| Show k am M A I 1 1 er JOHN B BURT JL A V UPHAM OL by FREDERICK AM ADAMS m io author of f the th 1 colonel mobert doctrine etc 1 ar BY T all all BY BT hii I 1 reserved IA A J DISMAL Sli CHAPTER continued you ere are very good to come at this hour allour the 8 er said 1 I inoke to you this evening of 0 my dear friend from Call california fornia alas garden carden allow meto me to present him iod god bless you both and thus A the hey met alter after the tha weary night flight years tenderly laying blake back on the pillows john I 1 clasped jessies hands and looked in her face john I 1 jessie I 1 talie take her in your arms john jabal I 1 dont mind me sho she loves lovea ills his voice died with a whisper and with a long draw draun n sigh nigh he closed his eyes I 1 lies hes dying call the doctor exclaimed jessie tear fear and pity chasing the love ight from her eyes dont tend bend for or him im all right now pleaded blake opening his hi eyes let me lie ile here and talk to you tho the sight ol of you yon tools two la better than all the drugs or instruments I 1 have something to tell you miss carden I 1 you promised not to talk interrupted john hurt burt with a look at blake blitch had all the effect of 0 a command let me say just jual a word he exclaimed c to seo see you two together and to hold bold your hands in mine after all that has bag happened gives me now new courage ind and renewed ambition the subdued sound round of conversation came from the adjoining room all or of blakes Bl alies faculties seemed abnormally acute Is not that editha voice ho he asked ached I 1 she Is in the other room said jessie let her come in pleaded blake john made a gesture of disapproval 1 I should like to seo iee her but you know best I 1 suppose john ho be said dr harkness entered the room and signaled to john that the interview must end blake gallantly raised jessies hand to his lips goodbye until im better he said almost gaily you and john have saved my life john escorted jessie to the door whispered a lew few words and returned to blakes side youre a god john said blake ro in a low tone you are the only man in the world worthy the love ot of itch a woman it Is merciful to braw the curtain dver the th two hours which followed at last a moment colne when aben tho the grave arrive face ace ot of dr harkness was touched with a smile of professional I 1 pride its as he diew front from an luci blon a flattened jagged piece of lead tile the patient glanced ht alt it with mith pain dis ported eyes and then sank bank into a Il leep the awakening from which meant so much in deciding for ufa life tir or death CHAPTER the end peter burt stood by the gateway and shaded his eyes with his hand as s he gazed down the road two to weeks before that day he be had received his first letter from john it briefly and modestly recited the story of his struggles and of his success and nu ended with an account of the tragedy which resulted in tho the death of it arthur morris and the wounding arf t blake the old fashioned clock bad sound did d the midday hour and peter burt looked beyond the turn of the road where the ol of dust had bad dulled the tha green of 0 tollage foliage responding to the touch of a whip a spirited team feam of horses dashed ahead as they reached the summit of the hill san sam rounds was driving and a 11 tt tra ranger nger to peter sari was beside tim john burt and jessie were in tit the rear seat beat I 1 I 1 god Is very good to us ui john said fleter burt as he took his grandsons barid and looked through glad tears 1 alto ito hla his face his stern old lace face krew grew 1 ender its as he turned to jessie carden an old mans blessing blessin on n your pretty head bend he said gently touching tie the folds of her hair with his huge falm you are very beautiful my ay lauchter lau liter and it Is gods will that you ishall be happy I 1 am glad to see you ou again samuel ile he looked searchingly at the silent man in the front seat scat 1 I do not know you sir lie ho said extending his big hand band but any friend of my grandsons Is welcome to such hospitality as a burt can otter offer aye aye sir captain burt my names flaw hawkens kine john hawkins hawkens an and d im coming ashore said the gentleman stepping from the carriage peter burt grasped him by the shoulders and stared into hla big face jack hawkins jack hawkins of the the dead to life and god la Is good to his servant forgive me hawkins as he has forgiven me nothing to forgive captain burt exclaimed jonn john hawkins heartily as he be grasped the patriarchs hand band you dropped me oft off the in the he right place and at the right time destiny orders all these things an and d old destiny and I 1 are arc chums ill lell 1011 you all about it captain durt burt aben ben we have lots lota of 0 time LIDI ea arm in a rat itie old captain and andhiv lits first mate entered the wide it door ear of the burt burl farmhouse never ila had the great oaken table upheld such much a dinner mrs birs jasper iso as temporarily supplanted hy by a ceef from boston rare nare old plate came caino for th I 1 first drat time in johns ie i collection from mysterious chests blared away in the little attic those who surrounded the board never will ill forget the invocation offered by peter purt A when hen he be blessed the food the shadows which darkened his life ikc had bad all been lifted and the austere loud cloud passed front romols his features as tog before a quickening kate kale 0 0 0 0 in a now coat of paint the standish sh bobbed at the landing landin 9 when john helped jessie on board they had accepted sam rounds invitation vi to a clant clambake bale at Chur chills grove and sam asked all hla his old friends ann ana neighbors for the first time in the memory of the living gen aeration petr peter burt burl attended an outing under the giant pines he sat eat with john hawking and told and listened to tales ot of the sea the Stand lili ch pointed her bow out towards minors light and picked her way between threatening rocks under the shadow of black reft reel job john n dropped the anchor and watched the line until it became taut as the incoming title tide swept them near the rocks kocl s above hla his head he could see the spot m where here he had knelt re as a hoy boy and listened to peter burt whilo he prayed to the god who nho ruled the storm for some minutes no words were spoken do ou all remember the last time we me were here jessie he asked yes john without raising her beyes eyes I 1 do you remember what I 1 sald said to you yon that day jessie 1 I 1 I think I 1 do john it may have been the reflection action at 0 the sun but a touch of crimson came to her cheeks checks it was a long time ag ago 0 john and perhaps ive forgotten j lust u s t what you said can you repeat it I 1 I 1 I 1 pa 10 I 1 I 1 11 1 1 I 1 5 if 7 I 1 r 0 77 rp I 1 N 1 I 1 W yi I 1 I 1 i I 1 I 1 va 21 14 1 ah V I 1 14 1 61 W 1 IS I 1 1 k I 1 l A wv Z Z I 1 1 I 1 I 1 1 jl 1 1 I 1 1 I I 1 I 1 johni 1 an arm reached out bad anil tile the little hand band was firmly clasped 1 I told you that I 1 loved you jessie he said the imprisoned hand hall d made no attempt to escape 1 I t told old you that that love was war my bation that no woman on oil earth should share it that no matter whatever befell you sunshine or rain happiness or eliat my ambition wits was to see bee you showered ft miah ath all the blessings cod can grant to a good woman oman m I 1 said that it a day earlic when I 1 had a right I 1 to iak bour love loe in return that I 1 should do so 80 maun no claim on oil our old friendship and then 30 ou u said I jessie do oi remember what you said darling 1 I said that I 1 wanted you yon to love me but not to speak of it again until I 1 said you could said bald jessie lifting her laughing lau eyes you can say ay it again if you wish A ish to john two pott oft arms allus were around his neck and two to sweet lips met ills his 1 you knew 1 I would wait alt fol foi ou oil jh john n ion 0 john burta modest mansion stands on the crest of it the hill uh which le 11 lopea i down doan to the he old farmhouse it commands a superb view of the crescent sweep of ocean beach and also ot of the more quiet beauties of bingham hingham bay verdant terraces and winding paths bud and roads come to the edge of the yard surrounding the old homestead but no gardeners hand has been permitted to touch the quaint surroundings sacred to the anc estial too bounder rider of the house of burt in tile the long summer days clays jessies it children play about peter burts burls knees nearly five score years have passed over his head his shoulders are bent and the voice falters at times but ills his eyes preserve the 6 park bpark of their wonted fires Wat watched elied and cared for by theao th who love him he calmly awaits the corning coming of the reaper into whose garner long bince have been gathered the of his generation A few miles away another mansion fronts the ocean james blake and his bis fair edith have been blessed with two children and with each others love A roguish boy bears the name of john and a dainty little miss responds to to the name of jesale james blake Is now in fact as well as in name the head bead of the great firm so conspicuous in this narrative in a thousand h ways he has merited the confidence reposed in him by john hurt burt generous RS as yet almost to a fault he has acquired with responsibility that breadth of view and polso of judgment velch found its highest expression in the man who made his bis success possible retiring from active business when most men aro are making a af start tart john I 1 burt bart has baa devoted hit his tina to use tte study of 0 statesmanship I 1 la a its it purest sense political honors have crowded upon him there tire aro thousands sho ft ho share the confident falih of 0 his lov iov ing wife mile that the he highest place placa in the gift ot of the people shall some bome day crown his big career there are frequent reunions to in the tea old farmhouse or on the spacious lawna lawas surrounding john burts burls residence dence once a year sam rounds su perla tends a sad nd john always manages to be pros ent to the lattera inquiries con coming ue tile future mrs rounds san sam turns a grinning untroubled face no man in rocky hocky woods la Is a bachelor until he be Is viny nay past sitty eltty san sam declares an im spry yet as a coll I 1 in clover sometimes ma rounds li Is a lit bit doubtful my matri matrimonial motilal chances but I 1 lias has hopes I 1 still lias has hopes edith may I 1 help you to some more of 0 then them clams jessie jesale please pass young master hurts darts plate itt empty already how that boy grow brosl 5 I 1 hes coming up tip like rass atter a rala rain mrs ira rounds hounds bustles bustled around her eyes blight alth fill the joy of being busy you bet down ma rounds commands sam in a hopeless tone you sot ct right down clown and let us young folks wait alt on oil the table I 1 cant break her of john I 1 swan I 1 just cant to do not liln with her well raising it klass glass ot of older elder heros heres god bless alsi all good people an hoppy happy days daya bew lew all of ye the end |
