The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-26

sition In regard to 1t. Yet, after all.
was there only one point of view7 Was
not Gil life struggle, relentless strug-
gle! A fair chance, and let the best
man win II one could ask more.
Had Irish had fair chance? Who
could sayf Besides, 1t was no business
of his. He was offered the work which
Irish had failed to do. 1t would prob
ably make no difference to Irish if 6e
declined the position. Still, suppose
he declined on the ground Of what he
had heard. x. was the last kind Of q
place to enjoy row; things were al
ways done decently and in order there.
The college would not like to have it
said that 1t had treated Irish 90 un-
fairly that Lawrence Percival would
not come to It. He had made rows be-
fore, and his pen was feared. He
might at least obtain that extension Of
time which Irish thought would be 20
important. But would It? How could
ne tell! What did he know about the
right OF the matter anyway? And.
granting even that things were as the
head supposed them to be, was It not
the law Of the universe that q man
should first Of all do his own work
look after his own? Was not his first
duty to the woman who had trusted
her life to him?
He took up Lilian's miniature, which
stood on his writing table The fair,
sensitive face. untouched by care.
looked up at him with smiling eyes.
full Of a woman's trust He seemed
to hear her voice. M ~
"How did l come to caref l think.
Lawrence, because you were the best
man had ever known.
And there came back to him tha
pledge he had made his father when
first he went to college-the promise to
follow his principles at any cost, wher-
ever they might lead. Now, Of al
these principles the strongest, the most
clearly defined, the one that 30 Tar had
ruled his life, was the resolve never to
ally himself In the smallest way with
anything on which rested even the
shadow Of Injustice to rise by
trampling on another. II that was the
price of success, he would do without
success
NO. he said as he put back the
miniature; mot even for you.
Then he remembered her letter.
which he had not yet read. As he Open
ed II he saw 1t was very different from
any he had ever before received from
| her. Instead Of a dainty, perfumed
sheet. with writing as steadfast and
serene as her own nature, this was
| blotted and hastily written. It was
dated from her aunts-she had been
obliged to leave her position. In her
agitation she gave him . glimpse into
facts hitherto concealed. The monot-
ony and dreariness Of the kfe, the pet
ty sights and annoyances-aIl these she
had borne with silent courage. But
now the son of the house had fallen IN
love with her. Her engagement had
been no protection nor the fact that he
himself was also engaged. His perse-
cution had brought crisis and fam
| lily scene. He had threatened to break
his engagement, and she had left the
house. - ha3
She told the story as II she could
scarcely bear to put 1t into words, but
Lawrence could read between the lines
the insult and shame to which she had
been exposed. He had never known
her so shaken. not even under the
shock OF her fathers death or Of the
difficult days which followed 1t. She
had always seemed to him, like Spen.
ser's Elizabeth, settled 50 in heart
that she was ever ready 'in the stay Of
her own steadfast might" for endur-
ance or for action. Now, for the first
time in their engagement, she sent for
him, begging that II he possibly could
he would come to her.
He could be with her by Sunday.
and he could tell her that soon he
would come fer her to care for her and
shield her always. II he did not do
this, what was before herr And yet
and yet-should he tell her and let her
decide? Coward thought. that No: he
had always lived his own life; he
could not now begin to shirk. Besides.
she trusted him absolutely. The Ques-
ton must be answered before he went
to her.
| Could 1t be that he was-as his
friends have often called him-over.
nice and scrupulous, with an absurdly
fantastic sense of honora Was It mot
sometimes possible to neglect. plain
duty while following fastidious tastes
that were dignified by the name Of
principles?
Where, now, for him lay the right.
An hour later he walked to the VIZ
lage, where he sent telegram to LII
ian. and mailed a letter to the presi-
ldent Of x. college.-New York Evening
Post