Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-03-13
A FIGHT FOR MILLIONS
By JOIN !. x'orsHlsa
Icepyr.sA,. is& By American Pr,.s A.sssla-
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER v.
nAHxL uNpER RAyNoSp's fSylrEScE
Numerous incandescent electric bulls,
added 10 tho floral embellishments thai
break ont In every direction. maks
brilliant the rooms In tho Mortimei
home ON the classic brooklyn Heights.
lnes IL the hostess. Isabel Il there,
happy and no lees radiant than wher
last we saw her. Old school compan'
Ions are present. too. with friends par
ticuiarly selected with . view II max
Ing her feel at home. lnex had deter.
mined TO please Raymond and demon
strats her woman's tact by having none
there befors whom Isabel might act con
strainedly. inss had also asked lsatel
10 remain over night. as otherwise shs
would have 10 leave early for the con
vent.
iner was q petite brunette. Viva
cious. witty. intellectual and artistic.
she had many admirers. She was so
scnsitively constituted that she partic'
ularly avoided. In q most natural way.
the assertion of sny accomplishment
that might incite jealousy In tho-e oi
her ser who moved In circles with her.
self. ~ strong q feature of ber char
aetsr was this, that even they who
thought Raymond an eligible subject
for thsir feminine wiles
Bee In her relations with him, at hall
or fete, anything beyond the usual
ainenitic, Of friendship.
Could insz Rad her own heart. ste
might have discovered that her feeling
Tor Raymond was no, what she fook
it 10 be. Uncon.ciously she had come
10 accept her brothers. opinions and
sentiment. with respect to the man AZ
her own. She looked upon him as hei
brothers benefactor. And had noi
Raymond himself. by his attentions, his
compliments and references % future
where he aud she stool together. made
evident his own intentions with regard
90 herr Little did che dream that her
brother was repaying Raymond hun
drc,ifold. and that she herself. tonight,
was rendering him ssryio. whose
worth time alone could disclose, II In
deed the curtain Of mystery WAS ever 70
b. drawn aside.
Ther. she sieod with Isabel by her
side. o. the guests one after another
were received. Why describe that so-
ciaI panorama. In which theso two
shone ~ queens; two impressive types
of beauty singled out for admiration In
q Kaleidoscope mare OF enchanting
forms and facssi Would II Ia purrlins
TO any one who knew Rayrnond's de-
sign, and could read his thoughts, u
assign q reason for his own approval Of
the course he had resolved to puruef
"sbo's woman among q million, "
was his mental comment as Isabel offer
81 him her hand. her cheeks aslow
with the mild excitement u the scene.
But all things come 10 an end.
Tho entertainment was ON the wane.
The guests began 20 depart. somehow
Raymond. with his unobtrusiye diplom.
acy. had managed 10 engage Isalsl's at
.-n,ion. He escorted her 90 an alcoye
inyi,ingly emt.vrr~i with all the taste
of the florists art and sus,c:'ng IT,
elf. In exotic eIhalation.. as a repo~s.
full retreat, now that the whirl u the
evening had begun to pail In i1 de-
cline.
Yes. 10 has been very enjoyabls
/ -. ....l Ia. IN. -.
mark Of Raymond. II never met -
many friends at once before. +"
And I haven't had the pleasure OF
seeing you for months. I'm at fewer
events Of this nature than you"
"Ys. What Il there In politics at
tracts you men soi"
II can't say; some people have sug'
ge-tei u IL the passion for power"
"CommeDdable. when the power u
exercised for good"
"But people will not give us credit
Tor % exercising u. II 10 In the politi'
cal world. like the social world. ths
jealous and the disappointed are quick
10 spread scandal that originates IN
their own minds and has nothing but
spite 90 feed and live upon"
"You Judge the world harshly."
"IIarrhlyl You do not know u.
Even you, In whose life there IL nothing
Of the dross. cannot escape criticism. =
"Iy'
"why, ya. 10 Il possible that you
have never been ANNOYED ly the envy
that I have seen and heard-although
but little In society-the envy % de-
signing inotherr"
THAT isn't 90, IL iti' she queried,
regret and alarm starting her into an
attitude that was winsome.
Never mind" said Raymond sym
pathetically. 1T IL TO be expected
and their fears are proof that theiI
judgment II better than their manpsrs.'
"You are jesting." said Isabel. sur
pris~i at his speech. Every one know'
my status here-that Of one who BY
virtue Of tho courts-ies of old school
companions has been permitted 10 share
In the festivities that broaden her ex
perience and add 30 that sum VI knowl'
edge which for the sake of her profes
sion she would enlarge. The friction
Of coutending minds brightens the intel
lect. am q poor teacher. Therefore
70 you it 10 unnecessary to state why
am likely never a. bs asked In places
such as this. where wealth casts Ii
glamour over all. 10 change my name
TO that of . family which would con
sider the union Of one Of its scions ~ .
person out of their social kingdom - {
terrible nssalliance."
believe me. I am not jesting. 4" said
Raymond.
"As ! think %. let % diop the sub
ject."
81 do not mean 70; would like 4
place you beyond thess peoples crit
cism." hs said slowly. with look tha
was portsnt In IT. nrmness. and yet ..
full Of t<ndsrness that Isabel hesitatst
until the explanation which was evi
IDENTIFY coming could b offered In 5us
tice to him and her.
~ am prompted to talk In this vein,
be said. "out Of regard for one who 4
dear TO you. Observation-Disclosures
Mansan. II is In my power to maxi
him and you happy"
"Not by putting abs began. whil'
anush Of resentment mantled her chssks
mo. not by putting you spart. b
interrupted. 'if that 10 what you wer'
going 10 say. Let mo tell you ] vii
bring you closer. His name 10 no
Laurvncs Mangan, no more than Jour
10 Isabel Ls Clair"
Isabel was startled. shs awaited Il