The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-06-08
CHAPTER XIV.

Itdol4 10 hIHs' and no man suffers humlla-
lon without in time losing his own self
respect mat will never | hope, be your
toss, Bernard Poor girl. il will be q great
grief TO her; for though she has known you
out little while, she has found in you u
great deH to admire and love. and her af-
AeSIio3 IS so tenacious that | doubt ii she
Wiz ever cease to love YOU" 10 sighed,
aia Tor some moments sat in thoughtful
silence, and then he said: I'VE must not
break her heart, my dear fellow-we must
teaEe h9I ONE hope, as it is necessary that
Tor some lme yOtl should be separated, il is
right that yea should both be Tree to form
''her engagements; at the same time there
may 20 q taclt understanding that should
yo0 succeed in making a position for your
SCH IN q reasonable space Of time, and then
are both still warmly disposed toward each
Diner tue engagement shall be renewed.
There IS no necessity for your having a
sarge fortune, but it is essen initial, as | think,
a4d as You happily think also that you
SHOULD be able TO provide yourself with the
necessities of life. ] promise that Edith
shall bring with her the Injuries"
lie then offered TO use his influence in
procuring me secrctaryship; but as | had
never been accustomed to sedentary occu-
patton, and such an appointment could
never satisfy my more ambitious hopes ne
generously placed his TurSe at my disposal,
20 use us Knight find occasion.
1 have purposely abstained from dwelling
upon my l0ve affairs, for II / entered into
chem nc all, my feelings would lead me TO
utate upon the delights of my brief wooing.
10 the exclusion Of the graycr matters
which form the subject Of this book. Jr
the same reason | shall pass over the bitter
grief Of our parting. | will only say that
Edith S last words awakened courage in my
sinking heart.
/ could form no satisfactory theory with
regard 10 the Great Hesper robbery but |
was disposed to regard Van HOeck as the
least cuIpablc agent concerned in it.
1T was Impossible to tell how the robbery
affected this mysterious man. As ] have
said during The investigation he sat per-
lcetIy IAouoniesS and perfectly silent His
face Wore the inscTutable expression of d
death-mask.
Sir Edmund hal no sympathy with him
after learning from me the particulars re-
!atIgE % the adventures of the morning.
When we entered the library from the
dinlng-room whore our interview had
taken place, we found Van Hoeck sitting
where we had left him.
| have ordered the carriage TO be at the
door in half an hour Mr.. Van Hoeck" said
the baronet Be good enough to make
Eour arrangements for departure by that
time"
Van Hoeck inclined his head.
I shall be glad if you will redeem your
o U at an carly date" the baronct added
sternIy
Van Hoeck put his hand in his pocket,
drew out a purse, and extended it. | took
it. seeing the baronct's -pugnance, and
placed it on the table.
] accompanied Van Hocck to Southamp-
ton. Neither OF Us spoke on the Way-n-
deed, had not heard a word pass his lips
since we parted in the early morning.
| took a room for him ut an hotel, and
when the servant who led us to it was gone
l said
4 am going to leave YOU, Van Hoeck"
gesture Of Indifference was his onl
reply.
You have nothing to say-no explana-
ton to otfer?" | asked.
What do you mean speak plainly" he
said.
L saw you discussing with Brace wha
should be done with the case that held the
diamond before he secrcted it."
'iyou know that We were discussing that
You know all. It is useless to make an ex
PLANTATION that you would not believe.
have nothing to say"
He CROPPED his way TO a chair and threw
himself into it,
put packet Of notes on the table, anC
told him that If he had need Of further bell
he might write TO ne, addressing his lette
70 the care OF Sir Edmund. Then 1 lef
him..
had vague idea of purchasing IA part
nership in some business where | coult
find active employment, and with this view
| took lodgings in London, and began e
pursuit about a week when | received ;
letter from Sir Edmund.
i iuclosc." he wrotc. "a cutting from one
OF the weekly papcrs Vine growing. as i
Is here described, seems 10 be the yer,
thing that should suit man Of your dspo
sition and taste; it would suit me, ii were
thirty years younger than / am. As il Is
nothing would better please me than to SEE
you prosperous fruit farmer
That Edith might have something t
look forward TO- have proposed that on
nsAt summer holiday trip should be to San
Diego She thinks wc should find Cali
tornian hotels insupuOrtabIc. Perhaps voI
viii be able To offer something more accept
able than hotel accommodation. In an,
ease, my dear fellow. you can give me n,
more acceptable testimony Of your affection
thaD in avaIling yourself freely and fully O
INV pccuEiary assistance"
Tho cutting referred to GROWN.
ana frut-eulture in Southern California
hat before l read sineIe lin
IN it | had made up my mind t
be al san Diego to receive Edith and he
father in the summer