Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-01-17

The inner that followed was one OF
the most cheerless meals at which /
had ever assisted at. The momentous
question that he had to ask me had
taken possession of Mr.. Courtney's
faculties to such an extent thai he was
painfully absent-minded and distrait:
and the knowledge that 1 had promised
TO refuse his request did not tend to
cheerfullness on my part-for, no mat
ter how gently / might do it, I knew
that ! should be putting the old man
into a most awkward position. AS I
pondered over the matter-and I had
ample leisure to do so, for our CONVEX
sation was almost entirely limited to
that required by the etiquette OF the
tablet determined that I would hint
that, although / could not at present
advance any money. I might be able in
some other way to help on any cause
that was working for the good of Ire
land, and this hint, I knew, would be
reported to D'Orville.
Little did I dream of the fruit 1t was
to bear. When Nora left us I opened
the door for her. and as she passed out
she just touched my hand and whis-
pered. "Hemember!"
a "Vht VAIN W ~ tdplt, diiu Il Souia
not but pity the man who sat there.
nervously pushing his glass hither and
thither, and wondering how he should
begin what he had to say.
1t was to the glass that he looked for
inspiration, and when he had swal-
lowed whisky enough to reduce me to
the condition of promising any and ev-
erything, he found courage to begin.
sMr T,.an,o x,1a - - coId x.o{.tortnr
his lips. 1--WE known you some little
time now, and we've been pleasant
n~eighhors-I may say friends, 1 hope"
"Most certainly, Mr.. Courtney"
And" he went on, we've had long
talks about the country that's so lear
to me, and I'VE never met an English
man that had such sound views On the
matter as you have. You are at one
with us, I know, and If you should
think me presumptuous in what I am
going to ask you to do you must put
my presumtion down to the love / have
for Ireland. Will you help us, sir? We
are in sore need of money-aye, it's
that, no less, I'm begging for-and If
o could advance us one thousand
pounds, you'd be putting us on such "a
footing that we could demand terms.
'Tis only a loan I'm asking, and we a
offer the very soundest security for its
repayment"
I looked at his twitching features,
and knowing him for the puppet that
he was, and knowing, too, who was
pulling the string hat made the pup
pet dance, I almost wished that I had
not promised a downright refusal. But
Nora's spirit vas near me, and, after a
short pause, during which he sat peer
ing at me, I began:
II am sorry you have asked me, Mr..
courtney, for, believe me, it gives me
the greatest pain to say that I am un-
able to comply with your request.
eBar with me n moment, and I will
tel you why. I have an ample allow
ance, it is true, but / nave nothing be-
yond it, and I don't even know the day
or the hour on which that allowance
may cease. I have some money, too,
at the bankers, but 1t Is not a large
sum-certainly not large enough to
justify me in drawing uron them to the
extent you suggest. You are perfectly
right when o say that / feel a great
sympathy for ireland and the Irish,
and IL / could help in any other way for
the present ] should only be too glad IL
you would tell me how. I am young
and active. and I may In time have
more ample means. There must be
some society or other that / could join,
and"
There are plenty" he interrupted,
but they all want money-though, to
be sure, they want men of action, as
we'll. I am so~rry'-and here his voice
quivered and the tears, that I looked
upon as begotten for the most part of
whisky, began'to fill his eyes-"I am
sorry that-that you couldn't help us
as we would have 1t. But IL you can't
you can't. I'll report what you've said
about the other way Of helping to one
that will know how to make use of
your services, and II you are still of
the same mind. I'll arrange a meeting
between you. The Fates are against
us, for those who would give can't. by
reason that they've nothing left to give.
You'll not mention this matter, / know,
Mr.. Tremayne. and there's n thing
more I want to say about 1t, and then
I'll have done. I wish you to under
stand that my daughter knows moth
ing Of our movement. and I've brought
her up in a way that she's never like
ly TO know anything about II. She die
for shame IL she thought 1t was money
, I was asking o for, though she knew
IT wasn't for myself I was asking 1t. ]
: have tried to keep her out of all these
affairs, and God knows she's the only
comfort that's left to me-" He sat with
his hands over his face for a few min
: utes. Let us go to her now" said he,
presently, and, composing himself, by
4 a great effort, he led the way to the
, drawing room.
made no long tarrying with them,
for I had Nora's promise that she
: would meet me on the morrow, and
when that meeting took place I was re-
solved that h and I should not part
without a perfect understanding. and
that she should know what an enemy
I I had In D'Orville.