Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20


Some suspicious of years ago were coming
| back TO her. 81 think l understand" she
said. as Jack willng that you should give
him up2'
"What could it matter to hm2 A shabby,
old liar and braggart as McMurray called
me. | saw his church to-day, and the house
where he will live. So grandly furnished,
Maddyn
"Churches and furniturel" with a con-
temptuous shrug. "What are they to Jack =
81 saw the woman he is to marry"
| "Ahl the womau"-
"a daughter of McMurrays-a delicate,
white rosebud of girl. He has everything
now the world can give, Jack has. There's
but one bar in his way, and that won's be
there long"
But Madeline had turned to the window,
her face toward the sun that was going down
1t was some time before she came back
When she did, she stood by the mantel shelf
| looking down at him. "Does the woman
love hix"
81 thought so. 1t WAS her face"
"She only has known him little whilem
"Wthrow told me they met last month in
Chicago The match was arranged there"
She looked at her hand. There was "A thin
gold ring on one finger-a cheap little trle,
such as a school boy would give. 1t had been
there so many years that it bound and panied
the woman's full grown finger. 1t had done
so for many years.
cone month";" she said to herself again and
again.
The sun was down, but the reflection from
| the snow on the roofs threw pleasant bright
ness into the many windows, while the clock
licked chcerfully the last hour of daylight
away. A noise below broke the silence into
which they had fallen The stairs were long
and rickety, and steps could be heard creak-
ing from one flight to the other.
"Its Jack" The major spoke hoarsely,
standing up. He had been thinking it over
as he sat. However false and disreputable
his course had been since he was man, he at
least was right, he thought, in this act of its
close.
Nothing in his life 50 became him as the
ending of it," he quoted to himself. "Bur
McMurray would call it theatrical trick"
Jack was ut the street door; in a few min
utes it would he too late He thrust his
fingers into his pocket and secreted the little
ria in his palm. He went to the Soor us if
to close it. At that moment Maddy caugh,
sight of yellow bit of writing on the hearth
stopped, picked it up. She nodded as she
| read 1t without surprise.
"His SOM And Jack wants the old man
now to deny it, Not to stand in his wayfn
The first hint about that poor whit rabbit
| Clara had turned her blood to gall. She wa.
suddenly bitter and unjust as death To Jac.;
to whom she had given her Who'll lie oi
| patient, sweet tempered trust.
The steps came nearer. The poor old ma
ior backed toward the inner door, his IN
| IL.
| I'm going to lie down on your bel Take him
away with you, Maddy can ss either OF
you tonight Yet even then it gave HIM a
vague pleasure to hear how liaht and gay
and resolute the boys steps were
Maddy came quietly between him and the
door "No we will both see this Jack, who
puts you out of his way
The door opened. There was the old short.
! stout built Jack The old sturdy honest face
under the same fur cap, the twitch in the
mouth ready to make joke at anybody or at
himself.
"Why, Maddy' I did not hope to see you
here, little woman" giving her a hrothprly
shake of the hand, and so figurativelv setting
her aside. How the dull morbid shadows
that had filled the room crept aside before
hint Madeline felt that her life had been
but passionate dream. Practical, common
sense people on the same plane of society saw
each othcr Il month ago in Chicago, and mar
riel nationally. And why should prac-
! teal, rational man cucumber himself with
this late discovered father, with his UNI
| dnuhtedly unwhoLsome fances and STACEY
| habits.
Maj Standish" - Jack with all hi,
hearty manner was embarrassed-"I came to
| speak to you on business of importance. You
have no secrets from Maddyf'
Don't speak, boyl For Gods sake In "A
| little while will set it all right Wait one
| minut"r' retroatiIg to the door.
But | won't wait" Jack had his hands
! Oh the ma or's shoulders and forced him down
ON "a chair His face flushed as he spoke, and
his voice grew unsteady. Look at this old
man, Madeline. Twenty years ago he came
| mere a healthy, middle aged man, with a
| comfortable living and a son; boy that he
could have educated plainly and had to work
| for him and be companion as he grew old,
But what does he dos Puts the boy where he
Will be tended like a prince, be clothed in
purple and fine linen, gives up his income to
hm, while he--look at this cockloft, Maddy
Look-herel' He put his hand on the old
mans head and drew it through the thin
white hair. Once or twice he bS;an to speak,
but stopped At last he said: II know the
shifts you have made to live, the insults you
bore, that | might sleep soft and lice
warm! It's well | do know them all. You
will neves want the care of son again, SC
help me GodW
Eyes, yes, knew you would say that,
cried the major. "But of what use was il
all! You have ruined yourself | know
what | am. Who told you this"
"A man who came from Virginia to fine
you"
"What does he want
"Iie would not tell me.n Proctor's face
clouded The ma jor's quick eyes marked it
"He has II warrant for he, | suppose" sui
len and logged.
II do not know He refused to give M
any hint
There were several little afrairs-there'
no use in their stirring up mudd.
water, that | can see peevishly
"But if it's criminal-let me alone, Jack
catching the young mans sleeve. "You shal
not drag yourself down for me. I'll not hay
my whole life thwarted,n hercely
Jacks answer was to glance around tn