Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-03-28

With the man that he seemed to take
alarm, first at my presence and now at
my words? If he was so bound up in
a, his daughter that he was fearful of
having her leave him, even to marry the
man she loved, there seemed small hope
of obtaining his consent.
| In the fear that L should lose my love,
after all. 1 poured out my earnest
| words.
''Mr. Morley, / want Florence to be
my wife. There is no use mincing mat
ters; the simple fact is, must have
her. She loves me, and my love for her
is part of life itself. Win you not give
| your consent?"
To my disappointment he lodged the
| question altogether.
why are you here?" he asked.
/ "Here?"
''Yes. Why did you come to Nelson
/ ville?''
! ''Te find rest and quiet and peace; to
escape peoples cruel tongues" / ex-
claimed impatiently. 81 give you my
word of honor, sir" 1 went on, think
! ing OWNED what his thought was, ct
knew nothing of your living in Nelson
vile. No idea was farther from my
mind than that l should meet Florence
here But l cannot help telling you
how my meeting her has lightened the
burden of the past year, how her love
makes my life appear bright before
me, and shine even through the cloud
which still rests upon my honor. You,
of course, can withhold your consent,
but, 1 tell you openly, shall in that
case do my utmost to persuade her to
marry me against your WISH
l was startled by my bolCfness in
speaking as did, but the words were
out, ana woutd not have recalled them
| If 1 could.
| Florence would not marry without
my consent" Mr.. Morley remarked,
with the trace of a smile.
'"Ah, SIR 1 know that well. We can
yait until my innocence is proved. Rut
| it would be most cruel to us both should
you withhold your consent"
you are still sanguine, then, of
your innocence being established?'
| Most assuredly, sir"
Why an anxious look should appear
on his face I could not tell then.
know the many sudden changes of ex-
preston which came over him during
the conversation caused me consider
i able surprise ut the time.
II have not kept track of that af-
: fair" he began feebly. having been
| fully occupied with my own concerns
have there been any new de-
velopn. pts, any discoveries upon which
you base your hope?"
AN innocent man cannot be made
| to suffer forever. according TO all laws
| of truth and Justice. 1 firmly believe
nay name viii be cleared, perhaps SOON
er than expected"
Then your hopes are based on mere
| sentiment, and not on any discovery
bearing on the case?" Mr.. Morley asked.
MOSTLY on the idea that truth will
eventually prevail" replied, epigram-
| matically.
"A most unstable anchorage nova
| days. Facts and proofs are what the
practical world demands. So, then, you
| ask me 10 rescind my request made of
you year ago, Notwithstanding the
fact that the conditions remain the
| same. You have broken your promise
to me; how then am TO know that your
protestations of love for my daughter
are sincere?"
stared at the man in establishment,
for his words were delivered in cold,
matter-of-fact manner, and. if there
had been any reason for 1T, should
have thought there was a triumphant
ring in the tones of his voice.
The idea that Horace jackson had ac-
tually succeeded in persuading the IA
Their that was the guilty one in ref
erence TO the bank robbery flashed
across my mind. knew, too, that,
deep and sincere as Florence's love
was for me, she would never be my wife
against her fathers wish.
In bitterness of heart / broke out in
volume of words, urged on to earn
estness by the fear that my darling
would be lost to me:
Good God, sir! You love your daugh-
ter; you love Der tenderly. Your devo-
ton to her has been a synonym of fa-
therly love; everyone has spoken of
1t that knew you. Then how in heavens
name can you endanger her happiness
In life by persuading her to marry a
man she cannot love-one whom she de-
tests, the very sight of whom is alb
horrent to her? Oh, sir, she is young
and has lifetime of happiness or mis-
cry before her, whichever you may
choose to make it. You are-pardon
me for saying it-you are a breaking
man." Mr.. Morley sprang from his
| seat at these words, and stood erect,
confronting me with a glare of angry
resentment in his eyes. But went on.
Nothing could have stopped me then.
1T is true, sir; the signs of ill-health
are upon you. That was one cause,
the change in you, which brought the
tears to your daughters eyes just now"
His naughty manner subsidized, went
down suddenly. He sank upon the seat,
covering his face in his hands, and
groaned.
L could not help plying him, Meth
er could resist taking advantage of
this change.
Il entreat you, sir, to ask Florence