Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-11-18
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER

heavensl what II Rachel, just out Of a
mistaken pride. should go and marry the
Did man as sort Of proof that she had
no forgiveness for the mistake he had
made In asking her t make a sacrifice
for hint What should he do then? And
how particularly disagreeable and un-
pleasant every circumstance Of his life
would be afterward! In truth. he turned
upon the general face so blank that
the old man felt quite guilty
1.-The fact was, VAL" he said, quite
| hunbly for him, Il warted you to see
her without any kind 0! prejudice in
! your mind about herl / wanted TO have
I your unbiased opinion about her Her
name is not Ray Dudley at all. II is
Rachel Power"
Rachel Power" repeated the young
man, who was beginning to feel sick and
! d6z ed with the pain Of hearing this spur
out and as If 1t were broken" to him.
And she is my granddaughter, the
general said getting the truth told at
last.
Valentine fairly gaspedi Not that it
mattered: the general took for surprise
what was really an expression Of intense
relief
granddaughter sir" be ex-
claimed iucredulously-"y grand
daughteri"
Yes, my granddaughter" the general
asserted And very proud Of her l am,
ysl--yery proud Of her"
For one moment there was dead ST
lence between them. Through Vaien-
tines Drain q confused medley Of past
events was fying-of how his darling
had come home In fear and trembling to
her one relation, and had been rudely and
unfeelingy rejected and turned from the
door Of her own kith and kin as If she
had been a beggar; and with the strange
unreasonc- 4eness Of weak humanity. at
that moment he had forgotten all that
the old man had done for him during his
whole life, and was only filed with
burning desire to just take him down on
to the pavement and thrash him.
Gen. Vandeleur saw something Of this
in bis godson's face: but he was an ar
rogant old mummy who had never trou-
blcd himself much about the feelings Of
others, so it is not surprising that be
mistook Valentines expression then
You're thinking about the property.
my dear lad" he said. laying his hand af-
fectionately upon the young mans arm.
1T win make no difference to you. Val,
or very little"
II was not thinking Of money at all"
returned Val, shortly.
1t was true enough. He was thinking
Of that afternoon when he had gone TO
Morley's and found his darling shaking
and quivering under the pain Of her rejec-
tion he was thinking what an angel Of
goodness she was to even allow the old
autocrat 70 buy her pictures And then
--then--a sudden joyous thought flashed
into his miDd--if she could forgive such
a brutal slight as that which her grand
father had put upon her. surely, surely
she would be able 10 forgive him, who
had wronged her only through the excess
Of his leye-for that was how he put it,
the love which would not let him drag
her blindly into poverty and pain for the
rest Of her life. II Is wonderful how in
geniousiy men and women esn apply the
salve Of righteousness 70 their own sadly
scared .onseieuces.
You were not thinking about the prop
erty. Val" said the general What
then? Not about that other girl. hope"
That other girl" repeated Valentine.
in such genuine amazement that his gid
father began for a moment or so to think
that the lad was i'll, or taking leave OF
his senses
"Yes--the girl you wanted to marry
when You hrst came home, he explain
ed. testify.
Valentine turned and looked at him as
blankly as II he had never heard Of "that
other girl In all his life before-at least
that was the impression that his locks
conveyed to the old general Then he
suddenly remembered that his godfather
was utterly ignorant Of the fact that
be had wished to marry Rachel and
some subtle feeling prompted him to say
nothing about 1t until B e had made more
way with her and reclaimed some Of that
affection which he had lost by his own
stupid laundering folly
"0h, I had forgotten all about that"
he said with a laugh
I'm glad Of that. nay hoy-I'm glad Of
that cried the general, gladly. And
you think you'll be good friends with my
sranddaughter--eh7 -
u want to ask You plain question.
sir said Valentine. quietly.
ASK It, said the general IN reply
I'm give you n plain answer"
We'll, sir. have you any idea Of my
marryiny Miss Power?" be asked.
Il should be exceedingly happy II you
did" the general answered
Il would marry her Tomorrow II she
would hayr me" said Faleatiue quietly.
Tomorrow to-day-now!'