The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1900-12-20


her breath. "What did you mean by
what you said?"
IL meant TO cut the very soul Of that
little coward, II he has one" the girl
said, fiercely. IL almost feel as IL |
Aought to have exposed him to the others
before whom he wns posing as brave
nan when he Is no more than"
Evelyn had been speaking so rapid
y that her words ran upon one another
and became jumblcd, unintclligible
mass.
Mrs. Lancaster turned Evelyn's
white, impassioned face towards the
Night Of the moon and grnsped her rigid
lands. "You almost frighten me, dar-
1ing," she repeated; "what has wrought
you up to such pitch Of excitement?"
81 think / ought to tell you all abou,
it," answered Evelyn. after n moments
deliberation, "but IL must be in conf
dence."
"You can trust me, dear the -wect
old lady assured her.
They sat down In n hammock and
Evelyn kept II in motion with her slip
pered feet as they rested lightly on the
floor.
ADO you remember the young man
showed you at church that day?"
"The one" questioned Mrs. Ian
easter, 'who you said had saved your
iife?"
ayes; do you remember him?"
Quite well; his face made n wonder
r,,1 Inn. f..,. Il n Ian.
thought of him hundred times after
| all you told me of his struggle to bet
ter his condition and educate himself.
! don't think ever saw finer speci-
men of physical manhood; he had SUI
perb face. Were you nlluding to him"'
Then In low voice full OF agitation
Evelyn explained.
For several minutes after the girl
had finished the old lady remained
| silent, then she asked gently, cautious
| ly, as IL she were treading on ground
upon which she had not been invited:
do you realize what all this means,
dear EyclynY
~ realize that Mr.. Fanshaw Is u
friend OF mine, and that Capt. Wrinkle
has tried to humiliate him In public"
~ did not mean exactly that" the
widow corrected, quickly. 1T is your
own danger that am thinking about"
"My danger?" Evelyn emphasized the
| first word.
"Yes. you see II Is difficult for young
girl to be wholly in sympathy with
such noble, suffering character as this
Mr.. Fanshaw without running n risk
OF becoming dangerously interested.
Young girls nre prone TO care for what
Is withheld from them, and you may
not be an exception to the rule. You
ought to keep the fact always before
you that nothing but disaster could
come from an alliance with one so far
beneath you. Mt lcas, In point OF birth;
you see what mean"
Evelyn drew herself up stii'ly.
"You need have no fears In that di-
rectlon." she avcrred. I'VE have neith-
er Of MS thought Of that"
"But," gently persisted the uld lady.
"you may not even now know y our own
heart. l am afraid you could not have
been 80 fierce just now had the captain
been talking about amy other man.
Il don't like TO think for moment,
Mrs. Lancaster. that Mr.. Fanshaw is
beneath us In any respect"
| "Ah," interruptcd the older woman,
"that is still another proof Of your
peril; you even want TO feel that he Is
your equal, when, my poor child, all
that you may know him to be mentally,
morally or otherwise cannot make him
so. Remember your fathers pride--the
high standing OF your family. II would
break his heart, Evelyn"
"What would break his hearth" burst
petulant!y from the girls lips.
at would break his heart 10 refuse
you anything, and yet he could not
consent to your marrying into such u
family as Mr.. Fanshaw's."
Evelyn's face was very white, and In
the moor light II looked CHASTITY.
| ~ have never dreamt OF such q
thing" she said, quite truthfully. II
have thought only OF his happiness-I
have only prayed that he might tri-
umph over all the obstacles In his way
to success and happiness
The negro quarter, consisting of q
village of about thirty log cabins, lay on
the left OF the mansion, and from its
intricate, lanelike streets came three
mulatto musicians, carrying guitar,
a mandolin and mouth organ. They
paused ut the steps and began play
inR. This caused the card players, who
were evidently tired Of their game, to
rise and come out on the veranda, the
colonel last Of all, clapping his fat
hands In uniron with the music.
Mrs. Lancaster spoke quickly, as II
she feared the others might come down
10 where she and Evelyn sat
~ fondly hope Mr.. Fnnshaw will sue
ceed. He may become a great man In
time, but he ought not to be hampered
by anything, and I know Of no greater
hindrance to u young man than for him
to love some one above his, station
| Therefore, dear, you must be very care'
full, you must not allow him to fall In
love with you"
| "In love with me?" the words were
spoken scarcely louder thar whisper,
and than Ars Iaucaa aatar felt n shuddey