The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-01
The Globes Daily Short Story

not you understand? I have ruined my
our money; her money So be it.. Let it
g fben Setter te she a should be poor and happy
truth. All that is left now is just enough
70 Keep US here. | cannot beggar her.
Have some pity; Remember. And. be-
sides, it would be useless. There is no
more. I swear ,it-there is no more
there is no more" He sealed UP the let
ter, put it in his breast pocket, and went
down to meet the post-his daily agony
during all these yearS-the post.
On the stairs he already met the house.
maid coming up. He took what she was
bringing and leaped back into his den
with it. He tore it open.
what nonsense! Look here let us I'M
derstand each other. Are you going to
send me that thousand, or are you not?
have it. Mean old thing! We all know
what to believe about your poverty. AS
If you weren't aware that your parish
toner's and their friends for miles around
call you the miser! The very name
should have chosen for you-the Miser!
SO open your money bags or We shall see
what we shall see!'
A postscript was added: For heavens
sake, leave that girl out of your letters,
Once for all--for the hundreth time-I
don't. care brass farthing. about her
happiness. She is comfortable enough,
l do not doubt; and If she weren't, 1t
wouldn't matter to me-
When he came to this postscript the
vicar gave low gasp. His jaws stiffen--
ed and couple of gray. veins swelled out
of shape on his forehead "She has never
said that before" he whispered hoarse-
ly, land, by heavens, she means it."
In another moment he had turned eagers
ly, and with swift, uncertain clutches was
tearing out the contents of the safe in
confusion on the floor. Pell-mell the whole
lot came tumhiing out. He stood breath
less, looking from the empty iron cup
ne dragged the whole collection to stone
cavity in the wall and flung lighted match
es upon 1t. The ball dress fiared up at
once. enveloping the other things in curl
was no outlet to the cavity. Clouds of
smoke came rolling forward Into the room.
The vicar stepped aside coughing He
kicked bundle or two of letters into the
burning mass
Fool that I was!' he repeated half
was anger in his voice and immensely Of
sadness, but no exaggseratioon of self-re-
fate to be fool The bad man Is fool
is not all evil foolishness? And the good
man is fool, because, sooner or later,
woman makes him such.
To love women wisely is the bad mans
gift: The good man can only love them
well.
The ,charred mass cracked against the
gray stone wall. In the room the atmos-
phere was sitting. The vicar went to
open the window
Then he sat down to write a second re-
ply, faster than the first, without paus-
ing to think. He used the Greek alpha
bet In writing; some sort OF protection
he had insisted on against the prying
of servants and the possible indiscretions
Of the widow who kept the village post
office.
II cannot. I have not got the money.
You have not left it me- Do your worst,
you know the penalty. On the day when
you divulge our secret my solicitors stop
not give you more 1t is twice as much
as spend upon''-he hesitated one mo-
ment his pen poised in ARMY daugb-
ter and lf,-Herbert- Th1iag. p
Maarten Martens, in the Sphere.