Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-15
CHAPTER xxi.
FATHER AND pAueHTER.

rest of the afternoon, she had taken
time to reflect upon what she meant
to say, and how she meant to say it.
Her visit was not prompted by the
desire Of daughter to confide the
great happiness of her life to the low
ing sympathy of an affectionate par
ent; but Agnes was punctilious in the
performance of what she considered
to be her duties, great and small, and
she counted it among those duties to
obtain, or at any rate to seek, the pa
ternal sanction of her choice of a
husband.
Her knock at the door of Murdocls's
study was answered in the CHEMISTS
quiet voice:
Come in"
AS she opened the door, Murdoch
advanced to meet her. He seemed to
COME from the direction of the ex-
tension.
Miss Murdoch shifted the air.
isn't there leak of gas?" she in
CURED.
eyes," replied Murdoch; ST have
just stopped O leak in the laboratory.
Won't you take chair, Agnes?"
She felt his calm, searching glance
upon her; and, in spite of her prep
aratfon, she grew EMBARRASSED, as
was her won't, in her fathers pres
ence.
did Mr.. Chatham wait to see you
this afternoon?" she asked, after q
momentary silence.
Murdoch observed her narrowly.
eyes; Chatham has been here to-
day. I did not know that YOU. had
seen him"
II could not help seeing him; for
he forced his way into the parlor, in
spite of all the servants csuld do to
prevent him"
An almost imperceptible furrow ap-
peared between the chemists eyes.
Has he been annoying you with
his attentions?"
The words were spoken in MUIR
docks usual tones, but Agnes saw
something in her fathers eyes and
in the firm lines of his mouth which
sent cold shiyer down her spine, and
caused her pity to go out to the un-
fortunate young man who had Offend
ed her.
Perhaps he Is more to be pitied
than blamed" she suggested, gently.
my interview with him was certain
" not pleasant; but / bear him no
malice"
"Tell me about It," said Murdoch,
slowly.
Agnes gave her version Of the visit,
in which, instinctively, she softened,
as much as possible, the passion and
brutality displayed by the account
ant.
Murdoch listened in silence until
she had quite finished. Then Agnes
noticed that his right hand was
clenched upon the arm of his chair
with force which caused the mus
cles to stand out in hard knots. She
looked up into his face IN sudden sur.
prise.
His features gave no indication Of
what his feelings might be; and his
voice, as usual, was steady and DELHI.
crate.
II am sorry all this should have
happened, Agnes. As I told you yes
terday, I hoped to save you from this
mans opportunities. It cannot be
helped now. But I think I made ii
clear to the gentleman that his atten.
tfons are as distasteful to me az they
are to you. AS he seems to have told
you, he has been obliged to leave the
country-I understand that he has
done something OF other which makes
it safer for him to undertake long
journey. At any rate we ere we'll rid
of him for some time to come, and ]
think you need have no fear Of fur.
Their molestation."
"What did he mean by saying that
he had had encouragement from
you?" asked the young girl.
II am sure I do not know. That
was of course q lie out of whole cloth
He came to me with letters Of recon-
mendation from good friends of mine
and I therefore occasionally invited
him to the house; but that is all the
encouragement he ever got from me
We live in the United States and al
the close of the nineteenth century
The selection Of q husband is no long
er performed by stern parent, but
is left entirely to the young girl her
self. That is certainly my way o.
looking at the matter. When 70,
find the man of your choice, my only
function will be to give you advice
if you seek it, and my best assistanc,
in any event."
The turn Of the conversation thu,
suddenly brought to the surface tn,
topic which occupied the young girl.
mind, to the exclusion of all others
and which, for that very reason, hat
been kept severely in the background
up to that point.
"That reminds me-" said Agnes
consciously, as a charming flush sui
fused her beautiful face, "that I hav,
not yet preached the principal objec
of this interview"
Murdoch observed her closely AM
waited for her to proceed. But Agne
was once more 1aboring under /,
strange embarrassment and could no
find words in which to frame the con
fidence she was so reluctant to offer
Perhaps the chemist OWNED some
thing Of the nature Of what she wa
struggling to find expression for. A
any rate, he noticed her embarrass
ment and endeavored to come to he
assistance with few encouraging
words, spoken with unusual gentle
ness. Agnes, engrossed with her ow'
ehyuGhtA did uu1 notiNs To- nut NlsyI