The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-02-06


ter. He WAS worldly. e,rr cast. hard
ened. but still he did no; Ike 10 reccl
her eyes when he had said To her:
| OF course you'll marry ;hr Judge
You are the luckieSt gir! | know Il
have the chance Of him. Think what il
would b" To put up with an ordinary
Gull fellGw-Say with poor old Ridge
fey And then he had stopped short
FOR May had run away. with her head
high, hut her checks like ashes
1t all came back To him as he Stuot
beside the window watching the vivid
human stream without. Stralthily he
turnrd and looked Ridgeley over. try
ing to recall in his unwirIdy bulk the
open features. the manly. fair proper
lions Of his old college mate \ vague
Keen anguish shot through him. Why
was all life So crisscross? Why every.
! thing one laid hold on futile: II for
| tune needs must come to Ridgcley
why not have come in time? lie was
| sensible it had been pride and poverty
| that had kept Ridgeley from speaking
out. In the old days Ridgeley had had
nothing beyond the promise OF his very
| moderate wits. His uncle. who had
| educated him. could barely tolerate
| him until his own son died and left
| poor lidgeley alone In inherit the mil.
lions That was Il month after Mays
marriage. She had not been nead SIX
months when Ridseley was in posses
sion of the big estate.
II those two had married. Trenwick
| dashed Il hand across his eyes. He
was incoming there. with life itself Mt
stake. Itidgeley was his last hope.
and Ridgeley had failed him. He had
humbled himself to supplication. He
could not do il again. He was learn
ing that there are things very much
harder than death. All that remained
now for him was to make an end of
things as quickly and as decently as
possible
AS noiselessly as by magic two tall.
foaming goblets had appeared. Ridge
ley motinned him to come and take
one of them. himself eagerly carrying
the other to his lips with Il mumbled.
Here's luck Suddenly Trenwick
was conscious OF raging thirst. He
emptied his glass at Il draft and set it
down. clinking it lightly against the
massey silver tray. Ridgelcy beamed
vacuously on him. Really. you'll
agree Jenkins has a touch" he said.
Have another. DO, it'll SCI you
up 81 near the clouds you won't come
down again until tomorrow
V'ranwisE ShoOl- his bnaI s.I
keep away from the Clouds he said
You know how | used to build cas-
ties there. | have never built one
since May died"
Ridgelcy set down his glass. This
time the CULVER rang underneath it.
IT'S odd about us tdlree.' he said.
speaking very low. May was the
happened not to-
'Oh. I've always had too little mon
ey and you too much" Trenwick said.
turning toward the door. so long.
old man, Get over the caution Of a
capitalist and marry before it's too
late"
stop. Are you going back down
there Ridgeley asked. nodding in the
direction Of the street. Trenwick shook
his head. No Use. cannot alter
anything" he said. Il think | shall
go to my club for an hour. After that
well. | have not quite decided"
Come back Ridgeley said. II
want TO talk to you. IL haven't been
quite square with yOu. 1t is-not the
money | mind. But-you were not
squire with me-in the old time, you
know. May love her. l love her
yet. And you-you came between us.
So I've waited ia get even. you know.
l knew you'd come to me some time.
Oh. I'm not quite such 4 fool as look.
f0u-you kept me from getting what
| wanted most in the world. Now
the scores even-and land | can't
be glad"
You have done right l was cur TO
COME to you. knowing what did"
Trcnwick said thickly. Il cannot ask
your pardon, because | cannot pardon
myself. ! crossed your path because |
loved my sister and was ambitious for
her. BY the light had | WAS right
Yes. You were right" Ridgelcy
said, dropping his head upon the table,
with Il sigh that was half Il sob. Il
had nothing and wasn't much myself.
But oh. il you had let ME have M-AIay
I-feel-as-thOugh might have
conquered the world"
"iOWlhy." Trcnwick said huskily.
again moving toward the door. Half
way he turned back. Ridgrlcy still sat
with his head on the table Trrnwick
went up to him and said in his ear
"Will you do one thing for me. Ridge
lcy:'
What is it," Ridgrlcy asked, with
out stirring.
ITO keep this while you live and de
Stroy il before you die" Trrmwick said
slipping II golden oval into his hand
Mays miniature" he began. Il can
not bear TO have ii found on me and
mayh" exploited as the most Scn>a
tioual feature Of the case There will |
he noise and dirt enough i'll il anyway
don't wani it to touch her. vet |
could not destroy this myself
Il would kill you if y"u did" Ridge |
ley cried, clutchiEG the picture and car |
rynS it to his lips. May. darling. ht |
moanCd. they shall not take you AVA!
from me again. have cried night aft |
er night because | could not remrmbw
you-yoTr eyes, your lips and I'LL. Now |
| will not give yOu up f.r millions III. |
the miiliuir$ in the world |
There is no need. Goorlby." Trrn |
wick said. with his hand upon th, |
latch. Ridg"ley almost beloved after |
him Come back
His rhcckhonk lay upon the table be |
side him. With Il shaking hand h, |
Scrawled his mrnlc upon Il leaf :mG |
tossed il blank In Trcnwick. |
Fill thar in for what you like" H. |
said. No; don't thank me. only come |
back as soon as you have things |
straight
Trcnwick walked away as one blind |
seeing all things through Il mist, Int |
his spirit WAS enlightened.
A Common Japanese Name.