The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-02-08

bed, Be confessed % mo thas 10 had mis-.
applied the funds q tho oompany-had
specula4sd with them and l0st-and thai
after his death We would be ruined. fos
the scandal would wreok the company and
stain his namo forever. After the funeral
hurried 70 the mines 70 80 Il anything
could b done, and I found Mr.. holman
In charge. when went to his Office, be
treated mo . only true gentleman could.
When I bsoachsd the subject ct the defoit,
he said thae was none. knew your f.,
ther had told No the truth, and Ipersisted
In investigating until he finally confessed
that he had made good the amount with
his own money-au be had In the world
80 as 10 ssee your fathers 1eputation and
family, because your father had befDiended
him. The mins does not pay as much AZ
it did beoouse have insis4ed on paying
him back. John Holman = ono Of thu
nohless msn that ever lived, and Il you
have done anything 10 huxs him ! shall
insist thss you apologies
This Was 90 ooartling that Mabel could
not realize II al, and for some minutes sh6
was 90 daoed that che did not remember
the wicked Valentine she bad sanA.
81 shall not ask you any more, " saii
her mother, leaving The room, ''bu3 viii
trust TO your own goodness q heass 4
make HIM any amends you may thanl
necessary"
When Mabel finally thought of the val
entine, she sp1ang from he1 chai0 aDl
clasped her hands In agony.
He must never get isi But how ooui
she prevent itp When she thought O
what he had done in keeping unAarnishe(
the name of her idoN2ed father, abe wa
distracted TO think that she could be *
cruel. To man SO sensitive the vulea,
valentine would be lash Of SCORPIONS
But how could she stop the leote1? I
must now be in the posso6ice, and i
would be delivered to him at his hotel II
the morning. She knew that che hat
neither influence nor skin DO get n return
ed to her, and as her helplessness dawne(
upon her she sought relief In tears.
When her mother returned to bid Mabe
good night, the unhappy girl confessed
what she had done and begged of he
mother to help her.
Mrs. Merryweather was as much paine<
to find that her daughter could be guilt.
Of such rudeness as she was 10 think o
the unjustifable insult to Holman. Blu
to her mind there was only one thing b
be done, and that was that Mabel shoult
throw herself on Holman's mercy. Thi
would not be an easy thing for the pSout
spirited beauty to do, but the lesson woul
be wholesome, and after both had spent
sleepless night they ordered their oarriae
for o'clock and at that unseemly houl
drove to Holman's hotel.
When he cam6 to the parlor where the,
were waiting for him, he was altogethe
different and easier in his manner, for b
was accustomed to hotels, though not t
private houses.
II have come to ask of you great IA
vor," Mabel began impulsively. "Wil yo'
let me have unopened letter that males
to you last nightp' And she blushe,
crimson with shame.
Certainly" he replied without hesita
| ton, for being generous was natural &
him, although social formalities were not
1.-THE mail has not been delivered yet.
| He was too instinotively a gentleman t
ask for any explanation, and as Mrs. Mer
ryweather began TO talk to him they chat
ted till they saw the postman passing th
door toward the clerk desk.
Excusing himself, he went out and se
turned quickly with bundle of letters
which he Immediately handed to Mabel
When she found the miserable valentine
she crushed 1t in her hand and was to
embarrassed 10 thank him.
It would only have embarrassed him :
have referred in any way to the mistol
tunes of the previous night, for he was al
ready conscious that this letter must be II
some way connected with them, SO Mabe
did not attempt any further apologies.
That evening he realized that societ
girl can be grateful, and when she reall
wishes, too, can make even boor feel a
ease, and Mabel learned that the marks Q
. gentleman are not dress and easy man
ners. Before they parted they were friend
and instead Of Holman getting crue
oaricature Mabel got q valentine, accord
Ing to the medi@val custom, who has al
ready served her faithfully for year an
. day and probably will through all hi
life.