The Irish standard., 1897-02-20
XIX,

CONFESSION AND ABsoLUT1oN.
Protheroe tried to make himself be.
lieve that he should not have allowed
Philip to persuade him to go back to
Duncan's after the recording of tina
mortgage. lie argued that it would bo
better on all accounts if he should drop
quietly out of the email melodrama
in which he had at the first figured
only as supernumerary. The resolu-
ton hung in the balance while he watt
ed at the courthouse for Thorndyke,
and it was the thought that he still
owed Elsie some indefinite debts of upoI-
ogy and explanation that finally turned
the scale in the direction Of Philips urg-
ings. On the way up the valley he tried
to reconstruct his dismcmbered ideal,
to the end that he might be able to wit.
ness Philips triumph with some OUT
ward show nf equanimity; and when
they reached the farmhouse he found
this easier than he had anticipated:
While. .Thorndykc was deservedly
the hero OF the day. the re-
joicing in the Duncan household was
sincere enough to be infectious; aud
before he knew it, Protheroe was ex-
tolling Philips courage and persevcr-
ance quite as honestly as any Of tho
others.
When the excitement had a. little SUBJ
sided, Philip asked how Kilgrow could
best be reached Duncan wanted to
climb the mountain himself, but his
wife objected.
''It'll just be flynn in the face o Prove
idence, wi your rheumatics, Jamie,
and thatlI no do, whatever" she said.,
and when Protheroe offered TO go, a
fresh difficulty arose.
Eye woudna find auld Johnnie in
month O Sundays. Robbie, lad. Dinna
We ken he's hid ava frae Sharpless an
his gang?"
Then Elsie came to the rescue, and
Duncan den,urred again. "Im no that
free to lat ye go. bairnie; the Lord
on'y knows how many o Shurpless' cut
Threats We might be fallin' in vii"
All Of which pointed to an obvious
conclusion, Before Protheroe could
finally determine whether to be glad or
sorry, he found himself helping Elsie
up the path on Johns mountain. With
the unlimited opportunity for free
speech his confession stuck fast in his
throat. At first Elsie was too Joyous;
no man in his sober senses could plead 1.
his cause before judge whose cbul-
lient happiness overfowed all the ap.
proaches to seriousness. And after.
ward, when his tacitlrnity had damp
ened Elsie's enthusiasm, the difficulties
were increased rather than diminished.
After a time they stood together upon
the brink Of the Pocket, and Protheroo
realized that 1T was then or never; in
few minutes they would be with the
old mountail,ecr.
"Wait minute. please" he said, as
Elsie was about to lead the way to the
pnth down The cliff.
She stopped obediently, and the fear
that delay w'on3d bring more irresolu-
ton made him go on quickly: II want
to tell you how sorry I am for what I
did the other day; know it was mex
cusable, but have done what could
to atone for It,"
She was standing at the verge Of the
cliff, clingjng to small tree growing
out Of q crevice in the rock, aud looking
down into the pillows of foliage be-
low.
"What have you ilone?" she asked.
cit isn't much, 1 know; but kept
my promise-I brought him back to
YOU" .,
"Mr. Thorndyke, you mean?" -;
Eyes"
I'm sure I'm much obliged: It waa
awfully good Of you
She turned still farther from him,
and he made an involuntary step to"