The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-03-29

I
IT RECKON DEY WON'T TRY ANY GAMES
ON ME-"
and all that, for, by Jove, she's always
more like fellows sister, don't you
know, than his girl. OF course it was
hard lines for me, but / suppose she
was about right" He stopped and
then added with kind of gentle per-
sistency: "You think she was about
right-don't you?"
With what was passing in Courtlands
mind, the question seemed so bitterly
ironical that he leaned half angrily
forward, with an unconscious move
ment of attempting to catch the speak
er's expression in the darkness. II
should hardly venture to give an
opinion" he said deliberately. miss
Dows' relations with her neighbors are
so very peculiar. And from what you
tell me of her cousin it would seem that
her desire to placate them is not always
to be depended upon"
Pm not finding fault with her, you
know" said Champney, hastily. "Pm
not such beastly cad as that; l
wouldn't have spoken of my affairs at
all, but you asked, you know. l only
thought II she was going to get her
self into trouble on account of that
Frenchman you might talk to her;
she'd listen to you because she'd know
you only did 1t out of business reasons.
And they're really business reasons,
you know. | suppose You don't think
much Of my business capacity, colonel,
and you wouldn't go much on my judg-
ment-especially now-but I've been
here longer than you and" he
lowered his voice slightly and dragged
his chair nearer Courtland, II don't
like the looks Of things here. There's
some devilment plotting among those
rascals. They're only waiting an OPP
portunity-a single fash would be
enough to set them in a blaze-even II
the fire wasn't lit and smoldering
already like a spark in bale Of cot
ton. I'd out the whole thing and clear
out II I didn't think IL would make II
harder for Miss Dows-who would be
left alone"
you're good fellow, Champney,'
said Courtland, laying his hand on the
young mans shoulder with n sudden
impulse, land forgive you for over
looking the fact that could help them.
Indeedr' he added, with an odd serious.
ness and half sigh, "it's not strange
that you should. But must remind
you that the Dows are strictly the
agents and tenants of the company
represent, and that their rights and
property under that tenancy shall moi
be interfered with by Others as long as
/ am here. have no right, however, >
he added gravely, ito keep Miss Dowt
from imperiling them by her social re
lations."
Champney rose and shook hands with
him awkwardly. "The shower seems
TO be holding up" he said, land III
toddle along before II starts afresh,
Good night say-you didn't mind
my coming to you in this way, did youf
By Jovel thought you were little
stand-offlsh at first. But you know
what meant"
Perfectly, and thank you'll" They
shook hands again. Champney stepped
from the portico, and reaching the
gate seemed TO vanish and become Q
part Of the darkness.
The storm was not yet over; the air
had again become close and suffocating
Courtland remained brooding In his
chair. Whether he could accept
Champney's news as true or not, he fell
that he must end this suspense at once.
A half guilty consciousness that he was
thinking moro Of II In reference TO his
own passion than his duty 10 the com
pany did not render his meditations les,
/ unpleasant. Yet while he could no,
reconcile Miss Sally's condolences IN
the cemetery In regard 10 the indiffer
ence Of her people to Champney's atten-
tions with what Champney had just told
him Of the reasons she had given him
for declining them, am afraid he wa,
not panied by her peculiar ethics.
lover seldom finds fault with his mis-
tress for deceiving HIS rival, and Is a
little apt to consider the logical deduc
tion that shc could deceive him also, a
othello was 10 accept Brabantio's warn
ing. The masculine sense Of homo
which would have resented the friend
ship Of man capable Of such treacher,
does not hesitate In accepting the low
ola woman under the same conditions
Perhaps there Is an implied compliment
B In thus allowing her 10 take the sol
ethical responsibility, which few womei
can resist.
In the midst Of this gloomy abstrac
tion Courtland suddenly raised his hea'
and listened