The Iola register., 1901-04-12

woman Oh W0Om l. bptdh- -COuiSiS hh
honor with her blind trust. There
has been my chief difficulty, Dick.
In these days it is hard to find
man into whose hands you may place
a young woman and say to her: Trust |
him Implicitly" Somers smiled |
slightly.
my dear fellow, don't you see that
it is you whom the woman will trust
in this instance, not me? l am only
to vindicate you"
"Then you consentW
"Why, of course! ! have no ties to
hinder me; and l shall never marry
with any serious intentions. As you
know, my life chance passed from me
when 1 laid down my commission in
the army to become wanderer.
am here to-day to sign for a small
share in some property of my grand
mothers, and tomorrow l shall be
off again. l do not think l will be
inconvenienced much by the fact that
l shall leave bride in Richmond
whom l have never seen nor am apt
to see; and since it helps you and
your friend, why, l am positively
happy over the affair. Fact is, Frank,
I am about up to par in this matter
now."
"You make me happy, Dick. True
as steel always, but always
l wish, old fellow, / might find the
missing note in your life"
Satisfy my ambition, Frank, and
you have found it. My people were
of the army and navy. You remem-
Der Somers in Tripoli, and-but this
is idle. When that damnable villain
Holbin tempted me to embroil myself
with the authorities in an act of in
subordination the world was rose
ate"
"Holb6n-Raymond Holbin?"
"Why, yes. Had you forgotten the
circumstances? used to rage over
it enough in Paris, God knows. Pass
the matches, please" Brodnar passed
them and moved quickly TO the rear
of the speaker, lifting his right hand
in excitement, his features working
convulsively. "It did not help mat
ters that they cashiered him for ras-
cahty and pusillanimity, for they had
let me resign, and my application for
reinstatement lies Enacted upon still.
Frank, there is the open grave in my
life, and the missing note is silent
within it," He wheeled his chair
about and looked up into his friends
face. "You would help it If you could
1 know; and bless you, my boy, for
your sympathy. What was it you
wanted me to do2 Oh, yes, the mar
rage. Let us get back to that. Am
to make a toilet? But of course
"You will do as you are. 1t will be
in the dark. But, Dick, at this mo
ment, for the first time, the full ex
tent of your friendship dawns upor
me and l see the generous heart beat
ing away so faithfully in my behalf
Dick, there was a woman in the af
fair between you and Holbin; yot
have never told me of her and
don't ask you now, but If there is I
sacrifice in this for you it is not too
: late"
, Sacrifice? Lead onl l am in thu
hands of my friends. I am not th'
first to leap blindfolded into the SCI
of matrimony, nor shall I be the last
Life is cycle and fools beget fools
Besides I have In my religion som'
/ of the fatalsm of the east: Tha
, which comes to us without our seeking
and seemeth right to do, is general.
l the right thing to do. The fallint
cocoanut that breaks the sleepini
81 robbers head feeds the starving pill
, grim"
"Well said. And in this adventure
l my friend, take it that you ar
e the cocoanut. l am old-fashione
/ enough to believe in God, and wit
1 His help you may break villain
q head indeed"
"But I shall be satisfied if my ow
isn't broken. BY the way, my wifi
should understand that if this ugl
rupture between the south and mort
involves blows, she may hear of he
husband bearing arms against her"
"Fiddlesticksl There has bee
more blood shed in my back offic
than you will see spilled between tn
north and south. The people on tn
streets and up yonder in the capitC
are temporarily insane. 1t will en-
in wind--my name for oratory.
Cheers in the street below, followe
by the discharge of cannon, shoe
the windows. A boy rushed pas
crying an extra.
"What does he say?" asked Somer
as Brodnar, who stood near the wiz
dow, lifted his face.
Fort Sumter has surrendered!"