Mower County transcript., 1903-01-07
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CHAPTER vi.

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Observation-Disclosures Observation-Disclosures
y CHAPTER VI. ..,-,.. !. 1 -..:-..s ~ ss !.
''wHoM GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER LET
NO MAN PUT AsUNDER." Nh i JUL
He had come directly to his subject,
feeling that it was best SO. Mrs. Pen
rose looked lat him in the greatest as
tonishment. # E # s55Ss
"You - love = Dorothy ?" she lsaid
slowly. "s" . w tss .,S.s5..s. s.5s.@
"Yes," replied Malcom Kirk simply.
II have loved her for four years, Ever
since I entered the seminary, in fact"
Mrs. Penrose sat still and looked
more keenly at the awkward, homely
figure in her reception room. She was
a woman of great quickness of percep-s
ton. 10 do her Justice she had pre-
eminently large fund of fairness and
a sense Of justice which came to her,
through a long line Of pilgrim ances-
tors. She saw in the man who had
just declared his love for her niece so
abruptly something more than a COM
mon average man. There was a look
in his eye that spoke Of limitless en-
durance, and his voice was Of an un-s
usual quality, very nearly if not quite
equal to a rare gift of music or art. X =. &:
She rose and walked over to the win
dow and looked far down the beach.
Then she turned toward Malcom Kirk
and said with some emphasis: ~
"What you have so suddenly told
me, Mr.. Kirk, is, need not say, a COM
plete surprise to me. l suppose you
know that Mr.. Raleigh is a lover Of
Dorothy?"
"No more than I am," said Malcolm
Kirk quickly. '..|
Il suppose you know he is an old
friend Of the family and that Mr.. Gill.
bert favored his suitT' -,,,
''That has nothing to do with my
love for her." said Malcom Kirk softly.
Mrs. Penrose smiled slightly. Then
she frowned and looked somewhat anx-
iously at him.
"What do you expect to do?' she
asked somewhat vaguely.
II am going to ask Dorothy Gilbert
to be my wife,"
IF she loves you?' said Mrs. Pen
rose, little grimly. 49,. 80,
"Of course, if she loves me-" replied
Malcom Kirk simply.
There was silence in the ROOM, A
servant came in quietly and lighted
two long candles on the mantel. The
dusk and the candlelight blended to-
gether softly, and Malcom Kirk looked
out Of his side Of the room at. Dor
othy's aunt with a somewhat pale,
face, calm, however, and fully self
possessed. Even Francis Raleigh, with
all his inherited instincts toward gen.
tlemanly habits, was not equal to Nal
com Kirk during a supreme crisis.
Mrs. Penrose went over to the win
dow again. Then she returned and took
a seat nearer Malcom Kirk.
"Of course after what you have told
me, Mr.. Kirk, it. will be-you see the
awkwardness Of the situation-it will
be embarrassing for you and Mr..
Raleigh to meet"
"Why?" asked Malcom Kirk.
"Well, it will, won't it?'' she asked
in some slight irritation.
II don't think so. have nothing to
be embarrassed about"
Mrs Penrose was silent again. After
the lapse of few moments she said:
II have not asked you what your
prospects are, Mr.. Kirk. Pardon me
if seem abrupt, but you have set me
the example. I am the nearest rela-
Nv hoc n,
ers death. She has been accustomed
all her life to the comforts of wealth.
To such comforts as these" Her glance
swept the room carelessly, but with
studied meaning. MAY ask what
you can offer Dorothy in case"--
"In case she becomes my wife?" said
Malcom Kirk, completing the sentence.
= Eyes, in case she becomes your wife. "
His face had grown little paler,
and the muscles around his mouth had
stiffened while Mrs. Penrose was
speaking. But he observed her calmly
enough. ~. 49,. 70 Ee--34
IT can offer her a home and COM
forts. l have definite position. I do
not need to say that am poor. My
life in the Home Missionary field to
which am going will be full of hard
ships. My wife would share them
with me. ought perhaps to say''-he
spoke with the first hesitation he had
yet shown-''that I have a possible
source Of income in my pen. expect
to earn rs much as my salary by that
means. I have once or twice done that
during ar NY. college and seminary
course" :.
~ $50 that the most you can offer my
niece would be $1,000 or $1.5OO &
year?" asked Mrs. Penrose, with the
nearest approach to- sharpness. sssS SsS
"By no means, madam said Nal
com Kirk, and his face glowed will
the eloquence Of his answer This Il
" not the most can offer her. The mos
Ii ! can offer is the love bear her, ant
all the money in the world swithou
that would be very little to offer.' /.
Hes right about that Mrs. Pen
rose spoke to herself softly. Malcon