Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-04-17

| Yet You wont say Why you visil
ed my rooms?'
Again | repeat that / cannot
| Miss Merivale. do you know ths
your brother owes me money!
| j do; and il shall be paid With
a few hours.
i have q proposal 70 make IL yo'
WIN listen 20 me. | viii forgiv,
your brothers debt and hush u,
your connection with this theft o.
one condition. viii you marry me2
Marry youf cried Helen, in horor
/ would rather die.
An ugly look passed over Watson !.
face. -
fou are too proud, / suppose, We
am wealthy man and you would
find me an indulgent husband. WHY
do you refuse me?'
There is one great obstacle 70
your proposal, she said, quietly.
i have already promised to marry
Frank Seton
Watson looked somewhat disturb.
ed. *
The engagement is not u public
one, them
That does not make it any less
sacred in my eyes, said Helen.
Suddenly Watson threw of all re-
straint, and in fit OF passion burst
out: "a
Il made up my mind to have yon
the first time saw you, and sooner
or later you will have to give in.
You shall have time to consider. but
If you persist in your refusal ] will
bring down your naughty spirit and
proclaim to the world that your
brother is a forger and that you are
q thief. Prove yourself innocent If
you can
Helen's voice trembled with sup
pessed anger.
Sir, am glad to see you in your
true colors. One minute you do me
the honor of wishing to marry me
and the next you call me thief. As
Ior your threats, / despise them as
much as / despise you. Now, go
md do your worst; your presence
$ an insult 10 me. As-she- finished
Seton had not been alone many
minutes when he was joined by Ber-
lie. The boy wandered restlessly
from one side of the room to the 9TH
sr, hurriedly poked the fire, and at
last, with q nervous cough, began
I say, Seton, can you help fell
low out of a difficulty? Iwouldn't
ask you il ! could get the money any
other way; the fact is, can you lend
me s2O0?'
IF I lend it to you, will you tell
me what you want with itY
Well, it's TO pay debt.
"A debt to Gilbert Watson
How did you guess that ?
Never mind how / guessed; but,
seriously, BERTHE, / half suspected
that Heien's visit to Watson was
connected with you, and it would
be better for all of us il you would
make clean breast of it.
Bertie looked disturbed, and for a
minute q two he hesitated. Sudden
ly his better nature asserted itself,
and he broke out, eagerly:
L know / was fool to play with
Watson again; ! might have known
should lose. ! was in despair;
had no way of raising the $500. Yot
know how mean father is about oul
pocket money. Well, like an idiot
forged check for $500, and as sooI
as ! had sent it to Watson wishes
myself dead; in fact, / should hav'
shot myself if Helen had not stoppe'
me. She undertook to see Watson
and get the check back, but he wa
out. Nv letter was unopened on tn
table, so she brought it away, am
we thought the whole thing ende'
there. But this confounded loss {
his 81, 900 has landed US in a fin
mess
You shall have the $500; but, BeI
tie, how long is this to go on? He
en- can't stand between you and th
consequences of your follies soreyel
she has been doing it too long a
ready. Why don't you act like
man instead of a weak silly boy 2
Seton, / promise you this sha
be the last time. II ] once get o.
of this fix will never speak to Wa
son again. / mean to work hard ar
; pay back the 500; you may tru
me this time.
i do trust you, BERTHE, said s.
ton, as he shook his hand hearth
And now / must beof. Ipromis'
to wait for Helen, but she viii fo
l give me when she knows that ! ha'
gone to see Watson. / fancy | ha
J. a card toplay that viii astonish hin
II was quite two hours later VIII
Helen crested Seton for the seco