SETTLED OUT OF COURT. BABY'S PORTRAIT.

Lake County Press, Issue 1065, 21 May 1903, Page 6

SETTLED OUT OF COURT.

BABY'S PORTRAIT.

II was tiio card of her late callerDavid Blandford. On the back of it were a few words scribbled in pencil They ran so:—" Kroni a friend, with his heartiest sympathy and best wishes for a speedy recovery." She read those words with moist eyes, and for an instant her quivering bus brushed the pencilled lines which David had traced. Then a cry from Mrs. Fletcher scattered her reverie, and when she glanced that way it was to liiid her cheap little dressing table littered with several bottles of port wine, some lx>xes of choice cakes, and quite a pile of daintily hound volumes, mostly novels. Then her eyes filled and hei heart also, it was with an effort that, she choked back her tears, stifled the liuskine»s in her throat, and answered Nancy's amazed query. " In the name of goodness, Doris, whoever can have sent a' these things ?" " Mr. David Blandford, Nancy. Here is his card. 1 fjund it among the roses. You may ead it." " ' A f. end,' " the widow mumbled. " 1 should think he is one. too. An' if he calls again what am I to tell him, lass ?" " Tell him that I shall be glad to see him." "He'syour lover. Doris!" Mrs. Fletcher cried in a sadden burst of inspiration. " You fe:l out, an' now he's " •' No, Nancy, no! God knows that I wish it were so. But David once asked me to he his wife, and 1 couldn't." "Couldn't! Why. wench? Why I'" " Because I loved another man. And we have quarrelled now. But you must keep my secret, Nancy-dear Nancy, promise me you will!" She broke down, crying softly with her sweet face huried amidst David's flowers; and the wondering dame exclaimed that a hundred lions shouldn't drag a word from her lips. CHAPTER XXIX A GREAT REVELATION. ft was a mild morning at the end of March, and the brothers Blaiidlord weie sitting at breakfast. Their father was away from home. On the previous day he had gone to one of the great cities in Lancashire, to attend some large and important conference of cotton spinners, ami the date of his return home was uncertain. " By chance Geoflrey had been the first to appear at the breakfast table that morning. While helping himself to coffee, he had noticed a letter lying on the table, and had bent incuriously over it. But in an instant his indifference had vanished when his eye caught the postmark whence it had come. In a trice he had caught it up, with an exclamation and a white face, and was scanning address and postmark with an eagerness he made no attempt to hide. It was addressed to his parent, and it had come from Liverpool. Who was the writer r Gould it be possihlo that she had dared to write to his father ? Even while* the latter thought flashed through his mind. David's voice and steps were heard outside the breakfast room. Hastily tossing the letter on the table he bent him.-elf to the morning meal, and next minute was greeting his brother cheerily. " Good morning, David. There's a letter there for the governor: but I suppose it will keej) till his return. By the way, did father say when he would get back from Manchester r" " Probably this evening, or to-morrow at the latest. But lie couldn't pay with any ceitainty. He was expecting to drop across some old friends in Manchester, and in case he did he said be might spend a day or two with them:" The meal proceeded, and the brothers conversed in the ordinary, occasional manner common to relatives who take no absorbing interest in each other. Presently, David concluded his repast, and as he rose from the tabic he remarked casually. '• Are you ready for walking down, Geoflrey ! J " '" Not quite. David. J don't think 1 shall get to the mills for half-an-hour or so. Well, good-morning, if you are off. ' The younger brother withdrew,nodding pleasantly, and for a few minutes more Gcolliey remained scaled. Then lie rose, reached the letter, thrust it into his pocket, and went upstairs to his own room. Then minutes Inter he had steamed open the envt lope, and its contents, four or live sheets of shabby note-paper, < overed with closely-written characters, were tying in his haiuts. He had locktd the Joor of his room before beginning his nefarious work, and was quite free from all oversight or intervention. No one could interrupt him now. and in a little while his lather's correspondence would seem as intact and inviolable as ever. Then he read, and from the first line, with the greatest of interest. Before he had got half-way through the flimsy sheets his black eyes were flashing, and ejaculations were falling from his lips. When all the writing was mastered his feelings found vent in a low passionate flow of words. "My God!" he cried, '* what a lucky discovery is this! I would not have missed it for a thousand pounds! And to think I should k< e that postmark, and tin* governor should be away when it came. But, good heavens! to think that she is the woman, and that 1 was almost casting her away. Now the thing is to consider my next. move. After all I have to thank my father and his spv, Levi Crane, for something!" (To be Continued).

A barmtor tiding hisbicyclu on a pnth wan caught by n policaniHn. The gentleman ul OIICO camo otf tho path and trird to rraron will) tin* policeman. " Von aren't really going t" n| " "" , '" f° r lliiri ?" ho miked. " Yen, Mir; 1 cnu't help it." " Well, coinii in liorc (u public-house clo»e li>) itud we will tulli about it." The jiolicMiiuii followed the gentleman, who ordered I wo uliihfcniot beer, one lor him Molf, tlm other lor ihe pnlictmuii, both of which wc.ro llninhril run he again remarked " Hurely yon are not irully K°' n K lo make u foin about, 111 in ?" '• I mtiat, Mir; 11,'h my limmiichm." " Ah ! thru lit. tliM rmno timo it will ho my huHlnoni to repoit you for drinking benr wtulo on duly." Iho polieomuuH c» pi nation Miiddcnly " Von uro it lawyer. I niipitoitt 1 , Mir ?" " V«IM " And it hharp our, too," he Mind, »m he went out nod Ml t.lio geiiMiuuun to continue tilt* lldr.

(Shttlulu-il hy Hot Mother.) A lit tin lif.i'l nl nliu|i(<lv iiimilil, Two buliy nyt<ii mo bujjlii mid hold, A dainty lim Ir iiiihc; Two lillln rlic«U« hii round and fair, With liny dlmplm hiding tlioro I -lien dr.wdi <>|i!i in u i nut' A little, mould in Illinium rt\>etil, A tiny iliuipliiij; ihill ho urut, Ami hul.il jlint madn to kWn; Two ('tinnini; rum cucli in itn pUitt, A foully forehead t<rl with guitw, Wlioim |>ln»toj{iu|)li in tint V Two Htnnly ihouldrin, liroml and nquuro, Two I'htllitty liiiikU ro fat and fuir, AlJll <-lllklllll|; feet ho !•((>■ ; A roifulsli miule for you and me, tiwwt hairy wivh-- now don 1 you »eo Tlir port rwit. of our hoy ?