Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-04-12
CHAPTER vII.-CoN11suEp.


Miss Braddon was not little sur
prised, herself, and not especially we'll
satisfied. It had been a rather dcsper-
ate leap with her eyes shut. The gal
tantry, intelligence and tincture of the
west about the man pleased her. The
rest was sacrifice for her father.
To Braddon it was thoroughly disa-
greeable surprise. He could read men
too well to be deceived, though he tried
hard to convince himself that it was
only prejudice.
Its all an old mans jealousy" he
frequently said to himself. IF Esther
loves him, what right have to stand in
her way with any of my whims?"
He knew better than to hint at this
distrust to Esther, and silently sacri-
feed his own wishes to hers. ..-
All three would have been doubly
surprised had the reality of each heart
been readable.
In the secret of his closet Braddon be-
rated himself mercilessly that the right
man had not been introduced.
cts all my fault, yes, all of it" he
muttered; for he and John Olmstead
had instantly renewed their boyhood
friendship. They were like school
chums again for awhile, and only they
two knew why it was that after Robert
returned from college Braddon never
entered Olmstead's house again till he
came to the funeral.
II couldn't stand it, Jack. I'd make
@fv e T At Sc %ho
very picture of his mother" Braddon
said, and Olmstead understood. The
result was that Stanton knew Thaddeus
Braddon only as everyone else knew
the brilliant, white-haired financier, as
"Braddon of Braddon & Burridge," and
had never spoken to him.
The old man knew the young lawyer
through and through, however. He
had sacrificed lifetime to his love
for the boys mother, and the boy was
as like her as two drops of water from
the same spring. His interest in him
was something phenomenal, and when
Stanton began his rapid strides to-
wards fame there was no mortal half SO
proud of him as Braddon of Braddon &,
Burridge.
When alone with Esther he sometimes
dropped word about John Olmstead's
nephew, and for long she knew him by
no other name. He did it with studied
carelessness, but in woman's eyes there
is microscopic lens for mental and
sentimental work passing all under
standing.
D>f-
daughter had heard of the young man
often enough even to have his existence
impressed upon her, she had come to
the conclusion that behind John Ohm
stead's nephew lay the secret why her
father had never married.
Once Esther thought to please her
father by suggesting that he bring the
young lawyer home to dinner, but it
was received with such unexpected OPP
position that it was never repeated.
Frequently and intensely Braddon
regretted that opposition. Il was a
fool. She took me by surprise" he
would say to himself. He said it most
vigorously after Richard Raymond
came into prominence. He even tried
to bring it about that Esther should
repeat the suggestion. She was never
before so slow of comprehension, but,
hint as he would, she never repeated it.
On the evening of the 5th of Deem
Der, 1892, Braddon was late and hurry
ingshome-to dinner. One of the trustees
of the Olmstead estate, in passing him,
briefly reported that the nephew had
forfeited his rights and that another
heir had filed his claim. It was merely
an item of news that might interest the
banker, as good portion of John Ohm
stead's millions was held by Braddon &
Burridge.
The two parted at once, and each
went his way, but the bankers cheeks
were flushed and his eyes flashed under
his white brows. His blood boiled In
spite of the years that should have
cooled it.
'It's a regular Olmstead trick" he
muttered. Hes fool. No, he's not.
Confound him, respect him for it. l
believe his mother thought I insulted
her by throwing fortune in her face
and asking her to change her mind.
She said so by marrying poor farmer.
If I'd stayed poor believe she would
have had me; but never saw it in that
light till this minute. This is precisely
the same thing over again. Bless the
boy!"
By the time he reached his home he
was sufficiently Gained to hide his ex-
element, but still sufficiently excited
to be very glad they were to sit alone
at dinner.
He heard Esther talking, and smiled
when she smiled, but paid little further
attention. She was recounting meet
ing of her reform club, that day, at
which she had been elected chairman
of the executive committee.
Braddon nodded approvingly.
"For shame, papa!" Esther ex-
claimed. "How young and untitled 1
am for such a position! If can do the
everyday work of the committee shall
he clad, At least I'm determined to try
and do my share. There's one thing in
which think can accomplish some
thing. They brought up the subject OF
a horrible system of matrimonial ad-
vertisements in the daily papers. Ia
no idea that there was such thing at
all; but you don't know, papa, how hor-
ribl. ~ is. A member read some adver-
tisements she had cut out this very
morning, and it seems there are the
same kind in almost every day. She
told of some that she had Investigated
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