Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-05-26

ton. You reminded me OF the young con-
fessors before the Roman tribunals in the
time of the first prosecutions. And want
you to know that whatever may be the action
of the church upon the morrow, admire
you and respect you with all my heart"
Halsey's heart gave a bound. This
young girl loved him; he was sure of it,
and everything else went for nothing
What was the part he had playeda
Nothing. And before he realized what
he was doing he had told her that her good
opinion was more to him than that of all the
world beside; that with her love he could face
contumely and scorn, let it come from what
ever quarter, and it seemed to him as he
spoke that he was really martyr for the
truth, instead of the potroon which he had
called himself few moments before If she
would only respond with like assurance he
could make clean breast of everything But
Orient only replied reassuringly that there
would be no contumely, and that even if
Ramoth Gilead did not give him a call, her
fathers opinion of him would not be lessened.
"He has a great deal of influence with the
board,n she added, ''and he has some nice
appointment in view for you. He wanted
me to come up here on purpose to hear you
preach, and he was very curious for me to
give him my opinion of you. He seemed to
think that you were still an invalid, and he
will be glad to know that you are so strong.
/ suppose it was your sea voyage and foreign
travel that benefited you"
A deadly certainty grew upon Halseys
mind He had never heard Orient's family
name mentioned, but he was sure now that
this was DR.. Corcoran's daughter, and that he
had supplanted his friend. He was not pre-
pared for this, and he tried to put the convic-
tion from him-to believe that it was not so.
"Orient," he said, as the clock struck, "can
you believe that we have actually been ac-
quainted only twenty-five hours and about
the same number of minutesp
''Oh, it cannot be possible" she exclaimed
"what an imprudently short acquaintance to
become engaged upon. But l know your
whole life from the time you were black
smiths boy to the present, and all your wan
derings in Palestine" Halsey WINGED, but
did not interrupt her. ''And father knows
you so thoroughly and respects you so highly,
and both he and mother have talked to me so
much about you. When | came back to my
room it was full of reminders of your pres
ence. That explanation Of the unpardonable
sin which you left on my desk was a mastery
piece of reasoning. And all the notes which
you made in my books were interesting to
enough at first to think that you had read
my silly jottings. l was not so prim as
seemed to be when declined corresponding
with you, for l was secretly pleased that you
had learned to care for me in such an odd
way. Oh! indeed l assure you that | would
never have fallen in love with you in this
disgracefully precipitate way without that
long mental preparation"
Clearly it was no time now for Halsey to
explain that he had no connection with the
past she treasured. He accepted the situa-
ton recklessly, with all the advantages
which it conferred upon him. $50 the ac-
tual does not come up to your ideal" he
asked.
"You are very different" she replied, mu-
singly, mot a bit as l had imagined you
You are very worldly looking. l never
would have thought yol a minister if had
met you anywhere else; but then you are
hardsomer than | expected, and so wonder
fully talented l am proud to think you
should care for little me. And l. no doubt
am very different from what you imagined.
Are you greatly disappointedr
OF course Halsey protested that he was
not, and he parted from her at the parson-
age gate with many assurances of his devo-
ton; and, however false their relations to
each other, these at least were genuine.
III
Halsey sat thinking deeply far into the
night He reviewed every possible plan for
avoiding confession and for keeping up his
assumed character, but he saw that this was
impossible. Orient haG told him that she
was to return home upon the morrow, and he
had agreed to accompany her. On the jour-
ney the explanation must be made Every
moment of delay made it more difficult, and
he bitterly regretted that he had not been
more honest with her. However, to have
firmly made up his mind to throw off the
mask was something of relief and he awoke
the next morning with hopeful feeling, and
his usual confidence that some way things
would come out right.
As he was not to lay aside his role
during the morning. he determined to
deepen the good impression which he had
made upon Orient, and to select the sermon
which he was to preach before the fellowship
meeting solely with reference to her tastes
He hesitated some time between "Buddha
and his Philosophy of Despair" discourse
of Dr. Newmans, and The Parallels of the
Talmud,n by the Rev. Charles Eaton, but
finally settled upon the first as more compli-
mentary to her intellect. He was little dis
turbed to notice, on taking his place in the
pulpit, that Orient was not in the choir the
eldest Miss Pearce occupying her place at
the organ, All through the sermon he kept
his eyes fixed upon the door, hoping to see
her enter, but only to be disappointed He
knew, too, from the strong stare with which
his hearers confronted him, that his audience
did not care penny for Buddha or the re-
igion Of India. Only Miss Pearce seemed in
in the least interested, for she had just read
"Mr. Isaacs," and had, Jeside, her reputation
as philosopher at stake, The business meet
ing was called Immediately after the sermon,
and Halsey, leaving it to its deliberations as
to his eligibility, hurried over to the parson-
age He was informed by the servant that
Miss Corcoran had left town ON the noon
train. He was struck with sudden apprehen-
sion.
81 understood that she was going on the af-
ternoon train.n
The servant believed that she did intend to
do SO, but had changed her mind. Halsey
next asked after the doctor He had driven
J his niece over to the station and had not yet