Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-10
His Innocence Proved.

the master OF Meredith Grange;
fair-haired, blue-eyed girl, with a
face of rare loveliness, his daughter,
Idelle.
The girl was leaning against the
window, her eyes fixed on the beau
tiful scene that lay before her, but at
the sound of her fathers voice she
turned her head towards him, her
eyes meeting his.
s'Idelle," he said.
"Yes, papa?" she said, but her
voice was questioning.
"Can you give Your answer to-day,
Idelle? I have waited patiently; your
lover has been patience itself, but we
want your answer now."
"My lover!'' the girl repeated.
liking Emerson is not that, father" !"
''He is your lover-at least he
loves you. The question is, Will you
marry King Emerson or not?"
'sYou give me choice," with a
faint smile "then l will not. Oh,
father!" with swift break of pas
sion, 81 cannot marry him; do not
love him, and I do love-
''Do not dare to repeat that. 1delle
Meredith, in my presence again /
have given you my opinion, and more
than mine of Ralph Greeley, who is
neither more nor less than fortune
hunter and his wife, with my con-
sent, you will never pe.
He was silent for a moment, and
Idelle let her eyes wander out of the
window again.
Suddenly her father rose and went
to her, and caught her by the arm.
"Look here, GIRL" he said, his face
darkening, 81 have fooled long
enough with you. You will marry
King Emerson"
81 have promised my love to Ralpf
Greeley"
The clasp on her arm tightened.
81 tell you," her father said, "tha
Ralph Greeley Is rascal. Ask Es
ther Haven has he right to marry
you"
81 will not believe that story,
Idelle said, though her face grew
pale; she is the soul of honor
Her father laughed.
"Girl, saw them together" HI
said. saw her pleading with him
Everyone links their names together
and insinuates she ought TO be hi
wife"
Idelle's face grew still paler.
"If | knew that were true," sh,
said quietly, "my heart would chang
at least I would turn from him
and-and -
"Marry King Emerson?" her ia
ther interposed.
"And marry King Emerson, sh
said.
II will hold you to that promise
Idelle," her father said no MEREDITH
ever broke his word, whatever thei
other failings."
The smile on the girls face waver
ed. All, if she were too sure of he
lovers innocence.
81 spoke thoughtlessly," she said
"but if Ralph Greeley is what 20
have limited, my careless words vii
hold good.''
1 am satisfied her father sal
quietly"
A little later Idelle left the hous
and wandered down by sunny dell
her thoughts filled with her father
words as we'll as her own.
sit was foolish speech of mine,
she said: ''even if Ralph had bee
unworthy, that would be no reaso
why l should marry King Emerson
whom | almost shrink from. withou
really knowing why
AT this instant tall, fne-lookin
man crossed the Meadow man dis
tinguished looking as well as hand
some. Tt was King Emerson goin,
to Meredith Grange, where in a fe,
minutes he would hear Idelle's decis
ion from her father.
| King Emerson and Ralph Greele
were cousins, but King was the mas
ter of broad lands and sunny wales
while Ralph was little more than pen
niless but Idelle-well, Idelle love,
him.
He was well worthy, as far as out
ward appearances went, of any wo
mans love, and Idelle refused to be
lieve that otherwise he was not wor
thy as we'll.
AS King Emerson passed, she Dire,
into the shadow lest he should see her
He is very handsome" she said
her eyes following him after he ha,
passed, "almost as handsome a
Ralph"
Her lovers face rose before her
CHEEKY and bright, as it usually was
with Its frank eyes and pleasan
smile, and tender glow came int
her eyes.
"My darling," she murmured
''they cannot make me believe ill O
you.'
She had said that King Emerso
was almost as handsome as her lover
but the truth was he was the hand
somer man of the two, but lacke,
the magnetic charm of Ralph's cheer
face.
Both men were tall and finely fea
| furad hut Kings faoa wac noo,o roo