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Show A OAJiLOPLNG T IIOESB.I The curate tut la old Mr. Hounon'a ihlnti-rovercd armchair, nodding no and then aa tbe mlstrew of the farm paused In her outburst of etelted speech, lie si marrIM nnd tho toth-er toth-er of ten children, but bourgeois youthful youth-ful arTectlont still hung thlek nbout him, for Inatmd of leaving his cup and mucer on the Irajr. he held them In hla lean white hands, crooking '" little fingers daintily, while hla spwl was umallr punctunlcd with roanr 'aweclljr prptllea" nnd "iKiMlonatelr fonds" Withal n good man, according accord-ing to his lights nnd endowed with a certain liking of tho dutiful In Ills fellow fel-low creatures Ho had come up by the widow's) re-qunit. re-qunit. for her daughter was dying, and ho was too proud to speak of her wild troublo to kinsfolk who had never viewed her wllh any courtesy alnco her marriage to a man aged enough to have been her father Hho was slightly Incoherent In her request for advice, but tho curato thought he understood "Itoally, Mrs Hobson," ho ald gently gent-ly nt last. "It Is a roost painful case. Yew, thank you, another cup of tea three lumps, ye. 1 have a sweet tooth. Of course, I think that you should have consulted mo before, when Hannah vna In better health, nnd then I could have admonished her Now wo can only pray. Hut nono the lew It Is our bounden duty to tell her that aha should wrest her nffcctlons from all unvtorthy worldllncM and look up to the eklee, whence comfort" Mrs ltoboon'a faco had grown cold and hard n heavy perspiration abemo on her forehead, "I dldna mean that " sho said, "when I sent for yo I lhov,t that yo' would understand. Til o1 Rqulro Ambcr-stono'i Ambcr-stono'i son ns 1 wished to ask. My wench Is d) In' All a I beg Is na ha may room oncel again, rldln' on lilt bay, on" gl'e her a kind word " Bho softened suddenly. ' Oh, Mr. Tryaton, for the lore o' (lml do this thing for me! Twas bu' boy nn' girl plnyln at lovoi thcer was no thowt o' III. My dowter'a na pure nu 'good ns n chrlsom child, lm' what wl1 him was Just a laugh and a Jest wl' tir prettiest girl on th' country side, wl' her meant more more moro! I'vo no blame for Mm, but lio'a broken her heart clean I' twain An' only today has boo told mo all what hoo's suffered " "You wero much to blame," nald the curnto Kcntcntlnusly, balancing hla spoon on tho rim of the tea-cup, "very much to blame " Bho clasped her hands and wrung them painfully, ao Hint aho might not burst Into hyaterlral laughter. "Mr. Kryaton," alio said hoarsely, "I'm a clean-minded woman, an' Hannah scarco 17. I thowt nothln' of 't. Ho wcra wisest o' us nil, for bo must ha' seen danger, an' he stayed away, an' thrro monthi has killed her." "I can do nothing nothing," begin the curnto. "Ay, bu Vin," sho walled; "yo know wbal is. retch him to her for n good- r Hon cannu pass 1' peaco wl'att hnu. Hoo's my only one my only one!" Tho curate wait touched nt last; he rubbed the corner of his more susceptible suscep-tible cyo furtlvclv. """ ' ?aultnn "VKBY MUCH TO 11I.AMB." and bring him back If I can," ho said, "to-morrow," " 'Tla o' no use saying 'to-morrow, " she Interrupted Impatiently. "Moo may pass nt any moment, Tls but 4 o'clock, an' 'tis th' last thine my wcncli'll ever want." Tho sound of knocking on tho floor above stoppod her. "Hannah's waked," aho eald, "Theer'a owd Lis-both Lis-both beating tho planks wl' a stick. I mun leave yo', Mr fryston, I know as yo' wunna fall mo." Bho did not wait for his reply, but hurried upstairs to the chamber, whero Hannah lay In a little bod nfront the hearth The mother had been protty In her youth Indeed, she was not uncomely un-comely even now but tho daughter was wonderfully, plteously beautiful. Her face was puro white, save for tho daintiest flush In the checks; ber lips were scarlet-hued and finely cut, her great brown eyes luminous. Sho had spread her nut-brown hair over tho embroidered pillow and crossed her hands lightly over her breast. Tho bedclothes concealed tho emaciation of her flguro to some citcnt, but ana would surely have believed that as much as could be distinguished was that of a slender boy "Is he coming?" sho said "Oh, mother, to think of ltl That I should caro for him In this way when ho only kissed mo once, and never spoke a word that you mightn't hnvo beard!" Then she began coughing again, and tbe blood speckled tho cotton-wool that Mrs. Itobson held to ber lips, When tho paroxysm was over, she lay back speechless, but her eyes were full of questioning "Ay, my deary," said the mother. "Mr rryston's gone for him, an' ho'U be here anon " Tbe girl tried to speak again, but tho mother held up a warning hand. "Hannah, Hannah," she faltered, "do lie still, Yo're not thlnkln' that yo're all the kin I have, an' that I waat yo' bide wl' me as long as yo' ean. An' yo tsun keep as quiet as n Utile rnoiM. so as to be strong wtwn he rooms." Hannah nodded slightly, ber lips drawing barlt tor an Instant's smile, which showed a brief gllmpee of her While teeth Only one thing I've got to ask. mother" she whispered "You told Mr Fryston that he vm to come on horseback on the bay no that I could hear him first?' Mrs Ilnbann leaned over her "Ay, ay I told him all" she moaned "Naa, for or mammy's sake, lie yo' quiet" "I lll mammy denr, If jou'll havo the bed pushed up close to the window 1 want to know before anybody else There I'll be still now " After the bed was moved sho lay per fertly silent The evening ns gloomy but the danrlng firelight showed a fare lighted with the happiness of expectation expecta-tion Her mother sat beelde her, bold Ing her right hand between her own palms. The old doctor eanio at 7 o'clock o'-clock When ho desired Mm. Itobson to como to the passage with him, she divined his meaning, nnd n cruel pain oke nt her heart "I'm afraid I'm afraid that the end's very neir ho said "It's Just a leaning lean-ing up of the flame Havo everything In readlneM" Ho turned away, forhls chin was trembling "I can't tell you how I feel for jou, Mrs Itobson," ho added In n husky voice "It Is very bnrd " 'I suppose that flod will gl' mo strength to stand It," she replied wearily wear-ily "An now doctor, wl' yo'r leave, I'll go back to her" As she turned to open the chamber door sho heard Sir. Tryston speaking to one of the women downstairs. Sho descended hastily nnd drew him Into the parlor so Hint none might hear. ' Well " sho stammered, "nhero Is ho'" Mr I'ryalon shook his head mournfully mourn-fully 'I ve no good nows," ho said "Young Mr Amberslnno's nwny In the south of Kranee with his mother" Mrs Itobson clutched tho bosom of her gown so violently that two buttons but-tons flew to the floor. 'Thank o Mr I'ryalon," she said quietly "jo'vo done all man could Yo'll pardon me If I go to her boo canna nntlas th' night." Hannah's questioning gate met her as sho re-entered the chamber, a sharp cry rsme from tho scarlet lips "Ob, mother!" Mrs. Itobson tottered toward the bed "My pretty!" sho said, "yn'vo to wait llo's cooinln' ho's coomln' a-rldln' on th' galloping bay horse " The girl laughed with delight. "Mam my, don't leave mo till he comes; put I your arm under my neck, nnd your faco against mine Don't cry I'm so happy!" Kor tho net hour the mother prayed In alienee Bho had lied for her child's sake, and she was asking Ood to accomplish ac-complish a miracle In that hour her faith was strong enough to move mountains. As tbe clock, on the stairs struck t, ' Hannah began to cough ngaln, this time with a horrid, choking sound. Mrs, Itobson, kliowlng thai tho end hid come, gathered her to hir breast and held ber tightly The color had left both cheeks and lips, her head swayed slightly on tho slender neck. And In the anguish of those last moments tho mother's heart began to bent louder and louder. I'at pad pad pad! wllh Just such a sound ns a horse's hoofs make when galloping over grass. Louder nnd louder with every Instant, In-stant, Old I.libclh, who sat on the other sldo of the bed, rose suddenly snd, drawing Ibe window curtain looked look-ed out Into tho misty moonlight The gardens wero deserted na living thing moved on the cart track through the frost bound fields. Pat pad pad pad! louder and louder. Hannah stirred and laughed gladly, she thrust her arnu toward tbe door "He's come let me go, mammyl" she cried! "let mo meet him In the orchard!" or-chard!" The beating of Mrs, Itobson's heart ceased for awhile. "Ah, he's here!" Then Hannah turned her face upward up-ward na If to receive her boy's kiss, and a murmur like n wood pigeon's came her life passing as this died away. |