Cañon City record., 1902-01-30
EQUAL PARTNERS
By HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright. 1901. by Charles w. Hooke.
By HOWARD FIELDING

"'rbe papers will be full OF it.' he
groaned. Il have always been afraid
OF Alden. You know ] could never
reconcile myself to him"
Il remember that you always adj
mire,l him." said she.
"a good many people admire him."
exclaimed the old gentleman lmpa-
tiently. "and they're all afraid OF him.
He Is n beadlong. reckless. unsafe
man and I never should Lave per.
| mitted you TO become engaged to
| him"
time. She knew that her will would
dominate her fathers In any conflict.
and that he would permit her to have
her own way to the end OF the story.
Il am not engaged to him any more"
| said she. and her father admitted cor
daily that that was something to be
thankful for.
"He has behaved most disbonorably
to you he added.
Il have no complaint 10 make OF Mr.
Aideu's conduct said Brenda. Il
shall not break my heart for him. but
wish he might have loved me. Let
\ us go la to dinner.
| Mr. Maclane WAS considerably sur
prIsed TO observe as the meal progress
ed that his daughter ate with good
appetite. Having n sbrewd faculty Of
observation. he perceived at last that
Brcnda's body was attending TO the
whole matter OF its own susteuance
and that her mind was elsewhere, As
anxiety rises In Intensity the thinking
pari OF u interferes more and more
with the grosser envelope and the
Processes OF. enlightened sellshness
therein implanted by nature. but there
comes point of separation whence
the mind goes its own way and The
body likewise. to the great beitcrmrnt
Of the latter temporarily.
After dinner i,renda aud her father
went into the library. room OF which
he made gr,'ai use fui slnuklng. much
prcf.rring II TO the aIs;ifgHirnI ,piH.cial-
ly designed FOR tho indulgence" Of that
ncrnicious habit
Brenda fcll nt once Into deep thought.
and her father. after several futile AT.
ienpts 10 inIk with her. sai down by
desk and .udcavorrd 10 occupy himself
with certain household arsounts- lie
was nian OF iare,. frame aud little
Et-tlH fFNuf+f htNhrbAiff W
aqullin. Siyi. and with eyes like Brvn
da's hui scntlcr and with more OF the
blu" tint in them. There was SOME
thing womnniSb about him. hard 10
trncp. hut probably la his manner al
tog"tiirr and not In his hooks, 4 merry
ouS irriInblliIy made utter tribes tragic
for him Everything worried him more
or less ~ The desk Ihcrr. a. he put
tered with the accounts. his pen fell
from III" rest wher,' he had placed II.
and lac picked II up. with y groan.
His pleasures were few His home
was something TO him; his pride. of Va.
rious kinds. stan 10 lean dpon. He
had considerable affection for his son
and rather morr for brenda. lie
thanked ,;od daily that her health was
NO good. hut. even 50. he was always
afraid that II might fail
His chief Joy In NE was business
journey. lie could get noihln: out Of
plrasur. "trip because Of the obvious
waste Of time. But TO be one Of three
or four moderately copgenial men ab-
solutcly forced To travel. preferably IN
some ones private car. perhaps TO see
a bit of Industrial property In the west
or even no farther than Washington
when there was bin affecting bust
ness interests before congress that
wns genuine relaxation II was neccs
sary TO CO. aud the responsibility for
getting there was on the engineer in
the cab ahead One might smoke
good cigar meanwhile and speak uf
small matters, When one has reached
a certain stage OF nervousness. Il IL
morc tranpniiizing TO ride 10 miles an
hour III der another mans guidance
I than 10 sit still at home as n result OF
ones own yolitlon.
To Brenda and her father In the u.
brary entered willett, the butler. with
a troubled countcnnnce. II appeared
that two men desired to see Miss Mac
tame and that their names were Barnes
and iiaggcrty.
"Thcy mentioned Captain Nealc.
! niiss," said the butler, 'rresumlng to
ssy that you'd understand"
Brenda rose hastily
'They have come to take me to the
/ hospital" she said. Tell them viii
be ready In few minutes. and see
about the carriage
Are these people policemen" de
! mandcd MIR. Mnclnne
well. sir. took them to be what
4 they call ward detectives" venturcd
the butler, and | dropped the hint 10
James that he'd do well TO keep an eye
on them. There's things In the small
reception room. sir. ns would 20 into
mans pocket"
"You did quite right Wlllett." said
Mr.. Maclane "Brenda. my child
suppose it's entirely useless
Absolutely. | must 20" she said.
ssThpn I must pp TOO - ha yranppd