The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-08-06

passe, said that she was becoming
spoiled at last. Callow youths were
placed in the seventh heaven by her
unwonted sweetness to them. But
every throb of the music, every waltz
she heard brought back the memory of
pair of dark eyes, low, tender voice
and a dream that would come no more.
And so matters went on, and the wane
of the season came. The story of Jack
Mourdant came out, of course, with
various notifications. Society shrugged
its shoulders again, and pitied poor Car
RE Tracy.
TOO badr' everybody said. "She
should know better than to fall in love
with handsome adventurer. He was
an awfully nice fellow, though, but
frightfully wildr'
And so Carrie Tracy had to stand by
and hear all this, and accept the con-
dolence of her friends. 1t was gall and
wormwood to her, but it only made the
triumph that came in October all the
sweeter.
You don't believe there is man in
the world you may trust?" she heard
one girl say to another. She was sit
ting by window in the hotel which
opened upon piazza. The two girls
were pacing up and down outside.
II know it sounds awfully silly, but
1 don't believe in trusting people"
II wish you would let me tell you a
little story; it's only an everyday sort
of story. It's from real life. I'll tell
you the story CT Jack Monrdant."
At this Carrie Tracy looked up quick
ly. She listened eagerly to every word.
The two on the piazza had seated them
selves near her.
1.-The family is an Albany one; there
were four brothers, and he was the
youngest One of the brothers is now
in Albany, the other abroad, the third
is-well, was near Albany-in Jail. 1t
was his own fault that he got there; he
was the black sheep of the family
Percy Mour dant. When very young
boy he was always stealing trifles from
his schoolmates. There was no excuse
for it. His family was rich and he had
every advantage. Percy was an awful
ly wild boy.
Jack had always been Percy's bosom
friend. Again and again he had helped
him out of scrapes. Percy was quiet
fellow to all appearances. He wore
eyeglasses, and was meek as Moses
But he had the very devil in him. Jack
seemed more like the rascal, with his
dark, Spanish beauty. Percy was light
and had sandy hair He appeared q ute
harmless.
After they got out of college Percy
behaved himself, but not for long. He
got to gam bling and drinking and all
sorts of horrid things. The family was
proud and extremely sensitive They
feared he would do something that
would disgrace them forever; some
thing that the sensational newspapers
would make hue ana cry over as
Another swell gone wrong!' you know
what l mean.
Sat last he did. He made an I'M
fortunate marriage. A very good sort
of woman was Grace Morris, but
quite below HIM. He did not stop here,
bu. forged large check on his fathers
name. The matter was partly hushed
up. Old Col. Mourdant sent Percy
away. And to make the matter worse,
every body in Albany was talking about
1T.
Jack was the only one of the family
who stuck to the unfortunate Percy.
This summer Percy got into more and
serious trouble. Grace came here to
see Jack and get him to come to AL
bany to help him out Jack couldn't
come, but believe he arranged for
Grace to send word when she needed
him.
Jack went to Albany soon after;
met his brothers wife at the station;
arranged with her to help Percy out.
time. 1t was not a question of hush
ing up. 1t was question of life and
death. There had been row in low
gambling resort A man had been
killed. Percy was not wholly to blame,
but he had been held for-what do you
call it?-manslaughter?
Jack did some clever detective work
then. He discovered that some, OF
Percy's former associates had agreed
to make the case so black that Percy
would be convicted of murder after ALL
1t was a serious matter Percy must
not stand trial. What should he do?
He made one last appeal to Col Mour-
dant, but it was of no use. Then what
do you suppose Jack did? You will
not believe it, perhaps, but it is true.
ale went to his father and said: See
here, l am to have SO much of your
property when you die. don't care to
wait. There is an immediate use for
the money. May have my inheritance
now?' Fancy that. His father was
quite taken aback He asked a few
questions and let his erratic son have
the money. 1t was large sum, run.
| ming far up into the thousands.
This money-think of it-every
cent he had in the world he used to get
his brother off. 1 don't know how he
did it. 1t was bailing him out or some
thing of that sort. Percy and his wife
sailed from San Francisco not long ago
for Australia. An odd tale, is it not?''
Carrie Tracy didn't think so. She
sat with shining eyes for some moments
aftLr, and then went downstairs. 1t
! was just then that the bus from the
station came up to the door.
A man jumped out, and he never for
got the picture that she made as she
came out on the piazza 2 The sun was
low in the west, and the light, played
on her expressive face, on her hair,
and lit up her eyes. When he saw her
he stood quite still. He barred his head
with q gesture reverential and devout,
as if she were q being from another
world. 1t was but an instant that they
stood there. Then Carrie Tracy gave
him her hand, and he looked into her
eyes and saw that he was welcome.
Society was shocked at the reappear-
ance of "'her adventurer. 49, Everybody
wondered how he managed to get an
invitation to the dance that evening,
which happened to be at the Aspin-
-Joneses. But the true story got
out, and Jack Mourdant became more
and more popular. Even Edward Slo-
comb had to acknowledge that he was
. good fellow. And he took the
trouble of shaking hands with him and