Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-10-03
MEXICO MISSOURI. THURSDAY. OCTOBER g. 1878
eated, in an unheard-of tone OF

Iake her away from a condition
Of life which she hates; relinguish
YOUR Wild ways; paV your debts with
her dowery, and make her happy"
al Tie gambler, rapidly.
ia the plan vour own or your
i"'g'itar's?" asked Victor, implying
equal scern in either case.
''The proposal is nine," Mr.. Lu-
cas- replied, quietly. ''If you want
Ceiias assurance of consent, go to
her for it,"
"a fit ending to career of folly"
the young mai sneered, in reply.
1.-THE Langs. Mr.. Lucas
He stopped short. The memory
of the dark-eyed, pale-skinned girl
xho had pinned the rose in his but
sOnhole with her soft pink-white hands
wi.s hateful TO him. but he remem-
bered ;Hna's unpaid bills; remem-
bered that something had suggested
the chance of Miss Lucas aiding him.
Heavens! could he stoop so low?
This IS q astrange sort of bargain, y
he matterea ..a.--.--.... .s.rs
Ii he Had loo ked up he would have
been startled at the CLEAN of hate
which flashed from the gamblers s
eyes.
"Yes, it is all OF that. Do you
think, Victor Lang. that it does not
stab me to the soul to make it?
Who are you that should desire to
give You my only child, beautiful,
rich, indulged and dotted on, who are
you-s beggar-that L should lay
her at your feet to be accepted or
spurnRd?" .....
"For heavens sake, is it my
fault?'' '.'
'No; true lit Is not. alone
am to blame for bringing you togeth.
er. Since that moif;;;s:g she has had
but one desire-to see you again..
She has had only reproaches for me,
for having injured you-as she caii'
it. Now I have come to make what
amends l can. What DO 1 care fol
but to secure her happine ss?'
Victor was gradually growing com
posed. The idea began to seem less
monstrous. Miss Lucas abhorred hel
fathers profession, and with changt
of name and scene, ones father
profession is of no great consequence
after all. She was very handsome
and one handsome woman is gooc
deal like another to man of twenty
three who has yet known no seriou!
passion. And besides-most argu
ment of all-the marriage would sup
ply him with money. and he had M
other resource which would. Will
money he could restore Tina's litti
fortune, and rid himself of that incu
bus; with money he could bqgin
new career, profiting by his past ex
perienee. Other men married 70
money, and when the woman wa
! handsome and young as we'll as rich
her suitor WAS to be envied rathe
than despised.
The result was that few hour
after this interview Celia Lucas ai'
Victor Lang were meeting, f)r sec
ond time only, but with tacit un
derstaBaing which gave g. certain
; familiarity to their manner.
>, ,,sAnd Why hsSe yol stayed ava
so hng?" She asked, reproachfully
: "You promised to come back"
"I think | must have broken thq
+; promise in self.defence," he answer
D ed. "rhis is a sort of enchante
D castle. in which hardly dare trus
myself too often"
"You are not afraid of me?" stand
ing still so close beside him that h
d felt the fiutter Of her heart, and til
: magnetism of her soft, sad eyes rai'
n ed with such unmistakable tende
= ness to his face.
e "Of myself, rather, and-yes-
:, perhaps fyou. You are so beaut
:. ful, so gracious"
:, "And you are-Victor; such
l. safe name"
"May be Victor to you?" +
|. was surprised to see how easy 81
il had msde it for him to ask it.
sit is too late to ask if you mi
IN he, for you are" she answered, sol
N ly.
sr .'"But. Cells" he was saying, i
Y tie later, "a man ought TO be the gi
'r er, not the receiver. Can you I
spect me?"
ss ssThere will be no giving and I
lie ceiving between u.s." she answere
se "My money shall be IN your name
Ill .sThat will be trusting me too far
I'd with still secret exultation at b
Ia generosity.
n. 81 have trusted yoI to the exte
n. of loving you. How can / go; +;
'i- ther?'
r. ~ will be worthy of your trust
to am sure shall; and yet can y
ry keep your faith in me when | tell y
9, how I have wronged young, unp
ot tectcd girl?'
g. "A young and unprotected :yi
to Oh, Vietorl'' her eyes narrowing W
ed sharp jealousy, her white skin tu
ts' ing sallow.
de eyes; but one whom 1 have ne
Ia seen."
do And he told her of Tina; how
ne the mad hope of retrieving all
losses he had been tempted to st.
ct her money, and had lost that, too
lis "why was she trusted to you.
is young girl to a young man?-l
mt they mean you to marry herr"
at ssWhy, she 10 little girl, Ce
me Her mother and my mother W
WI cousins"
ga little girl?'
,on "Why, yes. 1 don't know t
nat old exactly, I am sure, but sch
1r' girl"
ur- Sand pretty-is she pretty?"
II have never seen her, Celia
least not since L was old enough
'cn remember"
>. ssSomehow, wish, I hardly h
is hat L wish-no matter, am ha
my enough. And we must pay Il
bills of Tina's right away. SUPP
ON do you know that I detest my
re- monds. They always seem to st,
me as gamblers daughter. 7
ky are worth five thouaand dollars
dare say. mean to sell them