The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-07-25
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CHAPTER ".

Very SOrrOWfully to Helen bfOulck
the summer and autumn passed away.
She hoped against hope for some word
from her lover, but none came. AT
first her father showed a wonderfully
delicate sympathy. He respected her
desire for solitude and took pains to
keep from her the numerous instances
of Roy's want of honesty and princi-
pie, which every day for some time
after his flight came to public discus
sion. But when the herring season was
over, and his wheat and barley fields
were reaped, and the winter was clos
ing upon them, he became irritated at
her nursing grief for man so unwor-
thy. Her pale face. her eyes red with
weeping and her listless, melancholy
manner were wrong that he felt it
hard to bear.
About the end of November the min
lister received the "cal" to Glasgow he
had been expecting. and Robert Bro
dick went to the city to witness his in
stalation. He came back much de-
lighted with his visit. The big kirk,
the handsome manse, the great congre-
CATION, the minister's mother and her
fine cooking were constantly referred
to. Helen believed he was now trying
to induce her to marry this man of his
particular choice, and with all wom-
ans contradiction she set her heart
against him. She refused to show any
pleasure in the Rev. Alexander Sharp's
kirk or manse or mother, and, though
she really did enjoy her fathers de-
scriptions of the fine dining room and
the minister's study and the great peO-
pie whose worship he directed. she did
not suffer her white, handsome face to
show the least interest in such conver-
sation.
More and more frequently Brodick
went to Glasgow, and on his return
from one of these visits he said to
Helen, ",rhe minister is going to be
married, and you are bid to the we'd
ding"
She was certainly little annoyed.
She had been for three years so sure
of this mans affection, and perhaps
there was deep in her consciousness q
thought that some day she might listen
to his wooing. And he had forgotten
her! She laughed little scornfully
and asked:
What kind of lassie is to wear my
old shoes?"
81 have not seen her." answered Bro
dick, 'but his mother was saying to
me that she was fair and bonnie
enough. She is but young thing. not
eighteen years aud, and her father
has given her $4,000 as setoff. They
are to be married in three weeks, and
if you are going to the wedding you be
to have dress suitable"
81 am not going. My heart is too
heavy for bride guest in any house."
There was a moments pause and
then Brodick said with some stern
ness: "Helen. week after week and
month after month l have seen you
making yourself sick and auld looking
for worthless, wicked man. l am not
liking it."
HE was my promised husband. l
have right to make myself sick and
ugly for him If want to-"
You have not. The laws Of the body,
its health and happiness, are as much
Gods laws as any other. Forby, if
you even had the right to injure and
make yourself miserable. you have not
| the right to injure and make me mis-
cradle. and you have turned my happy
home into house of tears and mourn
ing, and all for man reprobate and
not worth good woman's thought or
care"
! u loved Roy. love him yet"
Then you had better be praying fer
him than crying after him. l loved
Your mother. We lived twenty-tw
years together in peace and joy, but
when it pleased God to take her from
me l did not make the house a valley
of tears and gloom and never ending
repining. l will have no more of it.!
Put the man out of your mind. 1t is a
shame to give such scoundrel heart
ROOM"
Father, there are many that think
Roy was prejudged, and the evidence
against him was"-
"He was his ain accuser to you,'
"Aye, about that weary letter. But he
told me positive and offered to swear to
1t that he did not black our name on
his cousin Wills boat, and believe
/, that he spoke the truth"
Il know that he lied, and it seems,
then, that he was ready to swear to the
lie. l have the most positive evidence
that he did black the name of Helen
Brodick. l did not tell you of it, for
you were weeping enough, and, God
knows, my dear BARN, l would not add
q straw's weight to your trouble"
"Aye, but, having said so much, you
be to tell me all you know, father"
"Very weel. Maybe it is right to do
so. There is little good in saying
smooth. gentle words when it is the
surgeons knife that is required. This,
then, is the very truth, Helen. One
day last autumn l met the widow For
Ryth coming to the house for me. She
said her little Andrew was dying and
could not win away until he saw me.
The poor lad you ken was an inno-
cent one of Gods BARNS. and, though
he had little sense, everybody loved
him. / went wi his mother to his bed
side. He said he had done a great sin,
the poor sinless laddie, and he wanted
to put it right, then he wouldn't be