The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-09-04
CHAPTER VI.-CONTINCED

CHAPTER Nl.-CONTlNCED.
the assassin, and there is % known
reason why she should shield anF one
else than Mr. Alden"
"But why not take the perfectly easy
alternative that she Is telling the
truth
Il WILL" said KendalL eff you Wish
me Co."
Il am very Serious" said Brenda.
This Is promise you are makinsY
1T is," replied Kendall his face
flushed and his voice not quite steady.
1T Is my word Of homo. given to you.
and so twice sacred rs the word OF
a friend" be added You were good
enough to say that we were friends
two years ago"
IL have better cause to say II now"
she replied. LET me hasten to prove
my sincerity IN the usual Way. by bur-
deniug you with confidence You
must be wondering at me-
Whyr
Because am here.
ut Is a fine thing" said Kentall
earnestly. 80 much know"
81 will tell you more" retoibed
Brenda, "and Il will make you think
better of MIR. Alden. This tragedy OF
today rs a revelation to me. but not OF
the kind that you suppose MI Alden
had not concealed from me that hls
heart had been won away. but l did
not understand. He told me Of Miss
Miller's existence two months AGO. but
1 would not bear sll he wished to say.
He intimsted that lie had begun to re-
Ear1 her with feelings that I'ade bis
snsasement to NE dishonOrable.
viewed him with pity" and Hrenda
laughed very softly aud without mirth.
y was so Incredibly Ignorant Of every
thing outside my own sphere that l
could not imagine the existence Of
such q woman as lies DOW In that room
out there.
Clarence said she was an actress,
and he looked at me ae a man upon
the defensive | can see hi,n now.
pictured a siren, creature grotesqueiy
unworthy. appealing to his Wild and
reckless nature with thin artifces
that would be clear as glass to him
when he should view them with dis
passionate eye. Truly. was only
sorry for him. ashamed Of him little
yet very anxious to help him. 1t SEEM
ed to me that breaking our engage
nent would be the very worst thing
that could happen to him, and 50 Ne
fused to consider the woman at all.
One meets men In society. Dr.. Ken
DALI whose we'll known ways Of life
have an unfortunate tendency to per
vert wenen's ideas in such matters.
We admit the eSistcoce Of certain per-
sons whom we see In the park with
elegant eQuipeees. bot we canDo< con-
slider them as rfTsls.
"But surely be spoke OF her With
respect" said Kendall.
Absolute rplied Brenda -tut l
thoCght him the more fool EIe s,fd
one evening. I retpember-ed II was
only very short time aso-that Mss
Miller cared nothing for him aud never
would. was merely convinced b. his
sincerity that the woman was playing
q deep game. and swore By such eotfs
as I have that I would save him from
her. And 40 Il went on until last eSen-
ing. when he scut me note whsch
made 1t impossible that our eogage-
ment should continue. II was only
frank, honest statement that his beOrt
lad pessed utterly out OF hts coUtro.
can see now that he could have done
no better. bCt did not take the hight
view at the moment. Fcrhaps Il wee
because / had beard that day for the
first tine that Mr.. Aiden's engagement
with ME was Of the highest importance
In bis business affairs II be had al
bowed II to continue for that tesson-
But be had not. 1t wss really oil mS
doing
However, to continue, l went to h.s
Office today because ! was irnpet!"at.
was ct aa end. That waS Ia trD words.
And the Ices Of me. Dr.. Kendall. AFFECT
en him 80 little He was obviously 70
wrapped In ID inpenetrabte bCl>ptn1-'s
that lost my temper for the tirst time
IN a ..ooi many years and cue short the
interview Oh. We were perfectly cour-
teous to each other. Gnd when w'e part
ed-nost automatically. With an ete-
vator man rattling the catch of the
door 10 make me hurry - we shoox
hands Upon Il vow Of friendship Rat
was in E shameful. rage ss ieft the
oullGlng.
Il went up town as far as the shop
PING district and wandered aimhssiy
ii the storrs Then GOT upon street