Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-09
HIS FAMILY SPECTER

~ ~ NV
what to make of youl' exclaimed Tom
Fairlcigh, drawing On his gloves, with
considerable show Of vexation. "AmY
Hepburn's happiness is lear TO me. IN
fact, ! came here tonight to tell You
that / love her
"To tell met" broke in Gordon.
"Why don't you tell herr"
"Wait, cant vou2 Let me finish. /
have told her, and she has declined mo.
1t was done very gently and with the
greatest possible regard for my feelings.
but nevertheless | was declined. Don't
think me a fool because / come here
and make n confession which can be
nothing less than Notifying. I'm do
ing it for Ainy's sake"
"For Amy's sake p echoed Gordon.
eyes; ] want 20 sec her happy, and
you are the man to make her 40. She
declined me on your account. OF course
| knew long & that you were my
rival, but did not know until two hours
ago that You were the successful one.
You aren't worthy of her and don't de-
serve her, but don't think for n moment
that | believe myself more worthy or
more deserving" Pausing suddenly,
Fairleigh walked to his friends side
and laid n hand on his shoulder. II
can't understand what You mean by
leading Amy to believe that you care
for her while all the time dividing
your attention with Nell ~Forthdyke.
Would you be inhuman enough to
break a heart as loyal as Amy's?"
Don't got tragic, Tom. I'm not 60
ing to break anybody's heart. Nell is
rich, you know
And so are vou, 81" snoered Fairleigh.
walking hurriedly TO the door and lay
ing his hand on the knob, "Lut Amy
Hepburn is poor. Society dares you TO
wed with poverty. If You love Amy,
are you man enough to take the dare q?
Examine into the financial condition
of tho Hcpburns, reflect upon the cause
of their downfall in fortune and then
let me see if you are strong enough to
leap this Brahminical barrier of caste. -
With this parting shot Fairleigh
passed quickly out of the room and
slammed the door behind him. Harry
Gordon gN vent to a long whistle,
C'l'i''i hlAliNVI az II g Alb nv
t%houghtfully lighted a cigar.
That was quite a jolt" he NUT
tered, looking upward through the
curling wreaths of smoke. d" How
happy could l be with either We're
t'other dear charmer away It's as
sure az can be that | love one and fancy
the other. But who will unravel tho
Gordian knot? Which is it to be-Amy
or Nell?"
A knock fell on the door, not on the
outside door, but on a door leading into
a closet. Harry Gordon stirred uncom-
fortably in his chair, a vexed look com
, ing into his eyes as he fixed them upon
the closet door. After a brief interval
Of silence the knock was repeated.
"Now, what in the world aroused
you - cried Gordon.
Business is business" camo a hol-
low voice from the other side of the
closet door. I'm here for a purpose, and
; if | do not make that purpose manifest
once in awhile you'll forget all abou,
me-"
This remark was followed by a clank
ing, cachinnatory outburst that seemed
to CRATE harshly on Gordon's ear.
, "Well. what do you want?' HI
, asked.
l az want TO come ont and show my
self. You know I'm here, but a littlt
: ocular demonstration won't come amiss
> | take it. Remember, I'm showing con
. sidcration for You. | might have kickec
open this loon and stalked out into tn
=, room. But | didn't raped"
Q Cant You put it off? Come ont to
| morrow. I've got something else tt
f think about now"
4 "The high and mighty order of fam
!, lily skeletons are not in the habit %
: playing second fiddle or taking bac.
f seats for anybody. I'm coming Mt once.
i, "All right, then, groaned Gordon
: squaring himself about in his chair
G Come on
o The closet door few open and n We
= developed skeleton strobe ont and droQ
: ped with a rattle into a chair. The cav
n ernous eyes were blankly expressive
to Gordon. For him also there WI
= something sarcastic in the grin of til
a fieshless jaws.
o Dust me off. said the skeleton. 80
y want to show up as frightful as posi-
> BILE tonight"
The request presented itself to Gol
don as a command which he was pow
erless to disohoy. Picking mp a feathe
5 buster, he piled it vigorously about tn
cleaning white bones.
- ''Achoo!" he sneeZed, dropping tn