Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-01-09

q bottle and put it ON the table beside
Armour, together with glass and some
water. Armour poured out stiff
draft, added very little water and
drank it. He drew great sigh and
stood looking at the paper.
us there anything I can do for you,
Mr.. Armour" urged the trader.
Nothing, thank you, nothing at all.
Just leave the brandy here. will you?
feel knocked about, and 1 have to 20
through the rest Of these letters"
He ran his fingers through the pile,
turning it over hastily, as If searching
for something. The trader understood
He was q cool headed Scotsman. He
knew that there were some things best
not inquired into, and that men must
have their bad hours alone. He glanced
at the brandy debatingly, but presently
turned and left the room in silence. In
his own mind, however. he wished he
might have taken the brandy without
being discourteous Armour had dis
covered Miss Sherwcod's letter. Before
he opened 1t he took q little more BRAN
dy. Then he sat down and read it de-
liberately. The liquor had steadied
him. The fingers Of one hand even drum
med ON the table. But the face was
drawn, the eyes were hard. and the look
Of him was altogether pinohed. After
he had finished this he looked for others
from the same hand. He found none.
Then he picked out those from his
mother and father. He read them
grimly.
Once he paused as he read his moth
er's letter and took great gulp Of plain
brandy. There was something very like
a sneer ON his face when he finished it.
He read the hollowness Of the sympathy
extended to him. He understood the far
from adroit references to Lady Agnes
Martling. He was very bitter. He read
no more letters, but took up The Morn
ing Post again and read it slowly
through. The look Of his face was not
pleasant There was q small looking
glass opposite him. He caught sight
Of himself In it. He drew his hand across
his eyes and forehead, a. though he
vas in q miserable dream. He looked
again. he could not recognize himself
He then bundled the letters and pa.
pers into his dispatch box. His atten.
ton was drawn to one letter. He picked
It up It was from Richard. He started
to break the seal, but paused. The
strain Of the event was too much. BE
WINGED he determined not to read IL
then, to wait until he had recovered
himself He laughed now painfully. It
had been better for hint had maybe
averted what people used to term his
tragedy-had he read his brothers let
ter at that moment for Richard Ar
mour was a sensible man, notwith.
standing his peculiarities, and perhaps
the most sensible words he ever wrote
were in that letter thrust unceremoni-
ously into Frank Armour's pocket.
Armour had received q terrible blow.
he read his lie backward He had no
future. The liquor he had drunk had
not fevered him. 1t had not wildly ex-
cited him It merely drew him mp to q
point where he could put sudden i'm
pulse into practice without finching.
He was bitter against his people. He
credited them with more interference
than was actual. He felt that happi-
ness had gone out of his life and left
him hopeless. As we said, he was .
man Of quick decisions He would have
made q dashing but reckless soldier.
he was not without the elements Of the
gamester. 1t is possible that there was
In him also strain Of cruelty, unde-
veloped, but radical
Life so far had developed the best in
him. He had been CHEEKY and candid.
Now he travelled back into new avenues
Of his mind and found strange aborigi.
nal passions fully adapted to the present
situation Vulgar anger and reproaches
were not after his nature He suddenly
found sources Of refined retaliation. He
drew upon them. He would do some
thing to humiliate his people and the
girl who had spoiled his life. Some one
thing! Itwould be absolute and lasting.
1t would show how low had fallen his
opinion Of women, Of whom Julia Sher-
wood had once been chiefest to him. In
that he would show his scorn Of her.
He would bring down the pride Of his
family, who. he believed, had helped
out Of mere selfishness to tumble his
happiness into the shamblee
He was older by years than an hour
ago. But he was not without the facul.
ty OF humor. That was why he did not
become yery excited: il WAS also univ
he determined upon comedy which
should have all the elements of tragedy,
Perhaps, however, he had not carried
his purposes to immediate conclusions
were it not that the very gods seemed to
play his game with him, for while he
stood there looking out into the yard Of
the fort Protestant missionary passed
tho window. The Protestant missionary,
as he is found at such places as Fort
Charles, is not strictly superior person.
A Jesuit might have been Of advantage