Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-04-12
in order TO supplement Il. Mind 4
think 1t Is wholly wrong principle

in order TO supplement Il. Mind 4
think 1t Is = wholly wrong principle
for brother to take help from Sis
ter; but, still. you have promised to
help him. Very we'll, stick to the ex-
act letter Of your promise, and don't
go farthing beyond 1t.
I'm passing through town tomor-
row, and will 60 and see him il you
like. It might not hurt him to hear
the opinion of man about his be-
havior.
"Oh, MOI" cried Janetta quickly. II
could not bear to think that had ever
discussed him with anybody. 1t is the
first time in my life that | have done
it, and I'm only driven to it now be.
cause am at my wits end"
well, then, write him short,
wholesome refusal You can't think
what good it does. 1t brings young
fellow to his bearings said the Cap
tain, with a smile, remembering such
a refusal himself.
Janetta rose. II can't thank you
enough. I must have been fancifui the
other day, but | was silly enough to
think that you We're veXcd with ma
when I said l hoped always to keep
you and Miss Seymour as friends
Harry looked down at the beautiful
wistful face with an odd twitchirg or
his own.
You drive ire hard" he said. Shall
tell you something, that you, and
you alone, are the cause Of my sudden
departure tomorrow, that there are
moments in the life of man when ell
he can Go is to run away?
Miss Howard, l did not know upon
what rock l was drifting until that ap-
peal of yours to my friendship; and
then, like flash of lightning, the true
state of things was revealed to me.
Friendship with you? Impossible!
Friendship could not satisfy me! Had
l been Free
Janetta heard him thus far with
eyes that grew larger every moment
with terror and despair.
mo, MOI" she cried; please stop!
You must not say it. and l must not
listen. Forget that you have ever said
or thought it. Ah!" she cried, wiring
ing her hands, what have I done but
betray my best, my kindest friend?"
He could have taken her hands; but
she snatched them from him and flew
from the room. Just outside the door
she cannoned against Mrs. Mortimer,
who glanced at the girls red eyes
and dishe~ oled hair with cynical con-
tempt.
''Is Captain Merivale in the study?"
she asked. Miss Seymour wants to
speak to him before he goes out"
Janetta did not stop to answer, but
ran upstairs to her room; and Mrs
Mortimer heard the key-turn in the
lock.
A very agony OF shame shook Janet
tas whole frame, and she threw her.
self sobbing on her knees. A mist Of
falsehood and wrongdoing seemed en-
veloping her like a cloak, and for the
first time in her life she found it diff
ficult to discern right from wrong.
Her heart was her witness that she
had intended to do no hurt to the
friend to whom she was bound by every
tie of gratitude and affection, and yet
Captain Merivale's unfinished sentence
had awakened an answering echo in
her heart, had reused her to the awful
knowledge that she, on her side, loved
him with an intensity as great as
Clarice's own.
ct can redeem the past. I am sure
it's not too late for that" she said,
springing to her feet in fever
ish misery. "He has no clue as to my
feeling for him-that is my own Sc
cret; and when he gets away from
me he will return, as in honor bound,
to his proper allegiance. He leaves to-
morrow and I need never see him
again"
ITO he continued