The Holbrook news., 1921-04-15
CHAPTER xIV-continued.

'The boy-stands before you"
 Since the old man snatched the pie ture the PearIhunter and the girl had been staring at each other. Events were happening, developments unfold ing, too fast for comprehension. The old man was staring at them both, from one to the other, as if unable to grasp a revelation that had been twen- ty years coming. He stretched up his hands at last to the young man, pulled his face down to him, gazed on it as at something of which he had long dreamed but never hoped to see {; turned back to the man on the floor,
 Martin Redmond, I'll requite the deed you've done, the one good deed of your evil life. The little girl I've raised as my own, the child of the good woman you cruelty killed, the child you deserted, your daughter stands before you"
 The girl recoiled in horror. The un- natural father strained his glazing eyes toward the daughter his thought had outraged; cry muttered up out of his chest and brought with it gush of froth and blood; he stiffened; his face frightened horribly; he fell heavy against the arms of the sheriH-deao.
 The girl turned away from the grue- some sight, stole a half faltering glance at the bewildered face of the Pearlhunter, threw herself down by the side of the couch and bowed her face upon the old mans bosom.
 "Unsay 1t, Daddyl Oh, Daddy. un- say it!"
 He softly stroked her hair with his great, gaunt hand.
 Its the truth. Dotty, and can't be unsaid. But you owe him no respect a parent only, never a father. He de serted you, and killed your mother in ways dnspeakable killed her-a woman of the high blood of the Dawns." He fumbled the picture up off his breast, held it before his face a moment, laid it back. "God!" he groaned. 1.-The ruin he wrought! For years | searched for her"-he spoke the name in reverence, 'and you. my son."
 His hand found its way back into the Pearlhunter's; his eyes strained hard toward the face bending over him.
 They seemed hungry to know many things-the twenty years of wander ing; the death of the woman of the picture; how the young man came to be just there; of his wounded arm. But with the steady courage of sol dier who knew the. end was near. he put them by, and dropped his eyes 70 the girls hair.
 Your grandfather Dotty, old God frey Dawn. cast your mother off when she married Martin Redmond. Alone. and dying in poverty and want, she sent for me at last" The girl was crying softly. He stopped. put his arm about her and drew her close. 'I had the privilege-and' honor-of mak- ing her last hours less terrible. She died without-seeing you. You were three years old when I gave up the search, left everything in the hands of my good friend. Judge Eskridge, and came up here to lose myself in these vast woods along the Wabash. a present from General Jackson"
 His eyes closed wearily. He lay so still, and the pallor on his face was so ghastly that the Pearlhunter bent anxiously over him. But the heavy lids presently unclosed; the voice. queer and hoarse from long disuse and noticeably growing weaker. fal- tered on.
 Seven yearsI It seems only this h4 hot Anl ;4 couldn't be. or Dotty wouldn't be the wonderful woman she has become, nor you, my son, the man you are-the man I was when l led Jackson's rangers. Hesper Dawn Red" the quavering voice hesitated, "No, no, let that name perish with his who disgraced 1t. The judge knows. Hesper Dawn; David Wulf Warbritton. Both of the high blood of the Dawns; your moth- ers both named Hesper Dawn. distant cousins, both the same name. and both of the same high blood. Neither need you be ashamed, my son, of your name of Warbritton. It has been more or less on the tongues of men since the brave days of Saxon Harold. Share your estate with Dotty.' It is in the will that you do so. and there's ample for you both. The judge will know"
 The Pearlhunter was on the point of mentioning the letter-the death | of the girls grandfather, his relenting his will. But the faltering voice left | him no opening.
 My son, you are man grown. but | you will not deny your father the heart hunger of twenty bitter years"
 His voice was fast failing; his eyes | strained hard to find the Pearlhunters | face, though he was bending low over | him. The young man read the mean ing, the twenty years of longing, in | the straining eyes. He knelt down and | laid his face against the old mans | cheek. An arm stole about his neck | and held him close.
 A long time the old man lay still, his right arm around the girl kneeling : 7. one side of the couch. his left arm around the man at the other. So still, so motionless he lay that the deep silence became burdened with a heavy fear. The sheriff at the foot of the couch bent forward The PearIhunter turned his face, looked and bowed his head. The girl raised her eyes. gazed intently at the placid features. threw herself across the motionless body and went aloud