The Red Cloud chief., 1884-08-29
CHAPTER XT.-COSrTSryn.

as far as Mr.. Whit:lestaf could see.
why John GorIon should be treated
other than as a happy lover. Ii was
the n day in advance which had Civ
en- him the strength Of his position. But
IT WAS the one day, also. which had made
him weak He had thought much
about Mary for some time past. He
had told himself that by her means
might be procured some cure to the
wound in his hear. which bad made bis
life miserable for so many years. But
had John Gordon cOmc in time. the
past misery would only have been pro-
longed. and nome would have been the
wiser. Even Mrs. Baggctt would have
held her peace. and not thrown it in his
teeth that he hal attempted to marry
( Girl and had failed. As it was, all
tn world OF ArleSiord would know how
, it had been with i'm, and all the world
o: Arlesford. rs they looked at him,
would tell themselves that this was the
man who had attempted 10 mary Mary
Hawric, aud bad failed.
Ii was true, all that John Gordon al
Iced on his " behalf. But then
he Vas able to save his own conscience
by telling himself that when John Cor
hal run through his d Almonds
there would be nothing but poverty and
distress. There was no rca-on for sup
posing that the diamonds would be
especially short-livcl. or that John
Gordon wonli probably be a spenthrift.
Ia diamonds As 4 ourcc of income are
volatile. not trustworthy, as were the
funds 10 Mr.. Baggett. And then the
nature of the scarce OF income offered
/ enabled him 10 say 80 mu n a 4 plea
10 himself. Could he give the girl To a
man who had nothing hut diamonds
with which 10 pay his weekly bills! lie
q Il tell himself again and again. that
Mary Lawrie should not be encouraged
Ia nut hcr faith in ,iiano DIS. But he
felt that il was only an excuse. In
y ar uin@ the matter backwards and for
wards. be could but tell himself that he
DID believe in John Gordon.
And then an idea. "A grand idea. but
very painful in its beauty. crcpt into his
mind. E,cn though these diamonds
should melt away. and become rs moth
ing. there wa his own income. fixed
oand SURE as tie polar star. i'm the ron
solodated British three per cents. Ii he
really loved tniS Girl. could he not pro-
atNi Iti mum ppNtilN, fNcu HtTt >nt
married to n .Iohn Gordon, broken
down in the article of his diamonds: Ii
hc lo;cd her. was he not bound. bv
some rule % chiyalry which he could
not define eve t. himself. TO do the
. best he could for her happiness? He
loved her so well that lac thought that,
for her sake. he could aho ish himself.
Let her have his money. his house,
and his horses. Let her even have
pJohn Gordon. He could. with a certain
fleeing of delight, imagine it all. But
then he could not abolish himself.
- There he would he sub cctto the remarks
v of men. There is be-" men would
say az him, ..who has maundered away
his mind in s%oftucSS; who, in his life,
las loved two girls, and has. ut last.
been thrown over by both of them be-
cause he has been 10 better than Il soft,
maundering idiot" Thus his neighbors
would speak OF him in his vain effort {
abolish himself.
: Ii was not yet too late. He had not
Yi"Iucd an NH 10 this man. He could
still be Stern an %Unbcndin@. He felt
proud of himself in that he had been
SIZE and u~nbcniinr, rs far rs tie man
wa concerned. And As regarded Mary.
he did feel sure OF her. II there was TO
be weakness displayed, It would be in
himself. Ma would bc true to her
promise; true 10 her faith. true To the
arrangement maze for her own life.
She would not provoke him with argu-
mcnts aS 10 her love for John Gordon;
and, n Mrs. liaggett mad assured him,
even in her thoughts che would not q,
..fraE- EF ~ ur..r, lV,t So. .l,- ,-,r.l
Mrs. Ba@gett should not be allowet to
leave his house.
But what rs 10 Miary's love? ANY
such question WAS maunderingly soft.
1t WAS not for him to ask il. He did
believe in her altogether. and was per-
fecily secure that his name and his
honor Were safe III her hands. And she,
certainly, wodii learn To love him.
">hell stand the washing he said To
Hhself. repeating another morSel of
Mrs. Bag"ett's wisdom. And thus he
Smade up his mind that he would. on
tbs occasion, il only on this occasion.
~ stern and crael, Surely Il man could
Ming himself 10 ~sternness and cruelty
for once in his life, when so much de-
pended on il.
1Haying 50 resolved. he walked back
into the house. intending 10 see Mary
Lawrie. and so 10 speak 10 her a> 20
give her no iuca of Ii. conversation
which had taken place between him
AID John Gordon. Ii would not re
necessary, he thought. that he sioH!d
mention 60 Eec John G~ortlon's name
any more Let his marriage 20 on. ~
though there were no such person as
{ JOnn Gordon. Ii would lie easier To be
>.tern and cruel when he could enact
the character simply by silence. He
would hurry on his wedding rs quickly
as she would elbow him. and then the
good thing-tl.e good that was TO come
out IF sternnesS and crueity-would be
achieved.
lie went through from the library TO
sock at Mary's door. and, in doing
so, had to pass the room in which Mrs.
Ba99ett had slept tran uilly for fifteen
wears. There. in the doorway. was 4
big trunk. and in tie lock OF the door
!, was a KEY. y brilliant idea ut once oc-
Cured to Mr.. Whittlestatf. He showed
the biz box in with his foot. locked the
door. and put the key in his pocket.
that the heads of the gar
dener and the groom appeared up the
back staircase, and after them Mrs.
Bagge;t.
"Why, Mrs. Baggett. the door is
locked" sand the gardner.
lit is, to be sure" said the groom.
why, Mrs. Bagge;t. you must have
the key in your wi pocket"
sNx..I amt got no such thing. Do you
Wig the box down with YOU"
Il have got the key In my pocket"
said MIR. W~hittlestaff, in 5 voice of