The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-11
FABLE THE sEvENTH.-CoSrrNuEn.

FABLE THE SEVENTH CONTINUED.
''Ah-you don't know law language
1t means, the man who lent your father
money has right to his money back,
or the land, And. as he can't get the
money, he means to have the land
Have Legs Croft! No"'
Eyes, my DEAR
"But il can't behave Leys Croft
Why, it will Kill father! Poor father
/ know why he's so sad now | thought
1t was about me. But Legs Croft; oh,
Mr.. Marrish. you AZ. wise; you always
know what is to be done. What shall
arc do?''
..Ah. It's a hard case; an awful
hard case; and cruel, too. | wish |
had that mortgage in my own claws"
but who can he be?''
Ah-that's what's not to be known.
It's done through the lawyers; they
know their own client. of course, that
found the money"
Tell me-is his name Preston?"
MAY be. Who knows? There's al
ways wheels within wheels Only don't
say awOrd to your father. It'll only
VeX him and harass him; and-and- ii
You don't please, he'll nerer know; be-
yond that the troubles gone"
MIR. Marrish," said the poor girl,
half in a whisper, ''God, He knows that
no loss but if lost father could be any
thing to me. But Legs Croft is father 5
own very life; he d sooner starve here
than Oh, you don't know what Legs
Croft is to father. You see twas here
he was born, and where he brought
poor mother home, and where she died;
and it's all his pride. And you say If
i don't please There's nothing l
wouldn't do to keep Legs Croft for faith
er; nothing in the world"
Nothing in the world?''
Nothing in the whole wide world. :"
what. Miss Patience, right or
wrong; big or small?"
She looked still more alarmed. ''How
can do good by doing wrong? That
would kill father still more sure"
Then, It's not by doing wrong I'm
a plain farming chap, Miss Patience,
and don't know how to put things
the pretty way. But that yOW won't
mind. Look you. If you'll be Mrs. Mar
IRISH, there II be an end of all this here
Nay, don't you look so scared. Put it
in aplain, business way, if so you please.
though l love you so, dear, I'd sooner
have YOU than a hundred thousand
pounds. OF course l don't look to your
loving me all in a minute, like ! love
YOU. Only if you II marry me, I've got
enough to do more than Ste-I mean
those PreStons, eve- would; and I'll
keep your father like a gentleman and
You like queen. There's no way out
of it else; no way at all. If was to
pay off this debt, 'twould be no good:
there'd be more behind. and-but there.
You see for yourself how It's and how
'twould be"
If he thought he had prepared the
ground he was never more mistaken in
his life, and even he, being a mortal
farther, had been mistaken now and
then. She was taken aback; she knew
what to say, but how to say it!
''Oh, why do you ask that? The only
thing l can never don'
That glow, his only sign of passion,
came into his eyes, and a jealous flash
besides. Instead of answering her as
the flash prompted, he silently and de-
hberately counted twenty-fOur.
Mr.. Marrish. you are our dear. only
friend; know that, God knows. Won't
You be our friend for fathers sake?
What you-what YOU have asked me
would be wrong. Don't ask me why.
You KNOW"
mo. l do not know"
81 have promised never to be the wife
OF any but one.
WHAT he cried. forgetting to count
another dozen. ''You are still think
ing Of"
''Yes. Of Stephen Harlow. There.
j never thought to name his name
again. said she, flushing pale.
What, of false
''Hush! you are not nly friend if YOU
say another word. They have tried to
make me think him false, God knows
who or why; but they may try it in vain.
] have tried to think so; but, though 1
think il, l can't feel it. do what will.
! kaOs0 that Stephen Harlow is true to
me-
She said it SO simply that he almost