Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-25

| suggestion, and Gordon at once went
out and took the first car that made
connections with uptown lines.
It was not until he stood on the IA
mflar steps that he realized in some
degree what he was about to do. The
chance of meeting Luella was 50 small
that he had not given it any thought.
He had not seen her since his inter-
view with her, and while he was heart
hungry for the kind of love that was
being. denied him, the experiences
| through which he had been since 60
ing to Hope House, the appalling char
acter of the disaster for which Luella' 8
father was at least in large part re-
sponsible, for the time being obscured
his personal affairs. It can truly be
said that as he gave his name to the
servant and asked to see Mr.. Marsh
he was nerving himself for the inter.
view, with Luella in second place at
least.
He went into the hall reception room
and had only just sat down when Lu-
ella entered. He rose and faced her
and saw at once that some mistake had
been made by the servant. Luella was
deeply agitated. She was hardly able
to say:
Il was told a visitor wished to see
me-
Il called to see Mr.. Marsh" said
Gordon quietly, but his pulses were
beating high.
For moment they stood looking at
each other and each noted something
even under the stress of the situation
John saw that the proud attitude was
marked by sadness that had left it's
mark on a beautiful face so clearly
that he said to himself, "She loves me
still" Lucia noted in her former lover
an added dignity and nobility and said
to herself, HE is a man; not a store
model like Penrose!' And there were
| two hearts beating high in the short
silence.
Father Is not at home. He is out Of
the city," she managed to say, but her
UPS trembled in spite Of all her efforts.
Gordon took step toward the hall.
MAY ask when he went awayT'
II believe he left three days ago."
The morning after the fire arount
Hope HouseY'
YES"
There was another silence. Gordon'f
mind went into tumult.
MAY l ask when he expects to re
turn?"
II think tomorrow or the next day.
She was recovering her equanimity,
but she resented his questions.
"Will you kindly ask him to come
down to Hope House and see me on o
matter Of business when he returns?"
! "W1ll you state the business? She
put the question as coldly as he had
put his.
Certainly" Passion had the reins
now and was flashing him hard. "Please
tell your father I want to ask him how
far he considers himself responsible for
the murder of over sixty children and
the manning of score more on &C
count of the illegal tenement he con.
structed on Bowen street." 1t was
the severest thing he had ever said
to Luella, but his excuse was found
in the agony that filed Hope House at
that minute.
Murder, did you say?" Luella's eyes
blazed. She stepped toward John Cor.
don and confronted him defantly. DO
you realize what you are saying?"
DO l? Oh, Luella, if you had seen
what have seen during the last three
days. Gordon broke down so sudden.
~ that Lucia was overwhelmingly en-
barrassed. 1t was no secret with her
heart that the man had her love; at
least she was wretched without him,
even If she was not yet willing to live
with him where he chose to live. To
see him sitting there now, with his
face covered, smote her proud nature
SO hard that in a moment she would
have been kneeling beside him and
promising to go with him anywhere,
to leave every social pleasure she
priced, for the love Of his heart.
But how should John Gordon know
anything Of all that? When he looked
up he saw her standing very still and
very white, staring at him in a ques-
tioning way. And in an almost matter
Of fact tone he began to relate the
facts about Mr.. Marsh's relation to the
disaster. He told the facts in quite a
dispassionate manner. In reality he
was exercising great repression. And
he noticed as he drew near the end
that Luella was listening like one who
was being told certain things for the
first time.
II never knew that father owned
any property on Bowen street." she
said in a low voice when Gordon
stopped.
John Gordon rose. His heart was sore
over everything connected with Mr.
Marsh's conduct. He had not q single
excuse to offer for him.
DO you believe me?" Luella cried
with her old spirit flaming up.
Il have no reason to disbelieve you.
You are not to blame for your fathers
guilt"
1T is great grief to me-" she said
simply. "Over sixty children! l could
not read the details of the-the-disas-
ter: Father took the paper out of my
hands that morning. 1t made me sick,
and-and-yOu know how sensitive fa-