Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-14

S0N. Ole rs SelI-WlIteu, Dub SQe IS JuSU.
Shall admit it to you? She has made
my life unhappy; she has been the
cause of my living abroad"
"Who was Louise, then? And why
should the mention of her name-have
killed my father?" She covered her
face with her hands, and gave way
gently to her tears. He waited few
moments until she regained her COM
posture.
''There are turned down pages in
the lives of all men. Miss Brookin--
and in the lives of some women. An
other time / shall tell you the his
tory of Louise. and let you judge me
if you will. But swear to you now
as though I stood in the presence Of
God, that 1 did not lead her off by
means of mock marriage did moi!
You may not understand it, but there
are times when the man is not alone
to blame in these matters. He is in
yolved through his chivalry; and in
trying to protect a woman he some
times ruins both the woman and HIM
self. have sinned, but if you knew
how I suffered you would pity, not
blame me. Complete reparation was
impossible--but have done my best;
and to-day my life is as free from
evil as most mems"
In no other way could Holbin have
so touched the girls heart. At the
moment she did pity him. Recent
scenes in her own life rose before
her as he had spoken. She turned
to him, generous and impulsive.
Forgive me if I have misjudged
you" The words surprised and
alarmed her. He was not slow to see
his opportunity and take advantage
of it.
"If you misjuGged me, it was nat
ural; for never was a man more IN
fortunately situated to achieve the
dea.est wish of his heart than / am.''
"Your dearest wish" she began.
'srhe wish to make you my wife,
Frances; you will think it very nat
ural wish under the circumstances
surrounding us, / am afraid, and yet,
| whatever may have been my mothers
interest in your fathers will, l knew
nothing whatever of it. Why, have
been here few weeks only. And
do you suppose for one moment that
could share in any property extort-
ed from you by such strange circum-
stances? am not the heir, if you
refuse to marry me. but may help
you, and will. My dear girl, upon
the day you are 81 if am sure that
you do not wish to take your property
with the eucumbrance of husband. L
shall in writing decline to marry
YOU"
.'Oh, Mr.. Holbin!"
For the rest--this miserable mys-
terry you are answered already. If
believed that you were in any way
compromised, would not admit that
love you"
"Please! please do not-!n
~ could not even remain in this
city and doubt you. But as man
who has seen many a woman the
innocent victim of mistakes and bad
advice, am bound to use every en-
deavor to protect your own and my
mothers interests. This DIR. Brod-
mar"
HE is my friendl Don't speak i'll
of him!"
81 speak ill of no one. But warn
you that he is absolutely unfit to
advise girl. Heaustrong, opinion
ated, arrogant, he stakes everything
upon his own Judgment, and when
such man loses, he loses for others
besides himself. Frankly, / have seen
men by the ten thousand until one
mans face anywhere indicates the
moral tribe to which he belongs; and
tell you DR.. Brodnar may be true to
one friend at the expense of an
other"
II cannot listen if you accuse him"
81 shall not accuse him. | shall
only say that i now demand nothing
of you, but ask you as man whose
tenderest solicitude is for you to in
form me of the mysterious occurrence
in this room. VIII you?" Frances
was embarrassed; but she looked up
at length with kinder look in her
face than he had yet seen.
"There is nothing l may tell you,''
she said, "but this: I am sorry, sin
cerely sorry, that l have misjudged
you, and think you are generous and
kind to me-"
"For that I thank you. And now
again forgive me for having troubled
you to-day--the matter seemed a
pressing one. Will you-will you still
insist on the Miss Brookin?' May l
not sometimes say 'Frances?'"
1T matters little" she said at
length. But when he was gone she
reviewed her action with growing
wonder. what possessed me-what
influenced me to yield so much?" she
asked herself over and over. She was
too young to know that a mystery
was involved in that question as old
as the human race.
CIJ "A p1rEp Iy