The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-23

| preJuQlced person that he spoke the truth.
But the deacon was man Of very fixed
opinions ecalled the Objectionable quail
| ity that usually won for him his own way
determination.
His fellow church members referred to
it as pig headedness," but that was only
when there was no chance of his hearing
of the term so applied He now openly re-
fused to credit Philips declarations. But
the young man listened to his rambling
vehemently told story, and then with the
same GOODNESS and deiiberation that after
ward greatly helped him in the case of
Colly versus West, he pretty thoroughly
cross examined him He learned enough
about the scene in the parlor the night pre-
ceding Mabels flight TO give him toler-
ably clear insight as to the actual state of
affairs, and hiss knowledge of the proud,
self reliant character of the girl assured
him that when she returned it would be Of
her own free will.
Whatever efforts he made to find her
must be advanced with the utmost deli
cacy, for be knew that anything like pub
licity would deeply offend her. 1t was
with great difficulty that he finally per
suaded the deacon to refrain from taking
the police into his confidence, and the old
man departed finally, vowing that if his
daughter was not back in Squalacket be-
fore the end of the week he would obtain
warrant for Philips arrest, and raise
such hue and cry after Mabel as would
lead to her discovery if she were still above
ground. Other and more important mat
tiers must have claimed his attention, for,
so far as Philip could ascertain, he made
no further attempt to find the fugitive.
And so the dreary weeks heightened into
months. Mabel's retreat was nearly as
much a mystery as ever-not quite as
much, for Philip received one short letter
from her, which relieved his anxiety. She
was in New York and was safe and well.
She refused to tell him her address, but
promised to write to him again when
events justified such a course-say, when
the Philadelphia newspapers announced
that Colly had won his suit against West.
With this assurance he was obliged to be
contented, and in the early days of Decem-
Der Philip was called to the bar.
But while one man may lead a horse to
the water, twenty men cannot make him
drink, and Philip soon found that it is
easier to become barrister than to find
clients. The case of Colly versus West
went over until the next term of the court.
The parsimonious uncle had stopped sup
plies, and if the briefess young lawyer had
not succeeded in obtaining little literary
work as book reviewer for newspaper the
room in Arch street might have wanted a
fire.
1t was warm and comfortable enough,
however. when he hurried into it out of
the biting air of Christmas eve; and light
ing the lamp he saw that two sealed en-
velopes lay upon the table The one he
opened first contained circular from a
New York land syndicate, setting forth
the great opportunities offered to obtain
prairie homes where the wilderness would
soon be made to blossom ike a rose. The
address on the second envelope was in
writing that was strange to him. 1t in
closed letter from a lawyer, announcing
the sudden death of his uncle and his &C
cession to reasonably large fortune.
And now where was Mabel? She would
not communicate with him, he knew, until
good news reached her. She might learn
of a successful issue to the suit of Colly
versus West, but how was she to hear of this
windfall unless he told her of it? He was
a comparatively rich man now, but he
cared nothing for his wealth if Mabel could
longing in his heart, be took her last short,
brave letter from his desk and laid it on
the table, while he drew the lamp toward
him. 1t was beside the other two envelopes,
but he knew her writing well, and looked
fondly at the address as he picked up one
that bore it. Then he opened it, and drew
out the despised land circular How did
that wretched advertisement get there?
IL =, H.
as he saw that the addresses on both enve-
lopes were precisely similar Not for a
moment did Philip doubt that they had
both been written by Mabel. But how
could such thing have happened?
The young man had not wasted his time
as law student. He knew how to weigh
evidence, and in half an hour he was on his
way TO New York He FASTENED to the
Office of the land syndicate, which, having
a pressure of business on hand, was still
open, showing people how to acquire homes
on the prairie. He had little trouble in
ascertaining that Miss Mabel Stone was
one of its army of workers who addressed
envelopes, and a young woman who was in
the Office gave her address to him.
He found her with a long list Of names
before her and box containing a thousand
envelopes on the table. She was about to
address the first when be entered, and said
quietly, Let US do it together, Mabel"
In-her anlazement she nearly upset the
ink; but when he had told his story she
was satisfied and allowed him TO help her.
Splendidly they did it. Before 10 o'clock
they had addressed thousand envelopes
and earned seventy-fve cents between
them. Then be left her. but on Christmas
day they journeyed to Squalackso togeth-
err and Deacon Stone, though at first in
clined to turn them both out Of the house,
was Modified a. soon as he heard of the
altered aspect of affairs. and was easily in
duced TO consent TO their marriage.
4 lawyer was useful person 70 have in
a family anyhow, he said. and az he was
thinking OF suing The church trustees Tor
applying five dollars of the funds sub
scribed for a nav pulpit 10 the relief Of
widow whose husband had been killed on
the railroad track, il was well 10 be pre-
pared for emergencies
Philip and Mabel were married when the
case of COlly versus West was tried n the
superior court. Collv's senior counsel was
unable TO attend, and the brunt of the
battle fell upon Philip. He won it tn
umphantly. The jury gave Collysix cents
damages, but that carried the c0sts--Ed
murd Lyons in Harpers Weekly