The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-21


o. the case"
first feeling had was sympathy 70
Clarence. wanted to do somethn,
for him, and l couldn't think Of any
thing else but to 60 to her"
"The papers will be full of itw b,
groaned. Il have always been afrait
Of Alden. You know could neye
reconcile myself to him."
Il remember that you always ad
mired him." said she.
"A good many people admire him.
exclaimed the old gentleman impa
tiently, "and they're all afraid of him
He is n headong, reckless, unsafe
man, and l never should have per
mttcd you to become engaged tc
him."
Brenda smiled without effort this
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 dislonoraby
to y0u,' he added.
Il have 10 complaint to make Of Mr..
Alden's conduct" said Brenda. Il
shall not break my heart for him, but
l wish he might have loved me. Let
us go i'll to dinner
Mr.. Muclane was considerably sur.
priscd to observe as the meal progress
ed that his daughter ate with a good
appetite. Having shrewd faculty Of
observation, lie perceived at last that
Brcnda's body was attending to the
whole matter of its own sustenance
and that her mind was elsewhere. AS
anxiety rises in intensity the thinking
part of us interfcres more and more
with the grosscr envelope and the
processes OF enlightened seltishneSs
therein implanted by nature, but there
comes a point of separation whence
the mind goes its own way and the
body likewise, to the great bcttermcnt
Of the latter temporarily.
After dinner Brenda and her father
went into the library, room of which
he made great use for smoking, much
prrfrrrin. il to the apartment especial
~ designed for the Indulgence Of that
perIicious habit.
Brenda fell at once into deep thought,
aud her father after several futile at
tcmpts to talk with her, sat down by a
desk and endcavorcd TO occupy himself
with certain household accounts. lie
was Il man Of large frame and little
aesh, rather handsome in mildly
aquiine style and with eyes like Bren-
;la's but gentlcr and with more Of the
blue tint in them. There was some
thing Womanish about him, hard to
trace, but probably in his manner al |
together and not in his looks. A nerv-
Gus irritablity made utter trihcs tragic
for him. Everything worried him more
Or less. At the desk there, as he put
tered with the accounts, his pen fell
from the rest where he had placed it, |
and he picked it up, with a groan. !
His pleasures were few. His home
was something to him; his pride, of va
rious kinds, Il staff to lean upon. He
had considerable affection for his son
and rather more for Brenda. He
thanked God daily that her health was
so good; but, even so, he was always
afraid that 1t might fail.
His chief joy in life was a business
journey. He could get nothing out OF
pleasure trip because Of the obvious
waste Of time. But to be one of three
or four moderately congenlal mon alb
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 bill affecting bust
ness interests before that
was genuine relaxation. 1t was neces.
sary to go, and the responsibility for
getting there was on the engineer in
the cab ahead. One might smoke
good cigar meanwhile and speak Of
small matters. When one has reached ,
certain stage of nervousness. it IL
more tranquilizing to ride IS miles IN
hour under another mans guidance
than to sit still at home as a result Of
one's own volition.
10 Brenda and her father in the H.
1rary entered Willett, the butler, with
troubled countenance. 1t appeared
hat two men desired to see Miss Mac.
ane and that their names were Barnes
ind Haggcrty.
"They mentioned Captain Neale,
Mss" said the butler. "prcsuming to
ay that you'd understand"
Brenda rose hastily.
"They have come to take me to the
losptal," she said. "Tell them l will
'e ready in few minutes, and see
bout the carriage"
Are these people policemen" de-
handed Mr.. Maclane.
swell, sir, l took them to be what
hey call ward detectives ventured