Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-04-15
ROCKY FORD COLORADO, FRIDAY. APRIL l5 1904


ma
-Ed~ards."- was the voice Of his
master and enemy addressing him
u have one or two very serious ques-
tons To put 10 you"
The young man bent his head defer.
entiaily. and seemed to intimate his
entire readiness To answer all inquir-
les.
1t has been brought To my notice
that Is. have reason to beiieye"-the
voice continued. as Its owner seemed
to experience some diiiieulty In open
Ing up the subjeet-'that have been
deceived In you. and-in fact. that the
name under which you are nj present
passins, Is not your own. Is that SOY"
Ted answered respectfully. 'Begging
your pardon. sir. but the name ! am
going under Is my own. Might I be
allowed 10 ask who says anything TO
tho conlraryT'
"foa mean to maintain that your
name II Edwards. after nlir" he In
auired. bending his brows upon Miss
Perkins. whose-as he now thought
nj To describe it-unwarrantabic intse.
ference In the matter had subjected
him tn this annoyance.
MY name Is Edward. SIr. An a at
tho end makes Il sound better. and !
thought ther. was no objection to my
addin. tn. letter"
Then your name. according tn your
own statement. In Edward. and you
have merely added the finni letter. II
no. am sorry"
This VAS more than tho woman
could stand. and she broke In. unccrc-
monionkiy upon her masters speech.
Edward! Edward what. I should like
to know! He's dcccivins you. sir. In
trying to make out an that's his sur
name. AJAX him what tho other is and
why he's had to drop it.'
Mr.. Fcrrcrs turned toward him.
wcariiy. ia the woman right In ns.
scrtinE that tho name you havo given
In only your Christian namc7 In
which case II would secm that you
have added tho other letter for tho
purpose Of making Il do duty as sur.
nnmcf"
There was seconds hesitation.
during which tho houscmaid DIT her
zap with impaticncc. before tho answer
came. slowly.
My Christian name In Edward: is
did not seem To me To DO of any i'm.
portance which I gave
Perkins shifted triumphantiy. 80
You're going to try and get out of Il
that WY. she thought. but II won't
do"
Something In this last answer had
helped to raise him In his masters
suspicious.
II must insist upon your giving mo
your right name" he said. authorita-
tivciy.
shall I answer him with . iisi"
was the thought which passed through
the others mind. Surely. one moro
need not weigh very heavily upon my
conscience? And In such cause!"
But, in the same instant, The face OF
this mans daughter rose up before
him. How she would despise him.
II she knew" he thought. with a sud.
den reaction and n sense OF sclf.con-
tempt, rs he answered. still respect.
fully enough
II should prefer not to mention It,"
"Oh. you would prefer not to men
ton II, would you? And what have
you done to make you ashamed to
own it," exclaimed Perkins. the house
maid. who was carried away by her
feelings at this point, in n tone Of
triumph.
She had better have remained silent.
Hold your tongue. woman" was the
angry reprimand she brought upon
herself This Is no business Of
yours
Woman. indeed! A browning insult!
And to be told to hold her tongue!
Her master, turning again to the
young man. repeated his question,
with the addition of the inquiry sug-
gested by the last remark of the
woman Perkins.
What have you done that you are
ashamed Of your name?"
Nothing" was the proud reply.
given with head erect and defiant;
and there was something about the
manner and tone by which the other
was obviously impressed.
"Why. then, do you refuse to answer
the question I have put to you?" he
asked in a milder voice.
There are family reasons" was
the answer.
Family reasons! A man servant with
family reasons, Just as though he were
anyone else, instead of being useful
sort of machine, hired out at so much
a year, with board and lodging! No
wonder there was something incongru.
Gus in the sound!
"I have nothing to do with your
reasons" was the answer, "and must
absolutely decline to retain any one
in my service under a false name"
He knew now that 1t was coming
notice to leave on the spot. Or might
there not be reprieve? He was
entitled to a months notice in the
ordinary course of things. Oh, why
had he procrastinated SO long and