The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-12-21
The Trouble on the Torolito:
By FRANCIS LYNDE.
tc.pyr,eA. IN. ~ Ir.aa,. lyaa..,
By FRANCIS LYNDE.

III Is. owe you my Ille, MIL, anu
I can't keep silence and see you
throw yourself away on that scoun-
drel."
.Humph!" she said. "Paw an nav
we been putin you up to say that.
I reckon"
eNeither of them has ever said
word to me about yourself or the en-
gineer. But / know what ] nm talk
ing about. The man is scoundrel,
dyed in the wool. He doesn't mean
to be honest with you; he has never
meant to be honest with any woman
he has ever made love to-"
She went on sewing steadily, and
but for the dull flush deepening now
to crimson should not have known
plosion came at last.
"You're towards, all of you!" she
burst out, the beautiful eyes which
were her major charm flashing in
digration, and the ripe lips curling
scornfully. "You don't darst say it
to his'n Zachary one of your
'Be patient, Nan, if you can. I'm
only trying to do you service. Bring
him to me and shall show you how
willingly I shall confront him with
his past and give him chance to
clear himself-if he CAM
She was silent for full minute.
Then she said: ,>.
"He's done cleared himsef-to me-"
"Fhen he has lied to you.'
Hac hnr ~ nk
81 say you don't durst call him a
liar to -hism face! l said minute
ago at it wns paw an nav at set
you on. I know better, now. 1t was
the schoolma am; that's who it was.
You needn't to tell me anything
about her. I know!"
"What has Wykamp told you about
Miss Sanborn?"
"That's none O. your business,
either. But if I was her, I'd keep
mighty quiet. I'd be 'shamed to let
on, l would So"
Miss Sanborn has never lisped q
word to me, CIR to anyone, Nan. And
she has nothing to be ashamed of;
She was innocent as-as you mean to
be. You will understand me when l
say that if l were her brother
the world wouldn't be large enough
to hold Wykamp and myself"
81 don't believe it," she said, stub
bornly. "You can't prove mare thing
ag'inst him-none of you"
~ can. I can prove that which
should make most men and all
women despise him.
'Humph!" she said, again. Talks
mighty cheap!"
1T was now or never. I had come
to my final round Of ammunition and
If the shot missed the battle would
be lost. / took The newspaper clip
ping from my pocket-book and read
it aloud to her, prologuing it with
as much of Grantley's letter as was
necessary to clear the reporters
story of any possibility of being mis-
understood. She heard me through
with her needle at.her lip, and I was
dismayed to see her eyes grow hard
with ADDED incredulity. The shot
had missed.
let me see that" she commanded,
when l had made an end.
returned the slip and the letter
to my pocket-book.
Not now, Nan. You are disap-
pointed and angry, MS you have n
right to be. But you should quarrel
with 1.-THE man-not with the facts"
Il don't believe mare single word
of 1T, an i never will, 'less'n II see
1t with my own eyes" She snid it
deliberately and quite without heat.
you've jest fixed it up amongst you,
an itss "a mean lie from beginnin' to
end. TT II cared enough about it I'd
tell him what-al you say"
I shrugged my shoulders II owed
it to you to tell you. Nan, and I've
paid the debt. The facts are exactly
as have stated them. and if you
still refuse to believe it will be the
worse for you. ! have spoken first to
you because it seemed no more than
fair, but must warn you that
can't in justice allow the matter to
rest here"
ffer needle was flying again, and it
was well tllut 7ti,e thread was strong.
"Mhat-all will you fao?" she que
ried, without looking mp.
81 shall do what II ought to have
done lin the first instance-go to your
father with this information"
II expected another iontburst and
hraced my tagging nerves against
the shock of it. 1t did not come. She
relapsed into logged silence, keeping
her place on the doorstep and sew
ing diligently until her task was
finished. Then she went into the
house and saw her no more.
meant to carry out my ultimatum
that very night when Setter should
be free to listen to me. 1t was haz-
ardous thing to do, since it might
lead to murder; but it seemed to
be duty clearly defined. And when
reflected that 1 should have ample
opportunity to suggest temporizing
measures before Setter could go to
extremities, did not hesitate.
But the time proved unpropitious.
1t was late when the farmer came in,
and when he had eaten his supper
not any diplomacy of mine sufliced
to compass an interview which might
promise to be free from interruption.
gave it up, finally, and went to bed
in my room under the rough rafters'
oonsoling myself with the thought
that day more or less could make
no difference.
None the less. the threatened eli.