The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1893-11-04

n II eavy cast Of countenance, well-Oe-
fitting so solemn and serious an Office
as that Of devil-dri~cr
The whole frowning aspect of his
countenance seemed. in fact, to be
meant as a direct and deliberate men
ace to the evil one, announcing that
here was man who would stop at
nothing till he had driven his sinister
highness back to his own gloomy do
mains.
Moreover, from the sensual mouth
and coarse lips Of the divine il was
evident that potent faith and rigid
self-restraint had long been needed to
make him 50 persistent and deliberate
an enemy of the devil:
The preacher held the card in his
hand a minute, looking at it carefully,
as if in some doubt concerning what
no saw upon It. Then he dropped ~
on his desk and told the servant to
show his calef in.
There entered the room in response
TO this order young grl some
twenty years of age, fashionably
attired and wonderfully beautiful
''Corisandel How is this?" ex-
claimed the preacher, rising TO greet
her II thought you were in Italy.
Sit down, my child. This Is great
surprise
The charming vision ensconced itself
comfortably in an easy-chair. and two
brown eyes, liquid with tenderness or
emotion, beamed upon the minister.
'iYou are looking very well, indeed,
/ Corisandc." he added, contemplating
/ his vis-a-vis with much less frown-
| ing visage than he had presented to
/ the cloven-hoofed monster.
/ u feel as well as one could expect
/ 90 do under the circumstances" an
swcred the girl quietly.
The minister, who had turned his
eyes downward, did not look at the
speaker when she replied. and there
was silence in the library for few
moments.
Then he said, as il recovering the
thread Of his thoughts, after having
wandered fretfully away from his
subjcc
And what do you intend to dc
now. Corisande?"
What
The answer was almost instantanc-
Gus and the tone was almost indescrib'
able. A volume, with all its consum
mate analysis and detail, could no
have explained more decisivcly the Sc
cret of Corisande's life.
The preacher recoilcd as il stricken
and a look of dazed horror and help
lessness came into his face as he gaze,
questioningly into that of the girl
which had grown stony and rigiC
since she had spoken.
"Corisandc said the preacher be
seechingly, "will you not be merci
ful?'
A smile Of scorn wreathed the lipi
r - - 4
slowly and carefully;
There are some things which can
not be undone, Dr. Manister, and thi
is one of them, ! would not hav,
come to YOU now, but that ! read on
of your sermons the other day in
paper which found its way into m,
hands II contained an uncharitabl
reference to such as We
"Corisande de-you do not mean
The preacher did not complete hi
sentence.
"Do you not know that all thing
ultimately find their level in the econ
1 omy of nature?' replied the girl sol
EMMY, an trace OF emotion havini
vanished from her tones
Impossible" replied the preacher
vehemently. "a girl with your train
ing, your instincts, would never d,
scend TO that"
Have You never preached to u'
when | was one of those who sat an
listened to your words as those of on
inspired by heaven, of the fatal m
, huence OF the first step?' answere
the girl W th the calmness of one who
feeling that the last vestige of hop
has departed, faces an untoward fal
with the fearlessness of an utter d,
spair.
but understood said Ia
preacher, suddenly regaining his sci
l. possession through the influence of
hopeful thought that YOU were pc
suing vour studies in Rome and tina
you intended to get married this IA
: TO the man whom YOU admitted = p
had won your heart
! The girl listened - these words q
: mechanically as though she had antic
pated them, her large, thoughtful eye
fixed upon the speaker with an c'
preston OF contemptuous forbeardu,
and her answer evidently prepare
when the time should come for her
l. speak.
y After she had concluded she reptile
in cool, steady voice, in which thci
was a scarcely perceptible undertor
of bitterness:
"Nes; 1 loved Arthur Maynard ;
, deeply as a woman could love. | woul
- sacrifice everything TO marry him eve
now II my conscience would permit
such a dastardly piece OF deception
but | have not yet reached that dept
of baseness that ! would deceive
- true and honorable nature, nor coul
~ you dare To- violate your sacred trui
.' by unit him at the altar to one 20
knew nal So basely de eeived him.
The perspiration stood in hug
I beads upon the preachers forehea,
but he did not answer one word
IN AS | cannot deceive Arthur Ma
nard, % continued the woman in earn
est tones, $50 il is with regard To III
r. rest OF the world. II | live anon
good people every word they speak
r. condemnation OF those whose action
have condemned them 20 the eriticisl
= OF respectable people is ike a daggs
piercing my soul, and the constaT
al. q u. a