Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-09-22

the a.foir be ended when he had seen
Thovudykc safe in the house of his
friends? or would he be expected TO
help his rival in the fight with the com
pany? How would Elsie receive him
after his late transSresSion? How could
he endure TO meet her in the ,lrcsence
of the man she loved?
They were troublesome questions.
but the engineers perpleNitics were as
serenity itself compared with tho
tumulJ OF conflicting emotions which
had slain the peace Of mind of his com
panion. Before he had read three lines
of llelen's letter. Thorndvke was sink
ing into the neither depths of self-aboSe-
ment; and when he had flushed IL he
felt that IL would be a comfort If he
could get down into the road and strcyy
dust upon his head. This was the love
he had put aside for he sake of a mcr.,,
impulse born of sick mans fantasies:
the fine gold that nc had tossed con-
temptuously into melting-pot heated
! blythe remainder of the smile was
crowned in submerging wave OF self
contempt. And now. at this present
moment when he was curSing his rrcll-
less Inconsistency, and wishing from the
bottom of his heart that he had had the
decency 10 die quietly in the odor OF
good faith. she had his letter and she
had learned at hisown hands upon what
broken reed her love had been leaning.
After the storm came the calm OF
desperation. lie had wrecked Helep's
ne ana ms own. and Elsic's happiness
trem bled in the balance. lie could ot
least save Duncan's daughter, and i'm
the riot OF distractiug thoughts this
was the only one that offered "A grain of
comfort. lie would cNpiate his folly
by devoting himself. body and soul. TO
the task of making Elsie as happy as
she deserved To be. And ne would
speak TO her as soon ms he could find
the opportunity he had the
time To sink still deeper i'm the mire of
iickleness, he told himself. bitterly.
BY the time Thorndylc had reached
this conclusion, Protheroe was leading
the horse down the trail on the Little
thiwassee side of the mountain. and an
hour after dark the small procession
stopped at Duncan's gate.
YOU'RE heavier than YOU used TO he;
| don't think you're going to die of
consumption" said Prothcroc. rcnem-
boring another time when he had
helped Philip dismount at the farmers
gate.
NO; morc's the pity" rejoined
Philip, uugraciously. 1T would be bet
ter on all accounts if | should"
rs not infrcquently happens when
the probable course of events has been
carefully prcfgured, nothing came
about during the evening To- verify
Prothcroc'S fears or 20 add to Thorn
dykes misery. They were all unfeign-
eddy glad to welcome both OF the wan
derers; and while Mrs. Duncan was
principally concerned in doctoring
Philips ankle, Elsie tried 10 induce the
young engineer 10 lay aside the shroud
OF reserve which ne conceived TO he the
proper pcnitential garment for the oc-
casion. How had ne found Mr. Thorn
d. Ike? Had lac ridden far? How had
they ever managed To get down the
mountain with the horse? Weren't
they both dreadfully hungry? These
and many more questions Protacroc
had to answer, and at length he was
Obliged. for very shame's sake. 20 com
pei himself TO be obliyious to that
which Elsie was 50 evidently bent upon
ignoring.
And neither that night nor the next
morning before they left for Allacoo-
chcc did either Of the young men end
an opportunity for private speech with
the girl; though Thorudylc abused
himself, a was his wont. for not having
made one. and Prothcroc went away
leadcu-hcartcd because he had been de-
MED the privilege of confession and alb
solution.
As to the necessity for going. Thorn
dyke was pcremptory and obdurlte.
lie insisted that Sharplcss must not be
given another day; that there had al
ready been sufficient delay TO enable
the crafty and INSCRIPTIONS attorney
TO cutrcnch himself behind mountains
Of chicanery. No, he said there should
lie settlement that day. or else he
would have the manager and the attor-
ney in Jail before night.
II wouldna be- too prcccesc ABBOTT
the exact sum. Master Thorn
dyke" was Duncan's parting iniunc-
ton. "Feefty thousand dollars is
fearful deal o. money TO ding cot at anc
clattcr"
1--WE been thinking that over since
we spoke Of it, rejoiued Philip. and
I've changed my mind They'll pay =
hundred thousand, or 20 to Jail"
Prothcroc laughed heartily at Dun
cans dumb show OF amalcmcnt when
they were out OF hearing. 81 hone
you'll win" he said. DO YOU want me
10 20 with you?"
$50; ! fancy can manage them bot
ter alone: but I'm much Obliged I'd
he glad 10 have YOU with me aftcrward.
though. imagine Sharplcss will be i'm
am a7sassnating mood il do win"
XVIII.