Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-10-21

She replied in monosyilables to my few
questions.
Nancy, 90 to your mother" said Ger
ard, as the coffee was brought in. Il
wish to talk with Mr.. Livingston"
We pushed our chairs from the table
and lighted cigars.
"Demetrius," said Gerard, lis not a
coward"
l merely bowed. having resolved, for
the future, to curb my tongue.
"He proposes" Gerard spoke slowly,
watching me narrowly between half
closed eyes-"he proposes to take en-
tire charge of-of this mailman. You"
He rolled up carefully the loosened
wrapper of his cigar, and l, chafing at
the delay, forgot my good resolutions
and blurted out:
What disposition does he make of
E!e?"
"Pshaw!" said Gerard, frowning;
"what hot-head it is! The empha-
sized the pronoun Ctwas an effective
trick of hist, my lad. have pleasant
er work for you. shall send my family
70 Europe at once in your charge. Mrs.
Gerard needs complete change; the boy
must see something Of the world; and
Nancy. Of course, viii be counted. in.
What do you think Of my plan?"
"Your plan," | said, dryly, takes me
by surprise"
Surprise-the word but feebly ex-
presses the condition of my feelings.
Had Demetrius dared TO make this sug-
rcstion, in the teeth of what had oc-
Cured in the cave? And if so, in the
name of the Sphinx, to what purpose,
knowing, as he must know, that
should refuse to become n party to his
Infamous scheme? Was master in col
lision with man? No. / couldn't be-
lieve that. What then? The scoundrel
was a consummate judge of character,
and he had had abundant opportunity
to study the idiosyncrasies of Huge
Livingston. He probably counted upon
my promise of secrecy, andy Jupi-
ter. the truth flashed upon me-counted
further upon my opposition, and my
subsequent dismissal from the service
of Gerard. | would try and balk him.
"If Demetrius." said /, lightly, lis
in the house, | should like to talk this
over with him"
"Demetrius returned at once to
Mark"
"Uow far is it to the island?'' asked.
"Not more than two miles"
rose to my feet,
'Alr. Gerard, must see Demetrius to-
night. Within two hours you shall have
your answer"
He nodded and pulled at his cigar.
"As you please" he said, indifferently.
The immortal Lincoln said that you
could fool a part of the people all the
time, and all the people part of the
time, but that no man could fool all
the people all the lime.
In considering the relations which
existed between Mark Gerard and the
Greek, this piece Of wisdom dubbed up
out Of my memory and lent an agree
able effervescence TO my reflections.
Gerard was a brilliant man in his way,
but / had come to the conclusion that
Demetrius was the stronger, mentally,
of the two, and exercised n potent in
hucnce upon his master. / still clung
to my theory in regard to the Greeks
cowardce; otherwise | should hardly
have trusted myself alone with him.
He had no intention, | was convinced,
of meeting or nursing Burlington. He
was fooling Gerard. lie should not, !
decided, fool Hugo Livingston.
The night was perfect, an idyllic
night for lovers. The moon lolled lazily
in the sapphire heavens. The air was
soft and odorous, lanRuid with the per-
fume of million flowers. And the
voice of spring whispered her old, old
story.
"Where are you goingP'
II was Nancy. She fitted towards
me, slender, Naiad-like figure, il
lumined by the silvery beams.
"Who would not wish to be abroad
such a night as this, Miss Nancy? I'm
OH for "A walk"
"IIl go with you" she replied. "Mam-
ma Is asleep, and my father"-her voice
hardened doesn't want me-"
hc8itated.
IF you don't want me. too"
Ny scruples fed.
I'm going to the island, Miss Nancy.
Perhaps you would like to see Mark"
She made no reply, and we started,
side by side, not yard between us. In
silence wc paced down the path to tho
sea and descended the steps which led
to the sands. / forgot Demctrius, for
got everything save the one intoXicat-
ing fact that was walking alone, be-
meath the stars, with the woman /
loved But what forgot Nancy bore in
mind.
MIR. Livingston" she said, in conf
Dental tones, al have watched for this
opportunity. / want to ask you what
| have not the heart to ask mamma, and
what / won't ask my father"
us IL something i can answer"
81 think So"
as II something | ought to answer.
Miss Nancy"
"If you have my welfare at heart, =
fhe whispered, softly, you viii tell
me the truth-all the truth-about this
mysterious affair Hitherto, Mr.. Liy-
inRston, I've taken persons and things
nB / found them. Effects have inter
cstcd me rather than causes, There Is
fnthcr, for instance. who has lived opart
from us all these years. ! accepted
that without inquiry, but now II seems
odd. Where wns the necessity Tho
renBon. the cause, must be strong one.
Then, again. there IS this mad socialist.
" hat Is ho doing at larger And what
is the nature OF his Rrudgc agninst us2
| don't ask these questions out OF idle
curiosity"
"Thcsc questions, Miss Nancy, l can
not answer"
"You cnnnot?-or you VIII notY'
She spoke impnticntly. | hcsitnted.
what should ! say?
"Imo old enough TO know these secrets,
IL aecrrts they hr, md strong enough
TO share my mothers burdens. Poor
dear mammal how old she looked to-
night"
'You can tighten your mothers bur
dens very materially by not attempting
TO shoulder them"
We paced on together, but Nancy had
moved farther from me, as If rcpelled
by my discretion. When she spoke. her
voice had lost It's warmth.
81 shall not bother you again." said
she.
The licnd tempted me ia reply,
my own secrets, Miss Nancy, would
share with you willingly. One Of them
| you surprised this morning"
could not possibly have selected n
! less opportunc time for such n bald
statement. Truly, when love enters
mems hearts their Wits often leave