Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-17

had taken. Raymond knew or feit thst
hs had dissipsted tho opinions the nun
had entertained Of hun through Man.
gan's report. Yet be Was nervous. lie
had q presentiment that all would not
bs satisfactory. lie ar,~e AMI waIkei
back and forth acro~ the reception
room. Just as he had paced The Office of
the registrar of arrears soIhs days be-
fore when he took the first step In the
daring plot he WAS now carrying out.
"I'll marry her," he said. "she will
turn over the management 90 me. sign
her rights away, and she'll not bc tho
burden On me she thinks. She can take
the veil then u she wants 10. Mangan,
oh. III have q Judge appoint q COM
mission that will incarxtate him In the
county asylum. and 10 isi't likely he II
escape from there until lam politically
dead. And how are they going % Hill
me, II will st Mapgan crazy anyhow,
and the commission will not have 10
b."
These and kindred ideas were surg.
Ing through his brain as he walked NJ
and down. his head bowed. his brow
corrugated. his fists clinched asa mans
6sts will when he wants 10 drive back
the rush of excitement pulsating
through his nerves or meet the pain
stealing through his system with the
ans-tbesis of determination. He would
stop now and then TO listen for the ie-
turning foot,tep- IL the sister and the
girl. and while I've was In one % thee
hearkening attitudes Mother ~. Ger
trude. In her soft sandals. noiselessly
approached the door.
'Ah." be- exclaimed. STRENGTHENING
up and eDdeayoring TO be pleasant. II
feared You had forgotten me-"
Under the circumstances that would
b. difficult"
"what am I to understand, Mother
1t. Gertrudei"
"why. that the conversation between
Isabel and myself precludei thoughts
Of anything but you"
"Is she coming backi" he asked, her
absence appearing to him as an omen
Of defeat.
- fear shs is not strong enough.
She has had too much 10 bear of late.
Then I must got"
"Por the present you must h. satisfied
with this; Laurence will return Ia
good time. He IL lsalel's brother. !
cannot consent TO any such arrangement
as You propose. and ! have confidence
In Laurence himself that only his own
actions can weaken. will wait for
awhile. you know why Isabel con.
sents. II Is through love for him, not
through love for you"
my action IL through love for her. "
THAT I will not deny. Mr.. Ray
mond."
"Mangan may not return. Would
you allow this shadow 10 ret over himi
lie has been friend of yours. Can be-
do more for you than II Sister. do you
know my powerf
lido. l would like u to be the pow
sr Of u TREND"
"Itis."
II am pleased TO learn that"
"But of Laurencei'
"No stain shall rect on his name "
can avert IL. But owe him something
Il owe him the faith In his character
that must not listen. no matter how
strong the accusation against him, Ia
any proposition that would imply that
his own manhood had failed to reach
the means Of redemption. Isabel has
agreed with me 10 wait awhile. "
Then I had better 90. will bid
you gcoiby." .
"Goodby." she said as she extended
her hand.
There is che thing will settle this,
he solilOquiIed A. be- walked across to
the cars. "Mangan must die before
they consent 10 this yindication the
ory."
lie reached the main thoroughfar-
and stool tor awhile awaiting the car.
His iniruspec,ion, deep ~ q trance. was
not disturbed by the bells of the cars or
the noise Of the passing vehicles. II
was some minutes before he came back
TO the world around him.
1T Is an easy thing" he muitered.
"Mangan must die!
Aud the h.artles-, cruel sternncss
that twitcAed his lips and made fero-
city dance In the pupils Of his eyes
showed how earnest be was In his re-
solve.
fro bI CONTINUED