The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-11-21
.nrnnlr uelcnned there Nnnrself.

warmly welcomed there yourself Mrs
Crane has really very attractive and com
Portable library. Have you seen itrecently?'
~ Your sarcasm may be very good OF III
kind-very good" Crane responded; " but
you are making very wasteful use OF 1t
Marian was glad to see you, have no doubt. ,
- trust SO. She was very agreeable; she
always is did the best could to make hel
unmindful of your absence"
"Indeed Was that fair?n And Crane
! laughed, but presently he went on more seri.
| ously. " / am sorry you are in such mood,
Holt. You are unpleassntly and aggressively
hostile. But. it makes no difference; / need
your help; Imust have it, ] am in trouble. y
Crane had long been accustomed to seek
| Holt's help when he needed it, and he did not
question now that whatever Hollis mood, all
of his Judgment and energy and professional
skill would be placed as Loyalty at his service
as they ever had been.
"Of course YOU are in trouble, y was Hollis
response Trouble comes to all of us. but
it seems to me you seek it. / have tried to
point out TO you your danger, but you would
not heed j have tried to demonstrate with
you, but you have resented my interference.
You were bound to so your own way, whether
it should lead to destruction or not. Ot
course you are in trouble. Now, who is the
woman2"
"Oh!" Crane cried. with chuckle; and
then, with broader laugh, added, !" You take
her for granted?''
Certainly" Holt answered. "Iou are
much like other men. No man loses the al
fection he has had for one woman until he
falls in love with another. No man neglects
his wife as you .
THAT has nothing to do with it, Crane
broke in, impatiently. Marian and i
would have grown apart u
Grown apart - Holt interrupted him
in turn, angrily. "Pshawi 1t is so common
a story You and Marian have not grown
apart YOU have been drawn aside bya pretty
face Who is the woman But wait" he
went on, as Crane was about TO reply.
don't want to know. Your fancy has wan
dered before, but it has returned. 1t viii re-
turn now"
But this is different" Crane returned.
"This is final. love this one | love her,
don't you understand? / love her with all
my heart and soul, with all the strength /
have'
"Ohim Holt exclaimed, in derision, and
then he asked: "She is beautiful, this
paragon?"
- Yes.n
Charming, too?"
Certainly, very charming Crane re-
turned, with determination"
"Of course, y Holt sneered. "And ] sup
pose You will say she is very good-this
woman who has come between your wife and
you-between Marian and her happiness 2"
''She is good. If you knew Katharine
Perry -
Katharine Perry?" Holt repeated.
q The girl you presented me to at the picture
store the other day."
''Yes. if you knew her. / will hear no
word against her What fault is it of hers?"
Fault?" Holt repeated. To steal
husband from his wife - Then, as a sus-
picion of the truth came TO him, quickly, he
asked, "Does-does Miss Perry know you are
married?p
"No," Crane answered, defantly "She
has but recently come TO the city no one has
told her yet"
Holt looked at Crane silently for moment
OF so. Then he spoke. slowly and contemptu-
ously: You have not fought fair. 1t was
rascal's work-to trick a woman into love
and into wrong toe"
"Oh, hold on - Crane cried. I" / don't
help me-"
What can do but preach to you, as you
call it? ] can show You the wrong it is you
who must correct il. What can | do TO help
you? What is it you can want me to do?
Must 90 to her and tell her my friend is a
villain-a weak villain-and beg her to re-
move temptation from his way? Shall in
sist that she take herself out of harm way?"
She is not in harms way" Crane re-
piled, angrily. g intend her no HARM
No harm 2" Holt repeated, in astonish-
ment. NThen what in heavens name do you
intend?"
"Oh, come, now. That is what i want
your help for. i intend TO marry her"
% To marry her?" Holt found it hard 10
comprehend.
Yes" Crane went on, impatiently.
You seem to be very dull / mean TO be
free from Marian as soon as possible"
As Holt perceived how serious was the
menace to Marian's happiness his manner
changed instantly. He became furiously
angry. He lost utterly his self-control. He
threw himself upon Crane and shook him
violently. The difference in the lives the
two men had led would have made any
struggle between them very unequal; but,
indeed, there was no struggle. Crane was so
much the weaker and WAS nlarad al such