Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-08-13
CHAPTER vi.

At the request of Mrs. Gerard, drove
alone to meet her husband, a passen-
ger on the incoming stage, which was
due at the nearest town Ia wrctched
village) about five in the afternoon.
burlington, so the doctor assured me.
was, practically speaking, paralyzed.
and unable to move his limbs without
suffering intense pain. During the day
he had spoken to none, taking what
nourishment was offered, and submit
ting without groan to the treatment
prescribed. The nurse was powerful
man, fully awake to his sponsibilites.
Gerard doubtless had much to say to me,
and | to him. Under these circum-
stances consented to leave the house.
will be live?" was the first question
of Gerard.
THE doctor thinks So"
Then | told my story from start to
finish, eliminating the murderous sug-
gestion of the Greek. Gerard was in
tensely excited.
"Good Lord!" he burst out, what an
escape the lad has had!"
l concluded with the flight of Deme-
trius, and gave him the Greeks letter,
which he read rapidly and placed in his
pocketbook.
WE'LL" he said, sharply, in the tone
ola man who is puzzled butwon't admit
it-"well, sir, what is your opinion
Mind, your honest opinion"
"Demetrius," said l, slowly, search.
ing for suitable epithet and selecting
the one upon my tongues tip, sis a
damned coward"
"And your reasons?" he snapped.
Els restless eyes sparkled as the ad-
jectiye sputtered from my lips.
HE turned tail to save his own hide.
The boy was taken to save appearances.
When Mark was in real danger-alone
on the sands with Burlington-Demet-
RUS was indecently Indifferent. But
when the doctor apprehended violent
symptoms and our friend thought that
he might be exposed to them, why,
then"
''He wilted, eh ?''
"Yes; the naked coward cbtruded it.
self"
you don't know him, young man."
Possibly not"
"He is no coward. have known De-
metrius for 80 years-a long time. l
repeat, he is no coward"
l touched up the horses with the
flick of the whip, and the action be-
trayed me, for Gerard laughed.
Take it coolly," he said. young
men, nine times out of ten, misconstrue
the motives which govern human ac-
tons. Remember that / have made a
study, profitable study, of my fellow
creatures"
"All the same" said, doggedly, che
is coward"
That's quite right. Stick to your
colors, my boy. By the way, am sur
prised that you should have taken Bur-
lington TO my house."
I could not excuse myself without &C.
cusing Nancy, SO 1 held my peace.
However" he continued, thoughtful
ly, 1--WE have the man where we can
watch him. You may yet earn that big
salary"
Il expect to-" retorted, bluntly. l
was cursing myself for speaking out
so plainly. In damning the cowardicc
of the Greek had also, by inference,
damned the cowardice of my employer.
My tongue, as usual, had outstripped
my halting brain. I was still in my
salad days and a novice in the art of
dialogue.
II suppose" said Gerard, carelessly,
"that you have fallen in love with
Nancy"
The question took me SO completely
by surprise that my stupid face flushed
scarlet. began to realize that this
man, whose bodily presence was SO con-
temptible, was, conversationally speak
ing, dandling me in his arms.
II don't blame you," continued &C.
rard, in his most matter-of-fact tones.
"She is pretty girl and very intelli-
gent. 1t would interest me to know
whether-er-she-"
mo; she doesn't"
THANK you. l like to be posted. No
no; don't frown. l dare swear that
she will say yes, and you may live to
wish it had been no."
He had dropped his tone of banter and
spoke gloomiy, in sour, raucous ac-
cents. This man had achieved much
that the world prizes. His keen brain
and extraordinary acumen had borne
him triumphant upon the top wave of
success. Now that he had brought his
heavily-freighted vessel into safe har-
borage. he had leisure to read the log
and estimate the Wear and tear. l
watched him as he leaned back YEARLY
against the well-padded cushions OF
the buggy and made small calcula-
ton. Divide wealth, rs many millions
as you please. by health, subtract time,
and what is left? Answer, the man be-
side me, haggard, wizened, prematurely
gray.
So, after all, he had seen the COM
plication of my falling in love with
Nancy had counted the probability as
gain, an extra rivet to bind me to his
service. What puppet had been!
I'm sorry The boy is from home,"
he muttered. 81 should have enjoyed