Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-02-19

aI know. Caroline intends to use
her own allowance, s'pose. Well, let
her think she will If twill please her.
But when it comes to the settlement
call on ME. Give her any reason you
want to. Say a-er-wealthy friend OF
the family come to life all at once and
couldn't sleep unless he paid the costs"
"But there isn't any such friend, Is
there, Captain Warrenf Other than
yourself, meant"
Captain Elisha grinned In apprecia-
ton of a private poke. "There is some
body else." he admitted, who'll pay q
share, anyhow. But, anyhow, you saw
wood or bones or whatever you have
to do, and leave the rest to me. And
don't tell Caroline or anybody else q
| word"
News from the Moriarty sick room
continued favorable for q time. Then
with alarming suddenness a change
came. The broken hip was mendine
slowly, but poor Pats age was against
him, and the shock and long Illness
were too much for his system to fight
DR.. Henry shook his head obviously
when the captain asked questions
And one morning at breakfast Edwards
informed him that the old man was
dead.
Captain Elisha, though not greatly
surprised, was shocked and grieved
1t seemed such q needless tragedy, al
most like murder, although there wai
no malice in 1t. And the thought Of the
fatherless children and the poverty Of
the stricken family made him shudder
But just before evening his b{uenest
had disappeared. He had just returned
to his room, after stepping into the hal
to drop his letter In the mail chute
when his niece knocked at the door.
captain Warren" she began hur
riedly, ''the last time came to you
the last time / came here, I came Il
ask favor, and you-I thought you
ayes, Caroline" he said gravely, y
know what you mean. Won't you
won't you sit DOWN."
captain Warren" she began once
| more, "the time / came to you In thii
room you were, SO I thought, unreason
able and unkind. ! asked you FOL
money to help a poor family In trou
BILE, and you refused to give 1t to me-"
"No, Caroline" he interrupted, y
didn't refuse: you only thought did"
She held up her hand. "Please LEI
me 20 on" she begged. II thought yot
refused, and I couldn't understand
why. I was hurt and angry. knew
that father never would have refuset
me under such circumstances, and yo1
were his brother. But since then, onl.
today, 1 have learned that ! was swrons
I have learned
She paused. The captain was silent
He was beginning to hope, to believe
once more In his judgment Of charac
ter. and yet with his hope and growing
Joy there was a tribe Of anxiety.
J II have learned" went on his niecs
'that / was mistaken. ! can't under
stand yet why you wished to watt be
fore saying yes but I do know that
must have been neither because yo'
were unkind nor ungenerous. ! hav'
tust come from those poor people, ant
they have told me everything"
Captain Elisha started. What dif
they tell your he asked quickly. "Wn'
told your y.
.Annie and her mother. They toll
me what you had done and were doin!
for them, how kind you had been a
through the illness and today. on,
know you made them promise not 9
tell me, and you made the doctor an'
nurse promise too. But knew SOM
one had helped, and Annie dropped
hint. Then I suspected, and now :
know. Those poor peopisF
The captain, who had been looking :
the floor and frowntnS . bit suddent
glanced up 70 ind his niaee's eyes ma.
upon him, and thsy wsre nnsd VII