The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-11-21
CHAPTER VII-(Contiuued.)

OIlAL LIA -NSOIiluutu
The color on I~Ianbury's face d%cepeneG.
His eyes flashed. 1t was intolerablc that
this low. ill-shapen creature should re-
fer to Dora, to Dora-to whom he was
engaged, who was to be his wife, as "a
woman in the case" Anyway, there was
nothing for it but to try TO muzzle Leigh.
He forced himself to say calmly: The
lady who was with me is
Miss Ashton"
Yes. She told me she gave you her
name and mine. Well, Mr.. Leigh, you
are good enough to say you remember
me as a speaker. l am seriously think
ing of adopting a public career. | could
not, for a time at all events. appear on
any platform of disputed principles if this
unfortunate f~ainting Of mine got into the
papers. Some opponent would be certain
to throw it in my face. viii you do me
the very great personal favor Of keeping
the matter to yourself:'
"a personal favor from me to you. On
what grounds do you put the request:'
ION any honorable grounds you please.
You said you were not rich
Il did not say l was corrupt" His
manner was quick. abrupt, final. His
face darkened His eyes glittered. Mr..
Sou ~ Il h-"h
"Not rich, surely"
you are rich. compared with any man
in this street. You are Il rich man. You
got your money without work or risk.
You are young and clever, and tall and
straight, and healthy and good-looking.
and eloquent and dear to the most beau
tiful lady l ever laid eyes OH
Curse him. thought Hamburg. but he
| hnll his nnooo r,p,airoI without mnvn-
ment of limb or feature.
Rich, good-looking, sound. beloved, elo-
quent. young. Look ut me. Poor, i'll
favored. marrcd and manned. loathed. I'M
gifted in speech, middlc-aged. Do not
stop me. | have no chance if l allow you,
a gentleman Of your e%loquence. to speak
against me. Think of it all, and then
work out a little calculation for me, and
tell me the result. VIII you do SO can
didly, fairly. honestly:'
Eyes. indeed. l will
Every well. You who are gifted. as |
have said. come to me who nm afflicted,
MS l have said, and ask me to do you a
favor, ask me to sell you a favor. Sup
pose the favor you ask me to do cost me
ten, at how much do you estimate its
value to you"
"A any - gu I'M
Il am not thinking of money"
"Nor am l. Anything tenfold returned
to you / will freely give"
"Wait a moment. Let me think 8
while"
Leigh sat with his chin sunkcn deeply
on his chest. and his eyes fixed on The
floor. Then he spoke in a low tone, ;
tone half of ~reverie:
Mature deals in wonders, and | an
one Of them. And !, in turn, deal in won
ders, and there are many of them. II
chose l could show you the most wonder
full clock in all the world. and | coult
show YOU the most wonderful gold in al
the world, moro wonderful a thousan'
times thar mystery gold. But will no
show you these things now. | will shov
YOU a more wonderful thing still. WI
YOU come with me a little way:
Eyes, but you have not set me tina
question in arithmetic yet
Il cannot do so until you have come
little way with me. | want to show 80
the most wonderful thing you ever saw.
May l ask what it is:'
.You need not be afraid
"Why need not | be afraid:'
because you are not hump-backc
and chicken-breasted and lop-sided an
dwarfed and hidcous."
.Rut what are you taking me to see
"Something more wonderful and mo-
nrpc;ous than any mystery gold. than n
own miracle gold or my clock, and yet
, kind common enough
'What:'
"A woman
But why should / co."
,.r o,l &c Won aCl- mn that whf
ron have seen, | will ask nothing for Il
silence"
only a woman:
"Only Il woman
They descended the stairs.