Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-01-30

rang, IF you come between me and June
Rivers, l will never take your hand again
as long as l have breath in my body"
Dallas, whose thoughts go with fifty
times the rapidity of his cousins. has
time during this Grafton to reflect and
decide.
My dear old chap" he said, looking
across into Toms disturbed and angry
face and feeling horribly ashamed of his
own duplicity, what are you driving at?'
Tom paused.
Il don't like to think" he said, with a
straight, stern look at his cousin, that
you have not the same instincts of honor
and gentlemanlike feeling that almost ey-
cry man has. L never doubted YOU be-
fore; but when l hear of you sitting hand
in hand with the girl whom you know l
love-"
who said it?"
n matter" answered Tom, to whom
the thought suddenly occurred that he
must not allow Agnes to suffer for her
fidelity to his interests.
Dallas felt the time had come to take
the bull by the horns.
Il thought" he remarked, "that the
last time we talked about Miss Rivers YOU
expressed a wish that l should endeayor
TO conquer her evident dislike to me; and
now you want to go down my throat for
having tried to make friends with her.
l thlnk l can guess who your informant
Is, and, perhaps, In the innocence of your
heart, you do not see through her last
move in the game. 1t is plain enough that
Miss Agnes is in love with you, and would
do anything in the world to set you
against her cousin"
Tom was exceedingly troubled. Were
not Doth Dars remarks perfectly true?
was he, then, only a laundering fool,
ready to be the prey of any one who
chose to play on his feelings? He felt
rather ashamed of himself.
Perhaps l am wrong,' he said. awk-
wardly. IF 50, l beg your pardon. But"
after a moments pause, II know-of
course l cannot help seeing-how much
more there is in you than in me to attract
a woman"
'Pshaw" cried Dallas, angrily, thrust
ing his chair back and rising, don't talk
such rot! Take my word for it, Tom.
there Is nothing hinders a man, especially
with women, like having a poor opinion
OF himself. The world always takes You
at your own valuation when it's n low
one.'
Tom rose, too, and went toward his
cousin.
IF l was unjust" he said. in his own
1rank' manly way, thereby causing a
pahg OF remorse to shoot through Dallas
breast, Il beg our pardon. But I should
like you to give me your hand on it that
you Will not try to come between me and
my little girl"
SO Dallas gave his hand and swore to
himself to be faithful to the bond of which
this was the seal. Then he went out into
the garden alone, and, stepping into the
boat, pushed off from the shore, and Law
on his back, looking up into the moonlit
heaven and thinking with a bitter panp
of this time last night.
1t was the first time In his life that he
had loved with true, genuine affection.
and 1t was also the first time that he had
felt absolutely without hope. There was
only n thing for ito get out of the
way of temptation as soon as possible.
he had given his word to Tom. and. so
help him, God, he. meant to keep it.
The next morning June was sadly pre-
occupied during her studies: she could
think or nothing but Dallas and what pre-
text he could make to see her to-day.
when she returned home at midday, Mrs.
Rivers said:
Tom has beer here"
June turned to the window to conceal
her face. Her heart beat wildly. She
waited Amos in terror for the next
words. Had he come to complain and
protest to her mother? But Mrs. Rivers
tone was perfectly calm and unsuspect-
ing.
He had just been to see his cousin off
by the train"
A sudden dizziness caused June's brain
to reel, a deathly faintness to Green
through her heart; she had to hold the
chair tightly against which she was lean
ing.
Dallas gone, and without a word. n line
to her! There had been a quarrel doubt
less between the two men, which Ind end
ed in Dallas leaving the Hall. But sure
ly he might have communicated with her
by some means. And Tom had told her
mother nothing; that was evident.
When June could command her face
and voice, she turned away from the
window.
Was 1t not rather sudden, Mr.. Broke
leaving" she asked.
Il think 1t was. Tom said he had n let
ter this morning calling him back to Lon
dom"
"And how was Tom" June asked, try
Ing to speak indifferently.
He seemed in capital spirits"
CTo be %continued.)