Fergus County argus., 1901-03-27

~ -SsssE
|/>%-Ea ~A>h,
"You, too" she Shrickcd. "And / hare
just SwOrn 10 loCC, honor and obey yoW"
~ saw 1t In your face when he began
TO speak"
Mr.. Gllchrlst dropped slightly: lie
was very sick man, and the scene
had been trying one.
"lf / did" was his low response, at
was but lately. You were engaged
then to Philemon. Why break up this
second matchp
She eyed him as IL she found II dill.
cult to credit her cars. Such in1lf'er.
rncc 10 the claims of innocence was in
credible TO her. saw her grand pro
illc quiycr, then the slow cbbing from
ncr check Of every drop Of blood lndig-
nation had summoned there.
"And YOU Philemon" she suggested,
with = somewhat sortcned aspect-"you
committed this wrong Ignomntly, nev-
rr having heard Of This iira s
coull not know ou what rm I.ss l
| haN been separated from 13uny."
! lad started 10 escape, bu sDnpp
Just beyond the threshold of The T. .r
rs she uttered these words. rhilrmnG
was not MS Ignorant as She supposed.
This WAS Ridcnt from his attitude aud
expression.
Agatha" he began, but at this first
word, anl before lac could clasp the
hands held hclplcssly out before her
She gave n great cry, ana, staggering
back, eyed both her father and himself
In frcuzy Of Indignation that was all
the more uncomfortable from the su-
pcrhuman effort which she hitherto
made 10 suppress II. you, toJ.' she
slrlckcd. You, too. and have just
sworn 10 love, honor and obey you.
Love you! Honor you, the uncon.
3clunnhlc wretch who
But here Mr. GilchriSt rose, weak.
tottcring. qulvcring with something
more than anger. lie approached his
| hiughtcr and laid his finger on her lips.
"IIc quletw he said. "phlemon IL
not To blame. A month ago he came TO
see me and prayed that, as n relief TO
his mind, would tell him why you
had separated yourself from James.
lie had always thought the match had
! fallen through on account of some fool
ish quarrel or incompatiblllty, but late
| ly he had feared there was something
more than he suspected IN this break,
something that he should know. So
told him why you had dismissed James,
| and, whether lie knew James better
than we did or whether he had seen
something In his long acquaintance
with these brothers which influenced
! his Judgment, hc said at once: This
cannot be true Of James. 1t Is not In
his nature TO defraud any man, but
| there some complication lcrcT | had
never thought Of John aud did not see
! how John could he mixed up with an
affair had supposed 10 bc n secret be-
( tween James and myself, but when
/ Philemon laid th" matter before James
I hc did not deny that John was guilty,
but asked that you br not told before
your marriage, lie knew that you
wore engaged 10 n good man, man
that your father approved, n man that
could and would make you happy. lie
did not want to be- the means of sec.
ond break, and hcsldlcs-and this. |
. think, wns Mt the bottom Of the stand
hc took, for James Iahcl was always
the proudcst man ever kncw--hc new
cr could bear, hc said, to give 10 one
/ Ike Agatha a name which lie knew
ana she knew was not entirely free
I from roproach. II would stand in the
/ way ~ his happiness aud ultimately Of
/ llrrs. His brothers hishOnOr was his
/ So. while ho loved you stlll, his only
. prayer was that after you were safely
married and Philemon was sure Of
. your affection hc should tell you that
Z thu uI1H sou once regarded 80 favor
Hbiy "as not unworthy Of that regard.
GI DLry bIm Philemon has kept silent.
-h.lr Agutha, what are you dolngf
\ Ar" sou mHd NY chlldr
10" loolcd ~ FOR The moment Tear.
log OF lhc ring sh" had worn but an
hour. sbc flung II on The GGor, Then
fho threw her arms high up over her
head and burst out ia nn awful voice:
courses on the father! Curses ON the
husband who have combined 10 make
me ruc the day ! was born! The IA
thcr ! cannot disown. but the hus.
band'-
"Hushw
II WAS Mr.. Gilchrlst who dared her
licry anger, Philemon said nothing.
'Ilush! He may bc the father Of your
children. Don't curse
But She only lowered the higher. and
her beauty from being simply majestic
became appalling children" she
cried If ever bear children to this
man. may the blight Of heaven strike
them rs 1t has struck ne this day.
May they die as my hopes have died,