasant old Vanheuster Square; and
the intricate schemes which had been
devised to get money to them; and
Billy's invention of the poor little
daughter who died so horribly in the
theater fire and an excited tumble of
many other thingsi OF course the
secret popped out about the house
which was being selected for the
| homecoming of the royal princess!
1t was not to be such gray day,
after all. The misty sky was clear
ing, as the sun came up, and the
river, which had been so black, was
dancing and glinting with countless
sparkling wavelets. The laugh of
| Tavy came back, and even Jean
laughed with a note in her voice which
had not been heard there for many,
many years; and the men raised in
spirits as they saw they had made
these two women happy once more.
But the two women, looking into each
others eyes, saw there what the men
could not see; the shadow of the spec
ter which was never to disappear!
By and by came an apple-faced
little German maid who slept out,
and her china-blue eyes widened in
astonishment, as she found there, so
early in the morning, dignified
elderly gentleman with a silver Van
dyke and waving white hair, and
Billy Lane! The sight of the china
eyed maid gave Mrs. Stuart a happy
idea. She suggested breakfast, and
her guests frightened visibly.
BY and by, again, there was a
strange moment, when these four sat
down to the table together for the
first time; but, in few minutes, they
were quite little family party, much
as if they had all belonged together