The Irish standard., 1902-11-29
CHAPTER XXNllI.

1t was seven o'clock when Griswold
had finally fought his way out of the
turmoil of conflicting doubts and dis
fractions, and had come to some
definite conclusion touching his duty.
In the light of possible miscon-
struction of his words by Margery
there was nothing for it but to go
to her and have the doubt cleared
away before he should speak to Char
lotte. So much honor demanded; and
Griswold was not the man to shirk
where honor was involved.
But when he was closing Mrs. Hol-
combs front door behind him, the
Grierson footman opened the gate
and came up the walk with a note.
Griswold stepped within to read it
by the hall light. 1t was from Mar.
gerry, and while he could not help
smiling at the courageous naivete of
it. it freed him suddenly from the
burden of doubt.
"You may think what you please Of me-"
she wrote, but you are my one real friend
In all the world. You know what no one
else this side of Colorado knows about my
but there is one other who should know
who must know. And. oh. l can't ever tell
him! Won't you please do it for me? You
needn't spare me in the least, you know"
"MARGERY.'
Griswold ran up to his room, PEN
ciled his answer on the back of her
note, reenclosing it in fresh envel-
ope, and FASTENED down to give it
to the Whiting footman. Then he
walked quickly to the drug store at
the corner and called up the iron
works by telephone. Luckily Raymer
was there.
"Going to stay little while, Ned?'
he asked.
The answer was in the affirmative,
and Griswold added but Il word: "All
right, Pm coming over"
Fifteen minutes later Griswold
dropped from q car at the railway
crossing and made his way to the
office of the iron works. Haymer was
there, elbow-decp in his correspond
ence. but he swept the lille of letters
aside when his partner entered.
Good for you---comc down to help
me out, have you?" he said, but Girls
void shook his head.
Not on office work, you may be
sure. gave you fair warning before
the fact that ! was born lazy. But
have a thing or two to say which
may help or hinder. Are you game
for the very toughest bit of talk
fight that you ever got into?"
II guess so. Why?"
because, to do what ] have to do,
I've got to be brutally frank. Tell
me, Ned, are you in love with Mar
gery?"
The abrupt question was something
of Il clear-sky thunder clap to Ray
mer, but he met frankness with
frankness.
81 am, Kenneth; and IL guess
have been for good WHILE"
$50 far, so good. Now, how muct
do you love herr"
Raymer's smile faded to a grimace
'Oh, come off, old man; you
mustn't toast me on gridiron tina
way" he protested.
''Yet l must know" Griswold per
sisted. eff you can't stand the test
Pm done before I begin"
"All right; get out your cruciblc
and melt me down."
"Good again. Is it Margery her
self, or Jasper Grierson's daughte
that you are in love with?'
''If | thought you were really il
l,,,l,+ ,l,,,,+ thnt TIL heat Won " SAT-
itaymer.
81 wasn't, but l wanted to clea
the way. That disposes of Jaspe
Grierson's million or so, and bring
us down to Margery, the young won
an. Now, then, supposing some on
should come along and tell you tina
this charming young woman ha
nothing behind her in the way q
lineage; nothing on the fathers side
US everybody knows, and less tina
nothing on the mothers, as every
body has suspected. Suppose, in &C
dition to this, that Margery hersel
confesses that she is lacking in a
the things that Edward Raylner ma
4 demand of his wife, even to wei
equipped conscience. Would tina
make any difference"
Ray1ner was on his feet nov
tramping up and down like bate
bull. 1t showed his athletic fgul
off to the best advantage; and thel
ives something fiercely heroic in th