The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-19
ather deti.nuy he met Iris Enderby's

no opinion SO distinctly; but yet ms
guess was not far from the truth. Fol
there was no denying that Dick with hi
battered costume, his rather dingy
hands. and the reckless, devil-may-cart
expression on a face grown coarse thai
had once been handsome, looked dis
reputable character. with whom rein
ed girl could have nothing in common
Therefore Iris withdrew her eyes witt
calm indifference. and went on meas
uring some medicinal compound.
Her face, with the indiscribable air o.
! fearless innocence about it that some
faces will wear to the end. awoke in
Dick novel sense of embarrassment
He hesitated, but the desire to speak tC
her was too strong, and he crossed OveI
to the invalid's side.
"Can be of any use?" he asked pc
litely.
mo, thank you." said the girl q
trifie coldly; but her voice was yer,
pleasant and musical. '.Mrs. Hartley
will be here presently" She turned q
passing glance on him as she spoke
distrustful and yet Indifferent. But
Dick paid no heed to the restraint; hi
spoke again, warming to the old man
ner.
Il have brought him some wine,
he said, in careless undertOne. dis
burthening his hands as he spoke. 81
thought it would be needed. and they
have very little money. You see have
lodged here now for two years, and
am sorry he has broken down. There
is no hope, 1 suppose?" he added, in a
yet more guarded voice, though the
patient was sleeping heavily.
The girl turned again, and looked
him full in the face. He fancied he
could trace in her eyes some regret fol
having judged him too harshly, and her
voice was more cordial, though in all
her intonatiOns when she spoke to him,
then and afterward, he thought there
was suspicion of disdain. He never
blamed her, and he knew instinctively
that if his old social standing had still
been his, that element in her voice
would have been rather more pro-
nOunced.
There is very little hope, l am
afraid" she said gravely. "Has Mrs.
Hartley any friends who can help her?
The doctor said he would require con-
slant care
sShe has been earning for them both
for some time," said Dick. sand her
hands are full already. l do not think
she has any friends who are likely to be
of any use. If ever you are in need of
a helping hand l hope you will rely
upon me. l can easily sit up with him
at nights and never feel it." And. indeed.
he looked as if he were SO used to sitting
up all night that few additional times
would make no difference to him.
'Thank you," said Iris, and was 81
lent again. The real or imagined ha-
teur in her voice annoyed Dick unac-
countably.
'Unlcss you are too fastidious," he
said, in sudden tone of bitterness that
astounded himself. ''tO take help ut the
hands of poor BLACKBOARD like me-"
The girl looked at him with strange
blending of compassion and repugnance
in her eyes.
"You could have been Q gentleman
if you had wished" she said, calmly.
''lf you are what you choose to be, why
blame me for taking you at your own
valuation?"
There was something terribly true
and relentless about her words, and
Dick WINGED under them as the most
violent reproaches had ceased to make
him vince.
"Thank yOu," he said. you show
me what have to suspect from people
of higher moral standard. And yet
what right have you to assume that
am worthless?"
"It is your own appetite" she re-
turned TRANQUILITY. 'But-forgive me
acters in their faces"
Dick nearly sworc heavy oath, but
he checked himself just in time, and
spoke in tones of exceeding suavity.
"What excellent discrimination you
have! Then you have ascertained that
my character is too far gone to allow OF
my associating with you, to however
small an extent, in a work of mercy"
A half smile broke over the girls
face. faint and transient, ard yet it lit
up the whole countenancc and softened
its youthful austerity.
Il did not say that" she returned,
relentingly. '.Who am that should
look with scorn on any human beinge"
(This, by the way, she should have
thought of before. ''Indeed, if you
care to give it, believe that We shall
be grateful for your help"
ssThank you," said Dick, his anger
,,,olt;rr nc ;uoov,oprohopc;h1vo S II kad
arisen. Il am at your service"
He sat up that night with Hartley,
fulfilling mechanically whatever Offices
were required of him, but thinking very
little of the invalid and q good deal
about Iris Enderby and his own social
status. He fell to drawing the most in
vidious comparisons between himself
and his old companions. who had
walked in the light as persistently as he
had walked in the darkness; between
himself and his own relatives, leading
unimpeachsblo. if prosaic, lives in the
West End. When he gave place to Mrs.
Hartley and slept at last. it was to
dream of bishops, prayer books and
church institutes, every thing calculated
to awaken a sense of sneaking de-
ficiency. and he woke still drawing in
vidious comparisons between himself
and all of them. If Iris Enderby was
to have this startling effect on his moral
nature. he thought the less he saw of
her the better; accordingly, he fell into
a long and interesting speculation as to
whether she could ever be persuaded to
tolerate him. He would find out.
There passed five strange. wild weeks.
the most miserable, the most rapturous
in Dicks life. 1t is not pleasant for .
man tobe scorned. knowing that he de-
serves scorn; but before q week was
over Warrington was SO madly in love
with Iris Enderby that he thought he