Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-01-04

name of hCr talNnCrlN. ana Ihtl N'"W
seem to allow She djd pet divorce. What
mowt she how called herself whrn She writ
This 2"
The master saw his opportunity ant rose
to il with a clvalruus udi Snntiun. that for
"a moment im!u,ed rv"n upon himself. 81
decline to nnswcc thot question, he said
anarilv. ~ refuse to- allow the nam" OF
any womqn WHO honorS me with her c"nli-
dcn.o 10 hc dragged into the infamous out
rag, that has been committed upon me and
common drrency And | shall mold the
thief and scoundrcl--vhoevor he may be
answcrahic 10 myself in tn absence of her
natural protector.
lnclo Ben surveyed the hero Of these Gilt
tcfin- g,noralitics with unlisguisod admWa-
ton. lie extended his hand to him grave
ly
''Shakc IF another proof was wsntin
Mr. Ford Of that bein my "if"'s letter,
he said. "that high-tonNl style of yours
would settle it. For cf thar was ON" thiht
she dit like, it was that sort of pc try. And
ono reason why her and me didn t get on,
and WIN ,tcdaddicd. was because il WASH
in my line Eos all in tranin' On'y
man ez had the Fourth Reader at his fin
GER ends could talk Ike that Ben' brought
up on Dobcl-e2 is noWhcre--it sOrtcr let's
me ont Of Won. ca it did outer hcr But al
lown it amt the square thing for You 10
mention her name, that wouldn't be nothn
aEin mn dom it. and calm her. weil-Lou
Price. in Il Eccrlcss sort o way, ch =
II decline to answer further" replied the
master quickly although his color had
/ changed at the name II decline To say an
other word ON the matter until this mystery
is cleared up-mtil know who dared TO
break into my desk and steal my property,
and the purpose Of this unheard-of outrage
And demand possession Of those letters at
once.
Uncle Ben without "A word put them in
the masters hand, to his Slight surprise,
and it must be added to his faint discomiit
ure, nor was il decreased when Uncle Ben
added with grave noiretc and pntronisinS
pressure of hi, hand ON his shouider-"ln
course e2 your taken it ON to yourself and
e2 Lou Price ain =; got no further call ON me-,
they ortel he yours. III to who got en-
outer the desk | reckon you amt got nc
suspicion of any one spyin' round ye-heN
ye>"
in an instant the recollection of Seth Dav
ia's face at the window and the corrobora
ton Of Rupcrts warning flashed across
Ford's mind The hypothesis that Seth hoC
4, ima.. ned that they were Cressy's letters
and had thrown them down without read
ing them when he had found out his mis-
take. seemed natural For if he had reaC
them he would undoubtedly have kept then
g. to show to Greasy. The complex emotions
that had disturbed the master ON the dis
! covery of Uncle Ben'S relationship to tn
p writer of the letters were resolving them
, selves into a furious rage at Seth. But be
fore he dared revenge himself he must b
| first assured that Seth was ignorant of thei
, contents. He turned to Uncle Ben
~ have Il suspicion, but to make it Ger
tain | must ask you for the present to sa.
nothing of this to any one. "
. Uncle Ben nodded. And when you he
found ont and you re settled in your min
that you kin make my mind easy about thi
Yer Lou Price, ez We'll call her. ben' di
vorccd squarely, and bein' so to speak, il
$ the way o getting married agin, ye Nigh
l. let me llnOw-ez a friend / reckon | won
= trouble you any more to-neht-oness yo
9 and me takes another sociable drink togctl
# er in the bar. No? Well then good night
: He moved slowly towards the door. Wit
# his hand on the lock he added; ''Ef We
! writin to her agin. you might say ez no,
you found NE lookin' well and conf able
D., and hopn' she's eniyin' the same bessin
:, so long
e He disappeared, leaving the master in
@ hopeless collapse of conflicting, and it is t
II be feared, not very heroic emotions. tt
situation which had begun so dramaticall
- had become suddenly automatically lUd
crouS, without however losing any of its en-
If barraSsng quality. He was conscious tn;
i he occupied the singular position of heir
more ridiculous than the husband-who
r invincihle and complacent simplicity stun
a him like the most exquisite irony. For q
instant he was almost goaded into the fun
At OF declaring that he had broken off fro
~ the writer of the letters for ever. bl
le its Inconsistency with the chivaro,
- attitude he had just taken occurred to hi
70 in time to prevent him from becoming doub
* absurd. His rage with Seth Davis seemed
III him the only feeling left that was genui
and rational, and yet now that Uncle b,
~ had gone even that had spurious ring.
I was necessary for him to lash himself into
W fury over the hypothesis that the lettc
miM have been Greasy ;, and desecrated
! that scoundre' touch. Perhaps he had re-
i, them and left them to be picked up 10y Other
He looked over them carefully to see if the
n meaning would to the ordinary reader a
a pear obvious and compromising. His e
i fell on the first paragraph.
an II should not he quite fair with you. Jac
if | affected to disbeleve in your faith
m your love for me and its endurance, bu
MS should he still more unfair if didn't
you what honestly believe, that ut yo
m age You are apt to deceive yourself, IA
q, without knowing it TO deceive others. y
ed comics, that you have not yet decided up
your career, and You are always looking #
,et ward so hopefully, dear Jack. for a chan
ON in the future, but you are willing to belle
o,. that far more serious things than that v
f.. suffer no change in the meantime
we continue as we We're. | who am older ii
ala You and have more experience might let
ms the misery of seeing you change towards
as have changed towards another. and
in the same reason. If | were sure | co
nd keep pace with you in your dreams and "
ambition if | We're sure that | always kI
H. ichut they were, we might still be happy
q l but ann not sure, and dare not again
,,,, my happiness ON an uncertainty. In com
W., to my present resolution | do not look
o,, happiness, but at least | know | shall
suffer disappointment, nor involve other,
:. it. | confess | am growing TO old not to
NV the value To IA wOman-a necessity to hel
'nd this country-of security in her present