Year: 1870

found my child was cone, and q let
ter from her saying that she was
secretly married, and telling me the
rank and position of your son. 1
was as proud, sir, Of my good name
as you could be Of yours. I sbrank
from the idea that it should be said
that I had been a party to my child
taking in-I knew how the world
would put 1.-THE heir of rich and
| ancient family, and I wrote to say
that until you acknowledged the
marriage and approved Of it, would
not do so. Ny pride, sir, was less
deeply grounded than yours was.
Kate wrote to me from the south Of
France, where they had taken up
their residence, to say that you would
not rclent, and that they were pen
nlless. Now, sir, my pride urged
me to do the thing which it had be-
fore prevented my doing. I sold my
house and furniture-se1t every pen
ny to>them, and set to work with nv
own hands to support myself.


Hush, Sir John Barton-there are
no thanks, no acknowledgements
due. l did what I conceived 10 be
my duty; you did what you believ-
ed to be yours. Months after, a let
ter reached me from my dear child.
Her husbanCswas attacked with cho-
lera. She had a little girl, and had
EnO friend but myself She implOred
me to come out Fortunately 1 had
few pounds by me and I hurried
to Marseilles. I found Kate dying,
and that her husband had expired
three days before. She told me you
had been written for at the same
time with myself Ihave since heard
that you did not receive that letter
until week after. I closed my
dear child's eyes, laid her by the
side of her husband in the strangers
cemetery at Marseills, and then find
ing you did not come, and suppos-
ing you would not forgive, I took
the baby and came home TO Eagland.


Since then, sir, I have kept her
have brouget her up, I trust, kindly
and well. At first the nomad life I
led could do her no harm but as she
grew up 1 saw that it was for her
good that she should regain her lost
place in the world. I thought you
might grant the forgiveness to the
grandchild 1 believed you had re-
fused to the son. I came down here
and found that I had mistaken you
that it was only an unfortunate &C
cident which kept you from standing
beside your sons grave; and then I
was able to resign Kitty to you, Sc
cure, at least, of her future"


The baronet had listened deeply
moved; once or twice he had tried to
interfere, but the speaker had stop
ped him with a peremptory gesture.
When he ceased Sir John Barton
rose and took both the hands of the
other:


:" 1 have, as you supposed, long
mistaken you, as you have, with
greatly more reason, mistaken me.
Yours now is the triumph. Be gen.
erous, sir. You give up this child to
me-this child whom, much as I al
ready love, you must love far more.
AT least, share her with me. Make
this your home. My whole hope, my
whole aim in life, now is in the child
and her happiness. Stop and aid me
to bring her up"


4 thank you, sir" the ex-serge-
cant said; Il thank you from my
heatr, for feel that your invitation
is no idle compliment; but it is out
of the question. Your rank in life
is infinitely above mine; and I-yes,
1 am only too proud TO accept a posi-
tiOn like this.


"Your pride, then, is worse than
mine" the baronet said warmly. "I
am, acknowledge, a proud man; but
l am not too proud to feel without
bitterness that my son was suppor-
ted by your generosity, that your
hand laid him in the grave, that you
have brought up his child. Think
you that l, a rich man with no means
| of spending my wealth, can ever re-
pay such obligations as these 7? Do
you think that sharing this home
with you could ever make me feel
that my debt was conceled ? Viii
you 90 away from her, and take from
her the friend who has heretofore
been father to her Sir, you have
thought me proud; what is my pride
to yours =?


The old soldier was evidently
moved with the address and at the
extreme earnestness and sincerity
with which it was spoken. The ba.
ronet saw his advantage and rang
the bell:


Send Miss Barton here"


There was silence until Kitty en-
tered. With cry of joy she ran up
to the old soldier.


"Oh, grandpa, grandpa am so
glad /! Kiss Kitty I am so happy
| New grandpa so kind to Kitty; but
me want cid grandpa, to"


He won't stay with YOU, Kitty
the barOnet said: '.he wants to 90
away, instead Of living here with Us.
Come, sir" he said, "give way, for
the sake of our dear child. This
house is large enough for Us both.
You shall have your own apartments,
where Kitty can spend a part of the
day with you. You can live the Life
Of a hermit there, if you like, and
can join us here when you like.
Nothing 1 can do for you can ever
make me otherwise than deeply your
debtor Surely the house is large
enough to hold Kitty two grandpas,
eh, Kitty? Tell him so.


Kitty, who was nestled in her old
grandpa's arms now whispered to
him.


Naughty grandpa, why you want
TO 90 away and make me cry -? Me
love you: why you 60 away from
Kitty p


And so the ex-sergeant gave in.
For a time he went away, and then
came back and took up his residence
he said at first temporarily, but he
never left it-at the Hall. At first
he kept to the suite of apartments
appropriated to him; but gradually
he responded to the heartiness Of
the barOnet's manner, and became
his permanent guest; and none of
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