The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-31
ELINOR NORTON.
By MARY SHANE SMITH.


When Frank Stoddard was left alone
by the departure of Mr.. Greeu, he paced
the floor in great excitement for few
minutes but, instead Of going for a
walk to calm his mind, as be felt like
doing, be presently seated himself, and,
taking up one of his law books, en-
deavored 10 Tx his attention again upon
the subject lie had been studying. lie
had succeeded better than he had
thought possible since he had deter
mined to control his wandering
thoughts and force himself to study
but since the adventure Of the previous
day this had been harder than ever be-
fore-indeed, almost impossible-and il
was only by the exercise Of all his de-
termined will that he could keep him
self at work at all.
Now, however, the effort was una
vailiDg, and, after a faithful trial, the
young man closed the book with a deep
sigh, aud, laying it down, buried his face
in his hands and mentally reviewed the
situation. He had 10 thought for him
self, so far as his enemy'was concerned,
for he was absolutely insensible to fear,
aud felt amply able TO protect himself
whenever assaiied. But he was filled
with dread for the woman he loved. II
was horrible to him TO think what that
vile slanderer had said about her, aud
what be might yet say. How should he
proceed? What course could lie take
that would counteract the evil effects of
the poison already scattered, and pre-
vent the dissemination of more? For a
moment he almost wished he had ac-
cepted the challenge, and had not lost
the opportunity of forever closing the
malicious mouth; but a hot flush of
shame sufIused his face almost in
stantly, to think that such a feeling had
entered his heart, and be imagined he
could see a grieved look on the dear face
that seemed ever before him.
Rising aud throwing back the glossy
waves of hair from his broad, high fore
head, he walked the floor in deep
thought. Plan after plan presented
itself, but none seemed feasible, and all
were at last abandoned, as be concluded
that his wisest course would be to OBJ
serve carefully all that passed about
p him, and if any further insulting re-
marks were made or insinuatlons
thrown out in his hearing, to make the
guilty party suffer for it and afraid to
repeat the ofIense.
He wondered how Captain Talbot had
learned Of ElinoT's departure and pres
ent home, not being willing to suppose
that his mother had told him, and not
being aware that the Captain had called
on her since her convalescence. 1t
never occurred to his mind, generous
and upright as it was, TO suppose that
his mother had given such an account
of the affair as she had to several ''inti-
mate friends" "iu the strictest conf
dence," OF course, aud that they had re-
peated the story, with innumerable
variations, TO an Overwhelming circle Of
intimate friends, and so on. No, be did
not dream Of this, and it was well for
him he did not.
After making his decision, Frank left
the Office aud walked down the street,
not for relief from his disquiet but in
order to find out, If possible, if his en-
emy was busy at his foul work. He
had not gone far before be met Mr.
Hartley, whom be was passing with
quiet scorn, when that Individual ex-
claimed, in g supplicating tone:
81 say, Stoddard, hold on "a minute.
Don't be so hard on fellow"
Frank turned and looked at him 80
fiercely that the poor fellows knees
trembled, and he hastily said, as they
stepped aside a little:
"Really, Stoddard, I'm awfully sorry,
you know; I never thought Of your be-
ing there, or / wouldn't have said q
word-'pon my honor wouldn't"
"Honor % said Stoddard, bitterly.
''Your honor didn't keep you from ut
tering foul slander when you thought
no one was present to protect your vic
tim. Knowing her as you did, you
ought to have defended her against that
brute, instead Of joining 10 with him
with your abominable lies and insiuua-
tions."
81 know I ought, really" said Hart
ley. "rm awfully sorry about it, you
know, for, to tell the truth, / respect
Miss FL"
"Hush, sir! Don't you mention her
name here /" said Frank, aud the other
went on, humbly:
"Well, won't, then; but I was going
TO say that the way it came was, that
that old rascal you know, Talbot told
such a straight story about it-said the
young doctor told bin himself-and said
so many things that he knew mean,
he told so many lies about her, and we
all knew she was gone of somewhere,
you know-and SO, altogether, I didn't
know, you know, but what something
was wrong, after all but ! didn't be-
lieve it for a good while, Stoddard, now
really I didn't; but that old savage,
you see, he's determined t. ruin her
character if he can because she Tilted
him, you know, while you was gone,
and so he's just dead set TO make every
body believe it, whether they want to or
not"
Here the anxious and repentant young