The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-05-12
The World Against Him
BY WILL N. HARLEM.
Copyright. 1900. by
A. Kellogg Ne wspaper Company.
CHAPTER lV.-CoNTlNUED.

was on his feet, SpeechleSS With sur
prise.
II heard every word" she said, with
sigh, land at first L was almost
frightened to death. 1 was going to
interfere if he had-had accepted your
challenge, but when l saw that he did
not intend to fight you 1 remained
silent. 1 was an eavesdropper-I con-
fess that-but 1 simply had to listen.
1t was really terrible-your voice
your loolss!"
He was overwhelmed with confu-
sion.
81 feel as if 1 could never be par
doned, Miss Hasbrooke," he managed
to say, after little pause. II am on
your grounds and Capt. Wrinkle is the
guest Of your house."
She shrugged her shoulders and sat
down on the seat he had just left.
II am going to say what I really
would not say if it were not all set
tied between you, Mr.. Fanshaw," she
was putting the stems of her fern
leaves together in her left hand, "and
that is that l do not blame you
much"
you do not really?"
For moment she gave him full
glance from her deep sympathetic
eyes.
81 did not sleep wink last night,
Mr.. Fanshaw. l was so angry with him
that l could not close my eyes. [
came near asking my father to send
him away. From a mans standpoint
l presume you have done all that can
be done.'
He sat down by her.
II never let my temper get the pest
of me, Miss Hasbrooke, without feel
ing dissatisfied with myself. L re-
Trained from striking him when I
found he would not fight, but what 1
finally did was just as bad" He was
looking at the buttons and shoulder
straps in his hands.
Evelyn laughed softly.
HE may not Lave any more buttons
here in the country" she said, land he
may have to discard his favorite suit
for awhile."'
II did it in a spasm of uncontrol-
liable anger" was Ronald's defense.
humiliation" she smiled; land yet you
must not try to conquer the divine in
clination you now have to pity him.
1t shows you are truly noble-noble!"
Ronald blushed to the roots of his
hair.
"When he refused to fight me-" he
said, II ought to have left him. 1 think
could if his reasons for not fighting
had not been quite SO exasperating."
II am going to help you about the
buttons and the shoulder-straps," an
swered Evelyn. 81 have a maid who
can hold her tongue. l am going to
get her to borrow the captains coat
from his room, and l shall restore his
plumage."
He smiled, new light in his eyes.
II really think should like to have
you do it, if you WILL" said he.
''He will wonder who did it," she
laughed, land l half hope he will sus-
pect me of knowing something about
it; he is tiresome in all things, but he
has more to say about his courage
than anything else"
Just then the plantation bell rang.
"Oh, you men are awful-awful!"
she went on, grown suddenly serious.
"If Capt. Wrinkle had been of differ
ent type you would have been shoot
ing at each other at this moment"
she checked herself; there was tense
look about her lips. "You would have
been in great trouble Gor no man
can escape it who has killed another).
Then he might have taken your life"
He understood, and his heart beat
wildly.
''lf he had been of different type
he would not have treated me as he
did, and / should not have been here
this morning"
She gathered up her ferns and flow
ers and rose.
THAT is quite true" she rejoiued,
with look towards the house. II must
be going now; good-by."
She took the buttons and sleeve or
naments from him, and put them into
her pocket, and then held out her
hand. "Good-by." she said again.
When Evelyn reached the house and
had entered the great hall she called to
her maid, Marie, mulatto girl, to take
care of her ferns and flowers.
"Have you seen Capt. Wrinkle this
morning." Evelyn asked.
The maid laughed impulsively as she
filled her hands with the damp greer
things.
"Yessum, seed i'm, an he acted
mighty strange. never seed a man act
SO quar- in my life Again Marie
laughed.
What do you mean, Marie?"
'Welium," answered the maid, 81 no
ticed i'm go out fur his walk to'ds d.
spring, an | would er bet my life dat he
had on his brass buttons an de strap!
on his shoulder, kase seed UNI shinin
in de sun; he was. smokin' an walkin
as clipper as err game rooster, but abou
fifteen minutes ago seen i'm slinkin
up de servants stairs on his tip-tocs.
met i'm face to face. ] did, an, youn!
miss, as God is in Heaven, he diln'
have sign of a button on lis coat
an he'd cut off his shoulder straps
too, an more dan dat. he looked a
mean as a egg-suckin' dog"
Marie giggled again. She had. will
the usual perspicacity of her race
OWNED that the officer was not in higl
favor with her mistress.
At this juncture Capt. Wrinkle