The daily morning oasis., 1918-02-17

was well and strong enough to venture
on her homeward journey. Alas! This
sympathetic lingering on her part cost
her her life. A fire broke out in the
hotel where they all were staying, and
when Melville, who was away at the
time in his eternal search after amuse-
ment, returned to the charred ruins, it
was to find only one remaining of the
little group he had left in health, if not
happiness, few days before, and this an
infant, who, by strange freak of fate,
or possibly, through the last effort of
one who could not save herself, had
been found lying naked but unharmed
on a pile of tossed-out clothing in an
inner court. This infant, who, as you
probably judge, was Coralie, Melville
instantly declared to be his, although,
as he afterwards acknowledged, he had
never seen any difference in the babies,
and always had been obliged to ask
which was his when he saw the two
together. His reasons for this claim
were seemingly good, and no one thought
of disputing them. An article of his
wife's was found in the gallery above,
where so many flying souls had sue
cumbed to the devouring flames, while
Helena, who had not got so far, and who
had been recognized by the ring she
wore, had been discovered with baby
clasped close to her breast, whom no
one thought of denying to be her own,
until l arrived in San Francisco and
saw the surviving infant. And why
could I dispute it then? Because on
it's little arm was the scar of a deep
scratch, which my wife had mentioned
in letter could show as having
been mark identifying her own child
from that of her sisters, whom, other
wise, she resembled Do you wonder
that l regard this little defect in Coralie
with the fondest love? Had it not been
for this Distinguishing mark and the
letter which described it, my brother
in-law would have maintained his
claim, and l could never have said him
nay. So now you understand why
l saw that this little scar was the means
of securin to me this child. And must
l lose her now? Advise me, Miss Ladd.
You have nursed many persons SEEM
ingly as near deaths door as my little
Coralie. How shall we save her?
doctor says this. What means are left
to us, them"
"May l be allowed to make a sug-
SCoOlOu! DlOhC III WHOily uhCAPOO0Co
voice from the other end of the room.
1t was Mr.. Melvilles voice-the
voice of the man Mr. Cassetty had
rather freely criticised When had he
entered? How l)ng had he been there,
and how had he enjoyed this raking up
of old griefs, to say nothing of the
pointed illusions to himself. I'M
possible to say; his manner Us well as his
tone was simply courteous.
~ have been anxious to speak for
some time," he suavely continued,
coming slowly forward. "Coralie needs
a shock-a pleasant shock, of course.
Shall l suggest means of giving it to
herr"
He was now in the broad belt Of
sunshine pouring in at the east window.
1t had been my good fortune to come
upon him once, if not twice, every day
during my weeks stay in this house, but
never had l chanced to encounter him
when his features looked handsomer or
his bearing more distinguished than at
this embarrassing moment. His smile,
too, was like the sunshine he was
himself bathed in, and if he had been
affected by his brother-in-law's descrip-
ton of his unsympathetic character, he
certainly did not show it. In fact, he
seemed too bent upon presenting to us