The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-18

eyes, that belied his smooth cheeks and pleasure
loving mouth. He flushed as he answered, very
gently;
I'VE are liquor dealers"
The old lady staggered slightly, almost as if
the whey fumes began to affect her. Then she
turned, with a certain timid fierceness, to
George Locke, standing in the doorway, pale and
disconnected.
why did that man send me to find news of
my daughter here-at a saloon2'
Young Daniels face flushed. He could hardly
have gotten a keener stab than this that struck
home to his own deep sense of shame in his bust
ness. There was something very noble and
brave in the young mans nature, subject as he
had been to lifelong evils of circumstance-sur
rounding and training. George Locke hardly
knew which of the two he most pitied as he inter
posed:
"Oh, that's simple enough. You see, all the
news from outside comes here to Daniels first.
Jack'-witha look of meaning and caution
have you heard how Carrie is getting along
with her new school over at Flintvillel This
lady is her mother. She don't know just where
Carrie is just now
His peculiar emphasis put on guard the young
man, ready-witted and clever, and educated to
quick expedients by the practical exigencies of
the section.
mo" replied young Daniel, pleasantly; no
mail has come yet. You know she only went
over TO Flintville last Monday. Well hear from
there tomorrow or next day."
I'VE might 60 around to the hotel and make
sure" said George Locke. Mrs. Piatt, will
you await me heres OH l assure you there is
no improperly. The most irreproachable ladies
OF the camp make no scruple of coming in here
to see the collection of minerals and ores. These
things are different on the frontier, you know.
Here, Henry, will you show Mrs. Piatt your cab
inets"
X II y r
Your plan seems to me far-fetched and melo-
dramatic, said young Daniel, gloomily.
George Locke had unfolded his plan of action,
based on Information his protege had given IN
their slow walk from the p~ostofice to Daniels. ="
But all the Southerner's magnetic eloquence
could not convince the younger man.
1T is a bit theatrical" Mr.. Locke continued,
but practical, l think. AT all events, it's our
only salvation"
What is the use to discuss the matter" said
Jack Daniel bitterly. Mrs. French would no
more let the Aylmer come into her house for any
purpose whatever than she would go down to the
Continual and accompany the Aylmer in one OF
her songsi"
Mistake, Jack. You don't know Mary French's
true heart and sweet, womanly charity as l do.
Jack, it's a great pity you two could not have
met on equal ground. Or, failing that, it's a
pity you ever met at all. Confound this free and
easy frontier life! In any place where social
regulations exist Mary French would never have
come in contact with a man in your position,
and you'd have been spared ideal of suffering.
George" cried the other, fercely, what's
the matter with you tonight
For, indeed, this turning the knife in mothers
wound was most uncharitable of George Locke,
the tactful. He put his hand on the young mans
shoulder. Jack, he said-and the tenderness
Of his tone was like the tenderness of a father
Jack, don't you know | saw how deep a wound
you got tonight from Carries mother} You're
fighting against your own soul, Jack, as well as
against your love. Give it all up, and go away
from this. Begin all over in a new country. and
with Mary French-l believe you could do it.
You ought. Nature made you for each other"
See here" said Daniel, doggedly, IF you
want to risk your own fate don't let any scruple
about interfering with me deter you, I've had
my little lesson; | shall never aspire to Mrs.
French's hand again. Meanwhile, that poor old
soul is left, forlorn and weary, in a place that
seems to her polluting, no doubt"
Jack" said Locke, Il will tell you a bit of a
secret | am not a marrying man. l was mar
ried at twenty five. and within a year my wife
became insane. Hereditary, but it had been
kept from her, poor girl! She has been in the
insane asylum these twelve years. Now, as you
say, let us return to Mrs. Piatt. Make some
excuses for my leaving her, and daily about foc
a while before you bring her up to Mrs. French's.
| must have time to explain to Mary"
All right; but you understand L have nothing
to do with to-morrow's business. Barney Hei-
man will help you. He's just the ~man-honest,
and hearty, and true; not SO overburdened with
style as some of the fellows who rank him.
You'll come with Carrie, yourself" said
George Locke, bluntly.
Not 1! Good Godl don't you see the difficulty
of the situation-the ~delicacy' How can L meet
Mary French in company with the Aylmerg'
None the less you will do it. Precisely for
the reason of your complicated relations we
don't want Barney Heiman or any other In
volved. Come, Jack, brace up and have some
style about YOU" said Locke, Disgusting his
sympathy in slang. "You must meet the obi
cations you have incurred. You're not the first
man who has found his honor rooted il dis
honor
Dl-.sazI- NJ. E..-I - =.
match for the noble mold of George Locke's
commanding type. Her we'll built form was
large, compact and plump. Her cheeks were
ruddy. her gray eyes clear and her round facial
lines all sweet and wholesome. She was the
sort of woman men are apt to fancy-a sort of
domestic goddess. But it does not always
chance a goddess smiles on the plans of the sons
Of men. George Locke was astonished to find that
his friends objection to his proposition was
based on personal reasons. The mere detail that
it involved Juggling with the religious faith of
another had had nothing repugnant to her strong
rationalism. He perceived quite plainly that
between her compassion for the unfortunate
mother and the zest she found in his original if
irreverent idea, she was fairly inclined to con
federacy-until the statement of Magdalen's
identity. Mr.. Locke had, of course, been quite
cognizant that Mrs. French had broken with her
intended husband a week before the day set for
their marriage, on discovery of his ENHANCEMENT
with the Aylmer. And yet he had confidently
expected that generosity and sense of justice
would ignore personal feeling in dealing with the
matter in hand.
You talk as if that poor girl were the only
sinner in the world!T cried George Locke at last,
exasperated by her obstinacy, while time was
flying. "You are thoroughly unjust to her. and
you are less generous than she. L didn't know
you could be so narrow. minded. Mary French,
this woman yon despise tries more sincerely-ah,
l believe she does more-to help the weak and
sinful than you do"
Mrs. French lifted her bowed head in atnase-
ment. But George Locke's noble, kindly, coun-
tenance was full Of stern sincerity and rebuke.
II mean what 1 say. She preys on men, as in
the manner of her kind-poor girl! But no man
pays tribute to her at the expense of a family.
Her speech is as blameless as your own, amid all
the ribaldry that surrounds her; sometimes it
has even seemed to me that her sweet songs
| purify the atmosphere about her.