The Award of Justice Part 47

When he returned Lyle was beginning to revive, though unable to speak, and leaving her in the care of Leslie and Morton for a few moments, Houston hastily scanned the letter which Lyle had given him, soon reading enough of its contents here and there to get a correct idea of the whole.

Both Miss Gladden and Morton Rutherford realized that something had transpired out of the usual order of events. Each believed it connected with some discovery relating to Lyle's early history, but of what nature the discovery might be they had no clue.

As soon as she was able to speak Houston was at her side, and she read in his face the confirmation of the truth which had dawned upon her mind as he had repeated her mother's name, but which had seemed to her past belief.

"It is really true, and I have not been dreaming?" she asked.

"It is most certainly true, my dear Lyle," Houston replied, "and I am very glad to find that you, who have seemed to me like a sister from our first acquaintance, will soon be my sister in reality."

Stooping, he kissed her on the forehead, and then in reply to the glances of astonishment on the part of the others, he said:

"Leslie, I will have to prepare you for a double surprise, and since we four are now members of one family, I can speak here without reserve. When I first won your love, my dear, it was as the salaried clerk of a disreputable mining company. I was old-fas.h.i.+oned enough to wish to win your love with love, to feel a.s.sured that you cared for me for my own sake. Lately, you have known that I was the representative of Mr. Cameron, of New York, but you did not know that I was Mr.

Cameron's nephew and adopted son,--his son in all respects, excepting that I have not taken his name." He paused a moment, and laid his hand affectionately on Lyle's shoulder. "I now have a pleasant surprise for you both. I wish to introduce you to Marjorie Lyle Washburn, my cousin and my adopted sister."

With a burst of tears, Miss Gladden knelt beside Lyle, throwing her arms about her neck, while Lyle whispered:

"Dear Leslie, you have been like a sister to me in my poverty and loneliness. I am glad we will not be separated in the life of love and happiness that awaits me. We will be sisters still, more closely united than ever."

Turning to Morton Rutherford, whose emotion seemed nearly as deep as Miss Gladden's, Houston said:

"Morton, you remember hearing of my beautiful cousin Edna, and of the sad death of herself and her little daughter, as we always supposed.

This is her daughter, and I know that when my uncle and aunt meet her, they will adopt her as their own daughter in her mother's place."

It would be impossible to depict the scene that followed, the surprise and delight of Miss Gladden, or the deep joy of Morton Rutherford, but by and by, when they had become more calm, a knock was heard. Houston opened the door, and Ned Rutherford, looking in, was entirely unable to comprehend the scene. Houston held in his hand a small gold locket and a photograph which he seemed to be comparing with each other. Lyle looked very pale, but radiantly happy. Morton was standing near, while Miss Gladden still knelt at her side, her eyes overflowing with tears of joy.

"Come in, Ned," said Houston cordially. "We want you here to complete the family group."

Ned looked rather bewildered, as he replied: "I just wanted to inquire for Miss Maverick, to know if she was better."

"She is much better," said Houston with a smile, but before he could say anything further, Morton turned toward his brother, saying in gentle, quiet tones, but with a look in his eye which spoke volumes to Ned's inner consciousness:

"Ned, this is Miss Maverick no longer, but Miss Washburn, the grand-daughter of the Mr. Cameron whom we expect here to-morrow."

Poor Ned Rutherford! If he had ever laid any claim to dignity and self-possession, they both deserted him now. Utterly bereft of speech, he stood for a moment as if petrified. Then approaching Lyle, he stammered:

"I beg your pardon, Miss,--Miss Washburn, but that is always Mort's way, to spring anything on me in such a fas.h.i.+on as to knock me out completely. I beg your pardon for appearing so stupid, and I congratulate you on the good news, and extend you my best wishes, Miss----"

"Oh, call me Lyle," she interrupted, with a rippling laugh. "I have a right to that name yet."

"Is that so?" said Ned, with the air of a drowning man clutching at a straw. "Thank you; I'm glad that's left for a sort of land mark, you know. I'll call you 'Lyle' then, 'till I can get accustomed to the new name," and he sank in a heap in the nearest chair.

The letter was read, and bitter were the denunciations against Maverick.

"The scoundrel! He ought to be lynched this very night," said Ned.

"That's the way they do those things out here."

"Not late years, Ned," corrected his brother, "and even if they did, that would not be best."

"It is a question with me," said Houston, "situated just as we are at present, and with Mr. Cameron expected in a few hours, whether it would be wise to do anything about this until after his arrival."

"I think not," said Morton, "under the circ.u.mstances, you do not want to arouse the antipathy of any of the miners before Mr. Cameron's coming, and as Maverick knows nothing of this discovery, he will of course remain here, and Mr. Cameron can advise in this matter as he thinks best."

And this was the final decision.

CHAPTER XLII.

A few hours later Lyle stood in the gloaming, taking leave of Jack, in the quaint, cozy room in the cabin, little dreaming that they stood there together for the last time.

They had talked long and earnestly of the new life opening up before her, and her tears flowed fast as she recalled the happy hours they had spent together, or as she antic.i.p.ated the days to come. Her tears were not the only ones, but the friendly twilight, rapidly deepening, concealed the others.

"And to think that you have known so much of this all the time, and did not tell me!" she exclaimed.

"It was best, my little one, best for each of us. I was constantly planning how I might bring this about when the right time came. That time has come, and as my little girl, whom I have loved as deeply as any one in the future can ever love her, and whom I have cherished and helped to the extent of my limited power, goes forth into this new life, I can and will rejoice in the joy, the love and the happiness that will be hers. And I know that amid new scenes, new friends and new loves, she will never quite forget the old friend and the old love."

"Never, Jack; I could never forget you, and Everard and Morton will never forget you. They are coming to see you to-night. Dear Jack, why could you not give up this lonely life, and go with us to the east?

We would all love you and make you one of us, and our home would be yours."

"My dear child," he replied with a slight shudder, "you know not what you ask. I know the love that prompted it, but never ask it again."

"Very well," said Lyle, with a sorrowful submission, "but I know what I can do." And she put her arms about his neck. "I will come out to the mountains and visit you here."

Then, as he remained silent, she queried:

"You would be here, wouldn't you, Jack, where I could find you?"

Oh, the agony which his strong, loving heart endured! How could he tell her that even then he never expected to look upon her face again!

He could not. He only said:

"I cannot tell, dear, my life is an erratic and wandering one. No one, not even I, can say where I may be."

"But you have not lived a wandering life lately; you have lived here for many years."

"Because the lodestone, the magnet of my heart was here," he answered half-playfully, half-tenderly. "When that is gone, I shall be likely to fly off in a tangent again."

"Oh, Jack, you must not talk so. I want to see you in the years to come. I must and I will. I feel it," she added brightly.

For answer, Jack, for the first time, placed his arms about her, and for a moment folded her closely to his breast. Then, bending his head, he kissed her reverently, first on the forehead, then on the lips, saying, "G.o.d bless you always, my dear child!"

She returned the kiss, and as he released her, she whispered:

"Good-night, dear Jack!"

"Good-night, my dear," he answered, adding under his breath, "and good-bye!"