Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-10
CHAPTER II.
IN TIE PtorrgR's rotfl

CHAPTER II.
N TIE PLorTER's rorfA
"Helio. Xsngani What are yoa do
Ing herei'
Raymond addressed the newspapef
man ~ II they had always been the bsst
Of friends.
IL might - we'll ask what are you
doing here"
~ don't mind telling you. Tho board
Of supervisors 10 supposed to visit asy.
lums receiving support from the coun.
ty. I Thought Mother St. Gertrude might
like TO have that disagreeable visit dis
pensed with by the supervisors In their
annual inspection. II 20. was going 10
send them word TO pass tho institution
by"
"l'm sure u WAS very hind Of you. :"
said Mother St. Gertrude.
81 will do 20 then. Ny business IL
DONE" he added. turning 70 Mangan.
"Are you going down town. have
cab outsider
"l'm going" said Msngan. hut !
prefer TO do little walking"
This was no place for scene. Man.
gan deemed Il best to leave the convent
with Raymond. lie was satisfied that
the politician had lied. What was his
missioni Mother ~. Gertrude would
fain detain Msnsan. bat she could gct
no chance TO give any sign Of her
s~s.t.- r.. ,s,lsss.t.os. k..,. .x.-
took In everything; nothing could 10
done that they would not observe. She
could not keep Mangan back, and In
truth he did not want 20 stay. lie wish.
ed 10 sound Raymond.
Both walked out together. The sun.
sinking behind the chimney tops, cast
iurid glow on the vacant lots around
the convent. furnishing the landscape
with an iridescence In harmony with
the hery vindictiyencss which Raymond
felt and from which Mangan was not
altogether free. II fed their anger. sur.
charging their temperaments with its
vivid magnetism. strengthening the
mood they were In and moving 10 ON.
ward to passion.
III you're going 20 walk. Mangan,"
said Raymond, "l'll dismiss the cab and
accompany you."
"As you please" was the answer.
"Now. look here. Mangan, remark.
ed Raymond. after he had paid the cab
man, "let us have an understanding.
You are unjust 20 me. especially 20
since you know how far ! would 10
willing TO go for you"
"You would go no farther for me
than u suited you"
"Grante,l. but why not you go rs far
for me NJ suits your"
81 do"
"Ye-. but " you cea.e 20 bs my en-.
emy and become my friend you can bs
rich."
AT the expense Of the orphanr
"Wbat do you meanf"
"Perhap- you are not aware that Won
are robbing the orphan Of the heritage
that IL hers"
"whom 10 yen ineanr
~ will not say. sinse you do not con.
fees. but let me add that ] am not am.
bitious or envious of wealth that u sc.
Quired by dishonorable means"
"You dare 10 taunt me.
"And 20 do moro than that, II you
pres ms 10 H."
The two men stood and glowerei at
each other. Both were men Of oour.
age. Each was conscious Of his own
strength. Mangan was not anxious 20
avoid an encounter; In fact. h- was
aching for an opportunity 30 punish the
man he ~ thoroughly hated and de-
spised. Raymond's better judgment
came TO guide him. and he laughed as
he walked ON. saying
"Come on. Mangan. u doesn't pay
me 90 quarrel with you. l wanted to
talk 90 you about the story you are
writing and concerning which you have
indulgcd In some extravaganza"
~ have. ehi" was the contemptuous
comment. How beautifully you
phrase ideas that lift the weight of
crime from your conscience''
~ will not argue the point. Are you
going TO write ~ rabidly as you have
talhedi"
"whatif I amp"
"Youll get yourself and your paper
into trouble"
"will II You hold the lands the
commission will select, and you think
the rightful owner cannot reclaim
them"
There IL no one to claim them. II
there IL. don't know It,"
~ don't expect you TO know much
that IL honest. You excel In knavery."
"You ale unnecessarily bitter. Now
do you know II any ono can claim
themi"
~ can't say that do"
Raymond took this ambiguous reply
a . confession Of ignorance. He knew
that Mother St. Gertrude had never
spoken of Isabel's origin 10 outsiders,
and he had never heard that Isabel had
bresthed her secret to any one. He
felt safe. The name on the deeds would
not suggest anything TO Mangan. he ar-
gusd. But the publication, That was
bis dread.
81 couldn't expect . proofsheet OF
your articiei" queried Raymond, sf.
fecting q gayety that was not his.
"You can expect nothing but an ex.
poec OF your peculiar practices.
"You are going into this matter thor.
oughly."
swell. I look at Il this way; The
publication Of the story may lead TO the
discovery Of the owners or heirs. II
can do good In that way. I will. At
the same time. will make known the
fact that Francis Raymond is about to
have all this property Transferred to
himself"
1T wouldn't do me any harm, and II
wouldn't do the owners or heirs any
good. Tho time 10 very short. Wouldn't
you like to own some Of these lots,
Mangani"
"Your corrupt method may reach the
business ONCE Of the paper. not me. Try
t."
II win. and then where viii you