The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-09-20
We IN " "A Fascinating
a. Romance
" Nv ~ Alan Adai..y
CHAPTER 1.

us Tie Only CHlnS 10 90, SAID Alan,
.hrusting his hands into his pockets
ind looking straight before him. "Here
here is nothing for me, and, as you
'ay, there is nothing to keep me here.
It was her wish besides; and yet-yet
hate leaving it."
can well understand it, lad. /
vas the same. 1t is just in us Scotch
nen, this love of the land. And had
'osn, too, to keep me here; and SO I've
ust stuck on and made precarious
living, and I've but STAYED off the evil
lays. for now my boys will have to
20. We can't make living in the
I'D country. and there's no Joan, is
here?" asked the old man, kindly.
No. No woman has ever been any
hing to me except my mother" said
The lad
We'll, well, time enough; there's
mre to be-" said Macpherson, IA fine
ad like you!" AS matter of fact, the
I'D man said, "Weel, weel," but that
lid not take away from the kindness
u his speech. You've always got
i
substantially; but that isn't easy. Still,
you need it. I can make a push as
veil as my neighbors.'
Thank you kindly" said Alan Mac
kenzie, but there will be no need of
It. The sale of my poor little sticks
Viii pay my passage money and there's
good place waiting for me when get
out, SO that there will be no need for
me to go borrowing. wish I felt a
little more enthusiasm about making
money. It's said to be in Scots blood,
but 1T isn't in me. would fain stop
aere and watch the clouds settling
FOUND the hilltops all the rest Of my
afe than go to South America, and
make my fortune Yet because my
mother wished 1t. and because she was
70 overjoyed when the offer came to
ne, feel it is Just my duty to do it,
neither more nor less.'
1t did not take long for Alan Mac
kenzie to sell his few possessions, and
10 turn his back upon the little Scotch
town. He was going as far as Glas-
cow, to take a steamer to South Am
erica. His story was simply this: A
lad to whom his father had once given
free passage to South America had
done SO well at Rio that he was now
one of the foremost merchants there.
He had remembered his benefactor and
when he heard of the captains death,
had written and offered good place
IN ia 10
Gle. Mrs. Mackenzie was dying Of a
painful disease, and she saw in this
offer future for her son who she so
tenderly loved, and she was keen that
ne should accept it. So that when she
died there seemed nothing for the lad
10 do but to go.
He was good looking lad, standing
about six feet in his stockings. He
aad passed his twenty-first birthday,
out he was younger than lads gener-
ally are at 81, having no experience in
the world, and ncne of men and wom-
en-. He had worked at school always,
having been fond of his books, and he
mad played outdoor games, so that he
had very little knowledge of either the
usual amusements or the perplexities
of life.
When he had finally said good-by to
his native place his spirits began to
rise within him. The world and adj
venture were before him. He had said
good-by to the old life, but the new
was there. He had never been so far
as Glasgow before, and the big town,
with its lighted streets and the ships
in the river, attracted him. After all,
there was something pleasing in big
things. Large enterprises and wealth
attracted and had charms after ALL So
that it was with lighter heart that
Alan Mackenzie embarked finally.
He loved the voyage. Heredity counts
for something and his father had loved
The sea. He felt it was his own ele-
ment. When he reached Rio it was
with high hopes and resolves to make
his mark. He had a kind reception
from Richard Dempster, and here again
Alan felt the charm of riches and
power. Dempster's house was one of
the best in Rio. mis- clerks were we'll
paid, and his wife and daughters occu-
pied place seccnd to none in society.
Dempster wanted Alan to become ac-
customed to the work, and then to
found another branch of the house in
a mining town some hundred miles
way.
Y Dempster had two daughters, fine,
fresh, handsome girls, but no sons.
The obvious thing would have been
for Alan Mackenzie to have fallen in
love with one of the girls, to have set
tied down comfortably and prosper
.ously in Rio; but there was one thing
against it. There was a little vein of
romance in Alan's nature, and he dis.
liked the obvious. Besides, he had the
: independent mans dislike to being be-
holden to his wife for his advance
ment. So that although he was on
terms of perfect friendship with Ina
and Eleanor Dempster, yet he neither
sought nor wished for any stronger
feeling.
The girls looked with favor on the
handsome young Scotsman, who work.
ed so hard. of whom their father had
such a high opinion, and who was,
moreover, always perfectly willing to
be at their beck and call.
Alan soon found friends in Rio
nnmDctoy'c pocif;or MOS ,1,.o,4