Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-12-27
isn't there i leak Of gas?" she In

quired. ,5.1... 80 II ~ ~. s Il.
Eyes" replied Murdoch; II have
just stopped leak in. the laboratory.
Won't you take a chair, Agnes?':
She felt his calm. searching glance
upon her; and. in spite of her prep.
aration, she grew embarrassed, rs
was her won't, in her fathers pres
ence. ~
did Mr.. Chatham wait to see you
this afternoon?" she asked, after a
momentary silence. - T..
Murdoch observed her narrowly.
Yes; Chatham has been here to-
day. ! 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 could do to
prevent him."
An almost imperceptible furrovv 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 SILVER 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
ly 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 hi:
voice, as usual, was steady and delib.
crate.
II am sorry all this should have
happened, Agnes. AS 1 told you yes
terday, hoped to save you from this
mans opportunities. It cannot BIZ
helped now. But 1 think I made it
clear to the gentleman that his atten.
tions are as distasteful t. me as 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 or other which makes
it safer for him to undertake a long
Journey. At any rate, we are we'll rid
of him for some time to come, and I
think you need have no. fear of fur
Their molestation."
what did he mean by saying that
he had had encouragement from
your" asked the young girl
Il am sure do not know. That
was of course a 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 at
the close Of the nineteenth century.
The selection of husband is no long
er performed by a stern parent, but
is left entirely to the young girl her.
self: That is certainly my way of
looking at the matter. When you
find the man of your choice, my only
function will be to give you advice,
if you seek it, and my best assistance
in any event."
The turn of the conversation thus
suddenly brought to the surface the
topic which occupied the young girls
mind, to the exclusion of all others;
and which, for that very reason. had
been kept severely in the background
up to that point.
THAT reminds me-" said Agnes,
consciously, as a charming flush suf-
fused her beautiful face, that l have
not yet preached the principal object
of this interview"
Murdoch observed her closely and
waited for her to proceed. But Agnes
was once more laboring under q
strange embarrassment and could not
find words in which to frame the con-
tidence she was so reluctant to offer
Perhaps the chemist OWNED some
thing of the nature of what she was
struggling to find expression for. At
any rate. he noticed her embarrass-
ment and endeavored to come to he,
assistance with. few encouragins
words. spoken with unusual gentle
ness. Agnes, engrossed with her OWL
thoughts, did not notice it; but Their.
was in his manner as near an ap
proach to tender wistfulness as hi.
nature was capable of.
AT last the young girl seemed tt
gather courage, and she was about tt
speak, when there was knock upor
the door.