The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-06-22

abruptly something more than a COM
mon average man. There was a look
in his eye that spoke of limitless en-
durance, and his voice was of an I'M
usual quality, very nearly if not quite
equal to a rare gift of music or art.
She rose and walked over to the win
dow and looked far down the beach.
Then she turned toward Malcolm Kirk
and said with some emphasis:
What you have so suddenly told
me, Mr.. Kirk, is, 1 need not say, a COM
plete surprise to me. l suppose you
know that Mr.. Raleigh is a lover of
Dorothy?"
mo more than 1 am" said Malcolm
Kirk quickly.
81 suppose you know he is an old
friend of the family and that Mr.. Gil
bert favored his suit?"
"That has nothing to do with my
love for her. said Malcolm Kirk softly.
Mrs. Penrose smiled slightly. Then
| she frowned and looked somewhat anx-
iously at him.
What do you expect to do?" she
asked somewhat, vaguely.
81 am going to ask Dorothy Gilbert
to be my wife"
"If she loves you?" said Mrs. Pen
rose, a little grimly.
"Of course, if she loves me-" replied
Malcolm Kirk simply.
There was silence in the room. A
servant came in quietly and lighted
two long candles on the mantel. The
dusk and the candlelight blended to-
gether softly. and Malcolm Kirk looked
out of his side of the room at Dor
othy's aunt with a somewhat pale
face, calm, however, and fully self
possessed. Even Francis Raleigh, with
all his inhe; ted instincts toward gen.
tlemanly habits, was not equal to NAL
com Kirk during a supreme crisis.
Mrs. Pcnrose went over to the VIM
dow again. Then she returned and took
a seat nearer Malcolm Kirk.
"Of course after what you have told
me, Mr.. Kir'-. it will be-you see the
awkwardness of the situation-it will
be embarra sing for you and Mr..
Raleigh to meet"
"Why?" asked Malcolm Kirk.
"Well, it will, won't it," she asked
in some slight irritation.
81 don't think so. l have nothing to
be embarrassed about"
Mrs. Penrnse was silent again. After
the lapse of a few moments she said:
81 have not asked you what your
prospects are, MI. Kirk. Pardon me
if seem abrupt, but you have set me
f1,n nyo,,r1n ~, @l,- ,.n4 IL
tive Dorothy has now since my BROTH
er's death. She has been accustomed
all her life to the comforts of wealth.
To such comforts as these" Her glance
swept the room carelessly, but with
studied meaning. May 1 ask what
you can offer Dorothy in CASE
Gin case she becomes my wife?" sail
Malcolm KIRK, completing the sentence.
Eyes, in case she becomes your wife"
His face had grown a little paler,
and the muscles around his mouth ha |
stiffened while Mrs. Penrose was
speaking. But he observed her calmly
enough.
81 can offer her a home and com
forts. | have a definite position. l do
nv hCCd w say lidl L all DUOI. NlY
life in. the Home Missionary field to
which | am going will be full of hard
ships. My Wife would share them
with me. | ought perhaps to say"-he
! spoke with the first hesitation he had
yet shown-"that | have a possible
source of income in my pen. | expect
to earn as much as my salary by that
means hayn nnan ~. uvion dam fbnt
during my college and seminary
course"
so that the most you can offer my
niece would be $1,000 or $1,000 a
year," asked Mrs. Penrose, with the
nearest approach to sharpness.
by no means, madam!" said Nal
com Kirk, and his face glowed with
the eloquence of his answer. This is
not the most | can offer her. The most
| car offer is the love l bear her, and
all the money in the world without
that would be very little to Offer
He's right about that" Mrs. Pen.
rose spoke to herself softly. Malcolm
Kirk did not heal. what she said, but
tlien at that time he did not know
her histcrt hvr the inner emptiness OF
her unloved married life.
There was silence again in the room
The two candles ON the mantel were
distinct and clear now as the dusk had
slowly %deepened.
A step came up the path, and thi
door opened. Mrs. Penrose and Nal
com Kirk both rose as Dorothy enter
ed the reception room alone.
She came in with her head erect, anC
there was light enough for her aunt
Is ~ VII . [7|