Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-11

self he felt dull anger. more becaus'
sbe had cross~i the clean. white path
way of Lima Tenants life than fol
augbt else.
He expected to find her coarss ant
loud and probably insolent. lie woult
make his business brief and be don'
with her.
II don't think I shall detain you long.
he .aii at once when she came into the
room where he waited. IL am Ogdef
Chalmers. and ! have come to make yor
. plain statement and q proposal. Ny
brother l. In prison AMI mainly through
you. (At this the woman deInurrci by
o negative gesture and tried to speak
hut Chalmers stopped her.l II l. my
purJ,o~e to have him released. N u cau
be accomplished. n soon as possible
but only u;on one condition" AZ thi'
the woman looked mp curiously and he
continued, That condition II that thers
shall never H. any chance II his meeting
you again. n you consent to this am
willing to pay you well. more than you
could possibly make out of him. h.
added sneeringly.
"And N l do not consenty'
Then I shall have 20 cease my efforts
for his release"
"You are very hard" she whimpered.
II car- ~ much for him. and then
never 90 ses him again"
''s,op." said Chalmers. II will not
listen to such s'nf. You cared for him
foi the money You could get ont of him.
AMI tell you that is at an end now"
"you don't believe. then. that could
carr for him disinteres,edly as an bone-,
woman would-say ~ Miss Tenant
wOuldr'
Chalmers flushed Indignantly ut this
Use of Miss Tcnnant's name.
ave will not discuss that lady he
said briefly.
"You may not-i will. said the won
an dehantly. II have seen her: she IL
very b-autifuL I grant you that; and
she thinks she cares Tor him. But she
dill not know how 10 keep him by her,
anil II she knew - me she would never
forgive him. That IL how she cares.
But would forgive him everything"
Il told yOn that would Dot discus.
that" aid Chalmers. II will make
you u proposal II you will 40 90 Eu.
rol- at once and stay there. you shall ~
paid NV. thousand dollars every year
but II you ever come back. II you hold
any intercourse with him. II you lsi
him know where You are. this shall stop
ani at once. want to make sur. thai
he will never sco You again. Do you
conseniy
Ther. was pcrhaIs q needless brutality
IN Chalmers' worls ani manner. snd
there was an angry CLEAN In her eyes n
she answered.
"You make very hard conditions. but
! will 10 u for hi. sake
Put u ~ you will" answered be:
COMPANION coldly. "only 30 that you d.
u. II IL settled. them
She nodded a, him by way ~ reply.
"very wei. then he said. rising Ia
So. My lawyer will call on you la th.
morning AMI eomplete all arrange.
ments."
frUm there Chalmers went AZ once a.
Lima Tcnnant's. feeling the while that u
wa- almost crime to 10 frUin ~ un-
clean presence into the circle of hei
pure life.
She met him. and put out both her
hanls impulsiyely. lie took them in his
and held them Just an instant. but long
enough Tor the girl 20 l-cone conscious
of the intensity % hi. clasp AMI for that
CONSCIOUSNESS. to mirror itself Ia her
face.
Il shall 90 10 Columbus tonight" he
aid. Il came only 20 tell you that. !
have done what ! could today. but am
afraid u IL not much"
Then he told her what be had done.
That be- had seen Rodney AMI some other
% the directors % the hank. That he
had also conferred with G.Orge's at'or'
neys. hal calle'l upon some old and In
fueniial friends ~ his own AMI secured
letters to ,h. governor. which he should
present In person tomorrow. Not very
much. but Chalmers encouraged her to
hoI'e for the brsi.
After he hal finished this recital, dur
ing which IL required his utmost cat.
ton 10 avoid any reference to Leonie o.
to her part In Georges trouble. be said
to her:
Last night you told me that you
were still really to marry him. IL have
no success. and he must remain there
his full time. will you wait for him and
marry him them
I, was cruel question. but the girl
did not finch
II will II he wishes II. promised
him that" she answered readily.
"And you said last night" he con
tinued. "that you would do this because
you knew hs hal not meant wrong. II
he had been really wicked, q criminal
at heart. would you then marry himf
II don't see how We can know that
any man 10 wicked at heart" said the
girl slowly. But II you mean. III he
hal done this from base or soriii
motives, II he had taken this money
meanly and used II for low purposes
u you mean that. IAN answer YOU. ]
could never MARI, one who had willfully
forfeited his claim 10 my respect.
George has not done that"
II was hard % keep his peace when
she said that. With q word he could
shatter every lie that bound her 10 him.
that linked her future with the future
Of this man who had proved himself ~
unworthy OF her; and u loo-ed from him
and from this false idol that she had set
M in her heart AMI endowed with every
manly and virtuous attribute las women
do endow all men whom they endow
likewise with their loye). would there
not In time H. chance for him 90 gain
that which he had hoped for ~ long agoi
lie could not help asking himself
these things, although never for q mo-
ment dill Il really occur to him that he
might thus play his brother false. To the
better accomplishment Of his cwn ends;
anil II It had. and II he had done -.
would Il have profited him' Did any
woman ever learn 10 think kindly OF the
one who unmasked 10 her her own de-
lusioni "wc will do our best" said
Chalmers, breaking the silence that had
fallen between them. "to put George
speedily back In the world and among
men again, where he may have the
chance 70 make a new place for himself.
Don't speak as u he had lost his
place In the world" answered Miss Ten.
Il -. s.-...G..,t.. ..tI. Ia. ,na.ia m