The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1919-07-05
Fatefl
Ordeal
., odlaa Frances Psasss
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csDyr1Sht. 1913. By Western hsWseeb~ VssN'
II feel that l shall never come back.
Wade, and it's the thought OF the Ut
tie one that worries me-"
.IThrow the fret and anxiety COM
pletely of your mind. barlow. fou
are going to get well and strong up IN
the mountains"
"But II I should notf'
Faithfully ! shall carry our your
plans concerning little Juanita.
Thus had Paul barlow bound the
man he regarded as his dearest friend
to 4 secret compact and never was
weak, though well-meaning Morton
Wade more loyalty resolved.
II was In a city down the Chilean
coast that barlow, broken down In
spirits and health. was about to start
for an upland district where his ply
stefan said there was chance OF re-
building his shattered system. AZ
the disheartened man looked back
over I'VE years and its fateful awards
the future looked indeed bleak and un-
promising.
His story was a romance. Its pres
ent semblance fairly traglcal. He mad
left his aged mother in quiet little
Michigan town to try his fortune In
South America. He was all but
pledged. when he returned. to wed his
boyhood sweetheart. Clarissa Burn
ham. A year after his departure Clar-
lssa wrote him that his mother was
dead. Clarissa had nursed her pa
tlently. lovingly through two months
illness. barlow sent pathetic reply
full Of grateful expressions. but not
word of love for the famished. long
ing soul 10 true to him.
He had not forgotten her. but he had
become daxzled by q new flame. A
bright, flashing beauty Of his new en-
vironment. Inex Agnllar. had cap
dvated his senses and he had mar
ried her. When the intensity Of the
bexuilement had worn away and he
found himself bound to a fretful. ca
PRECIOUS invalid. he wrote to Clarissa
the truth. although his sense Of treach-
cry shamed him. Inex faded away.
leaving their little child, Juanita. to
his care. His own health broke down
and now he had placed over 5000 In
the hands Of Morton Wade. who. In
case barlow died, was to send 1t and
little Juanita to Clarissa Burnham.
Within q month there came word to
Wade that Darlow had persisted In
crossing dangerous rapids in the In
terioe. The news stunned Wade. He
had been disloyal to his trust. He
had employed the 5000 In a specula-
tion, feeling certain Of large profit.
Wade lost his Investment. and when
the call came to send Juanita to
Clarissa Burnham, he managed to
raise barely suficient to take her to
her new guardian. He wrote Miss
Burnham the truthful. peniten. story
Of his delinquency; condolences stricken,
reverted to strong drink to drown his
remorse. and one night was killed In
q gambling den.
False as Paul barlow had been to
her. she cherished the letter he had
written to her Immediately after the
death Of his wife. In that misslvs he
declared that all along he had loved
Clarissa only.
When the little child arrived. pa
tiently. lovingly Clarissa took upon
herself 4 new burden. The radiant
dreams Of her youth had been blighted,
but hers was one Of those natures In
capable of forgetfulness Of hrst.lovs
ideal.
/ Clarissa was dependent upon her
own efforts for her livelihood. and the
added care and expense Of little Juan
TIA strained her earning capacity to
the limit. She finally lost position
she had held for several years. on ac-
count of removal. Then she noticed
an advertisement from a widower.
Hector Blake. who offerd to pay lib
orally for the care of his two mother
less children.
Clarissa now devoted all her time to
care for the three children. Mr.. Blake.
who was an invalid. called once a
week and the solicitude Of Clarissa for
the welfare Of his children won his
gratitude. With the coming of win
ter he was preparing to remove South
nnd try to regain his broken health.
One day he came to Clarissa. seri-
Gus faced and earnest. Plainly he
told her that he was anxious to make
her his wife. He pleaded with her
to become mother to his little ones.
They would 20 South. he would make
over to her their home. and she could
take Juanita with them. For the sake
Of the child Clarissa consented.
Ono hour after she had accented
Hector Blake there was summons at
the door. and there In flesh and blood
stood Paul barlow. He had survived
extraordinary hardships and had
reached his native land rich man.
He poured out his soul to the agi-
tated woman. who had been so true
to him. Then Clarissa told him Of
her promise to Blake. Both were 10
tears, she stricken over the fact that