The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-05-12

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spond est is not necessary: I will remain
for the present, and know Carol so well, I
am sure she would rather be left alone"
s!She will be better for woman's SYM
pathy.'
s'But there was something's GOODNESS OF
some kind-betWeen them. -
"A trihe, I daresay, which will not be re-
membered at d time like thls,' and the
banker left, fixed in his resolve.
Ingot summoned the servant and gave
his directions as soon as the other was fair
ly out Of hearing.
"Sarah, if Miss Everleigl calls, tel! her
that your young mistress refuses to see her
refuses to see any one. I depend upon
you to get rid of every one who comes
| without troubling Miss Carol with mes
sages. The doctor has ordered perfect
quiet for his patient, and we can not follow
his instructions too faithfully. You under
stand?n
eyes, sir; certainly" acquiesced Sarah.
and MI. Ingot fingered to see Althea denied
admittance. The clergyman who was to
have oficiated at the marriage, meantime,
had taken his departure after offering some
earnest words Of sympathy and consolation
to the stricken girl.
She had taken her place by her brothers.
bedside, white and 1notionless, seeing moth.
ing but his CHASTITY looks. hearing nothing
but the faint, labored breathing which
crossed his lips. InEyot passed in and out
unnoticed by her, and when he disappeared
for couple of hours later in the day, she
did not miss him.
He came back with q new expression
Gin his face which BODIED no good The as
pect of the sick-room had no. changed.
Carol had not noticed his leaving, she did
not notice his entrance until he spoke her
name.
ssCou1e with me. have something to
say to you. Lyman will do as we'll with
Sarah to watch him. BY the way leading
her out, "she tells me she has a brother
who understands nursing, and L have en-
gagged him to take charge Of the case.
don't intend TO let You wear yourself out,
my dear, now that youbelong to nle-or soon
wil-more than to him. Do you realize
that have been very bitterly disappointed
o-day. Garcia 1t is hard to be SO neac my
happiness, and yet be cheated out Of it.''
She lifted her heavy eyes to his face, and
her glance fell away. What could she says
How could she tell him that she no longer
recognized his claim, That she never had
recognized it, while Lyman, who was her
strength, lay helplesa2
81 don't intend to be cheated out Of it
long," Ingot went On, with dogged stub
bornness underlying his gentler tones
Lyman may lay there in that state for
days; it will I've weeks before he will get
around, if he ever does, and I haven't got
the patience Of job. want you to marry
me right of, just the same as if nothing had
happened, and I'll help you take care Of
him, I swear WILL as If he was my OWE
brother.''
"Oh, moi" exclaimed Carol, with & nerv-
Gus clasping OF her hands, catch in her
breath. :sNo5 noW-1lot ever--until''--
aUntil what?'' he asked, regarding her
with darlxening looks.
"Until he is better and tells me that
must, with burst Of hystericai weeping,
which relieved her over-byriened heart.
She pressed back the tears presently, and
looked at him piteously
% I must 60 back to him. can not stay
away''
"You will listen to zoe first" he said,
slowly, with cruel emphasis. "You think,
no doubt that Lyman would never make
you marry me; you believe the promises he
gave you, that he would step in and save
you at the last; but tell you that was my
plan from the start. [ knew you would not
give in easily, and I did not want to be
cruel to you. thought if could fool you
into marrying me, that you would make the
best of it afterward. Lyman never meant
to stop the ceremony. 1t was all q put-ap
Job between him and me to make you
seem willing. We fixed it that he was to
keep out OF the way until the lost moment.
OF course, there was the chance that you
might say mo- when the preacher put the
question, but we trusted TO hurl'yng the
business over before you could gather
your wits enough to know that your
precious brother had gone back on you.
That was the programnc-an a mighty
pretty one it was--if this cursed business
had not come up.'
Carol looked at him with horror deepen
ing in her eyes. What terrible story was
this he was telling her? How dared he SO
tradnce one who was helpless to defend
himself?
81 do not believe you," she declared, but
even as she uttered tho words her heart
sunk, chilled with underlined fears and
doubts.
SITS tho truth, ali the same. He was
going to show me up as g. villain and
scoundrel, and confound ME with my ras-
c:ailGy, WASN'T ne: Onco mOfo leu you
it was all my own plan. He is the last
man who would bring any charge against
me if he could. DO you want to know why,
my Carol? Because he-1e! and not l, was
the villain. Because it was and is in my
power to send him higher than Gilderoy's
kite. He was ready enough to buy me off
from doing him harm with the price OF
your hand. He did not like it any too well,
curse him! but there was no other way TO
save hilnself''
He came to pause, with a scowl darken-
ing his brows.
"What has he done?" The question
forced itself from the girls pale lips, quite
against her will. She did not want to be-
ieve these horrible accusations, but there
came the remembrance of Lyman's strange
actions, his moodiness, the trouble which
he had laid to business causes, to shake her
faith in him.
A moment passed before Ingot answered.
Determined as he was to have his way, he
did not want to crush the girl whom he
really loved in his own fashion. He found
all at once that he would rather not tell her
the actual details of her brothers. wrong
full acts.
"Look here!' he said at last, 81 don't