The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-08-29
CHAPTER XI.-Coyr1yryn.


He did acknowledge to himself the
truth of the position as asserted by
John Gordon. Had the man come but
a day earlier, he would have been in
time to say the first word: and in such
case there would have been no reason,
as far as Mr.. Whitslestaff could see.
why John Gordon should be treated
other than as a happy lover. 1t was
the one 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 had made his
life miserable for so many wears. But
had John Gordon come in time, the
past misery would only have been pro-
1onged. and none would have been the
wiser. Even Mrs. Baggett would have
held her peace, and not thrown it i'm his
teeth that he had attempted to marry
e girl and had failed As it was. all
the world of Arlesforl would know how
it had been with Linn, and all the world
OF Arlesford, as they looked at him,
would tell themselves that this was the
man who had attempted 10 mary Mary
Lawrie, and had failed.
1t was true. all that John Gordon al
legged on his own behalf But then
he was able to save his own conscience
by telling himself that when John Cor
don had run through his d almonds
there would be nothing but poverty and
distress. here was no reason for sup
posing that the diamonds would be
especially sbort-liveI, or that John
Gordon would probably be spenthrift
But diamonds as a source of income are
volatile. not Trustworthy, as were the
funds to Mrs. Baggett. And then the
nature of the source of income offered
enabled him to say so much as 4 plea
to himself. Could he give the girl to a
man who had nothing but diamonds
with which to pay his weekly bills! He
q d tell himself again and again, that
Mary Lawrie should not be encouraged
to put her faith in diamonds. But he
felt that it was only an excuse. In
ar Euing the matter backwards and for
wards, he 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. h s
mind. Even though these diamonds
should melt away. and become IS moth
ing, there was his own income. fixed
and sure as the polar star. in the con-
solidated British three per cents. If he
really loved tniS girl. could he not pro-
tecU her from poverty, even were she
married to John Gordon. broken
down in the article of his diamonds? Ii
he loved her. was he not bound. BY
some rule of chivalry which he could
not define even to himself. to do the
best he could for her happiness? He
loved her SO. well that he thought that,
for her sake. he could ahO ish himself
Let her have his money. his house.
and his horses. Let her even have
John Gordon. He could. with certain
feeling of delight, imagine it all. But
then he could not abolish himself
There he would be sub .ect to the remarks
of men. There is he" men would
say or him, ''who has maundered away
his mind in softness; who, in his life,
has loved two girls, and has. at last,
been thrown over by both of them be-
cause be has been no better than soft.
maunderin~ IDIOT" Thus his neighbors
would speak of him in his vain effort to
abolish himself.
1t was not vet too late. He had not
yielded an inch to this man. He could
still be stern aul unbcnding. He felt
proud OF himself in that he mad been
stern and unbenJinm, as far as tne man
was concerned. And as regarded Mary.
he did feel sure of her. Ii there was to
be weakness displayed. it would be in
himself. Mary would be true to her
promise; true To her faith. true 10 the
arrangement made for her own life.
She would not provoke him with argu-
ments as to her love for John Gordon:
and, as Mrs. Baggett had assured him,
even in her thoughts she would not 90
aStray. If it We're but for that worl,
Mrs. Baggett should not be allowed to
leave his house.
But what rs to Mary's love? ANY
such question was maunieringly soft.
1t was not for him to ask it. He did
believe in her altogether, and was per-
feclly secure that his name and his
honor We're safe in her hands. And she,
certainly, would learn TO love him.
" She II stand the washing" he said to
himself, repeating another morSel of
Mrs. Baggett's wisdom. And thus he
made up his mind that he would. on
this occasion, il only on this occasion.
be stern and cruel Surely a MN could
bring himself 10 sternucsS and cruelty
for once in his life, when so much de-
pended on it.
Having 81 resolved, he walked ba, k
into the house, intending to see Mary
Lawrie, and 20 TO speak 10 her rs 10
give her no idea of the conversation
which had taken place between him
and John Gordon. 1t would not be
necessary, he thought, that he should
mention 10 her John Gorion's name
any more. Let his MARI age go on. rs
though there were no such person as
John Gordon. 1t would lie easier to be
stern and cruel when he could enact
the character simply by silence. He
would hurry on his wedding as quickly
as she would allow him. and then the
good thing-the good that was to come
out of sternness and crueity-would be
achieved.
He went through from the library to
knock at Mary's door. and, i'll doing
so, had to pass the room in which Mrs.
Baggett had slept tran iuilly for fifteen
years. There. in the doorway, was a
big trunk. and in the lock of the door
was key. A brilliant idea at once oc-
CURED ID Mr.. Whittlestaff He showed
the big box in with his foot, locked the
door. and put the key in his pocket.
AT that moment the heads of the gay
dener and the groom appeared up the
back staircase, and after them Mrs.
Rarcrif