The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-12


to see you back in Nethercote again -
She gazed up in his handsome. sunburnt
face.
Mark sat, sullen and morose, regarding
| the pair s'''e
Yes, Thirza, I'm back again. said
Leonard Il wanted to see the old VIII
age again. Though, perhaps twas hard
~ worm whlle, for there's not much in
Nethereote to interest me now" He
looked down into her eyes sadly. almost
reproachfully - "but there was a little
business with Mark I wanted to settle
Now that's done with" he laughed Bit
Ierly, L fancy Nethercote will see very
little more of me-
But what business? ~ she asked eagerly.
She glanced across at Mark, who sat
crouchlng in his chair and as she did so
her eye caught the CLINT of the gold lying
on top of the notes. Swiftly and uner-
rlngly her womanly intuition explained the
situation to her
"A business which don't concern no one
put US two" growled Mark
why be so secret about it?'' said
Leonard eontemptuousIy "The fact is
. Thirza, L owed your husband'-he no.
ticed that she started violently at the
word-'a large sum of money which he
lent me when l went away. I've now re-
paid him-thats ALL Where's the need to
be close about a job like that?"
Without waiting to hear more she walk
ed over to Mark, and pointing to the
money on the table she said sternly, RE
turn that at once
But why?" asked Leonard. thunder
struck at her strange behavior
1T has been paid already" she said in
a low voice.
Without looking at either of them Mark
collected the money and handed it to
Leonard who took it without quite know
ing what he did.
I'D almost forgotten said Mark, at
tempting lame explanation "but now
come to think of it Thirza's right. The
money was paid back some years ago."
Who paid it?" asked Leonard with
dazed look.
'Thirza. Mark answered sullenIy. "She
SAID you'd sent it her, though why YOU
couldn't have sent it on straight to me I
never quite understood Too proud to
waste line on your brother. I 'spose.
why do You look SO puzzled? Other peo-
pie have got bad memories besides me, it
seems
Il sent it to Thirza?" said Leonard.
completely bewildered. What does it all
mean? Thirza, L seem to guess You
paid the money yourself.
She dropped her eyes and the color
rushed into her pale cheeks
Let US go away" she said. She moved
quickly to the door, and Leonard. after
taking a last look at his stepbrother, left
him to his feelings. What those feelings
were can only be conjectured. but it is
to be hoped that a little shame mingled
with the wrath of his avaricious soul at
being suddenly deprived of a snug sum
already well within his grasp.
"Thrza,' said Leonard as they walked
away from Nethercote in the direction he
had come only an hour before there are
two things that puzzle me greatly What
is this about the money, and why did
you marry-him?''
II have not married him.s she said
quietly. His heart beat high with ex-
ultatiop.
Thank God!' he cried fervently "But
why were you in his house tonight? You
came in as though you belonged to the
place.
Slowly he gathered from her that her
family, having fallen on evil days. with
her father dead and her mother con-
stantly ailing, she was obliged to work
Mark Cawthorne finding that she would
not come to Nethercote Farm in any other
capacity, begged that she would at least
come in every day and tidy up the place
for him. He paid her for this, she said
and 1T was a great help.
Better thousand times be that mans
servant than his wife, he cried. But
dear Thirza. am still in the dark about
the money!
1t was some time before she answered
1T long time ago. she said at last.
He wanted me to marry him and threat
ened that if didn't he would do all sorts
of things against you. And he was begin
ming to talk about you in the village
and
so you paid the money to save my
good name, broke in Leonard Darling
InlrZa. TWaSn much of a name to save
but you have right to it because Won
saved it. Will you take it for your own
and its owner with it into the bargain?'
Her fingers played nervously with a
wlsp of straw that she had plucked from
the hedgerow, but at last she gathered
courage to look up into his face and it
was then that he clasped her passionately
in his arms.
They were standing under the notice
board which contained Marks unlawful
menace against adventurous pedestrians
1t was on the crest of a ridge whence
could be seen the slumbrous hamlet lying
in the hollow.
lis peaceful place." said Leonard.
but there never seemed any rightfuI
corner in it for me. Dearest Thirza. it's
a wilder country where I live, with none
of the homely features that you see here;
but you will come with me there won't
you, darling?'
For answer she only nestled closer to
him, while the stars and the round har-
vest moon smiled down upon them in ben
ediction.-The Tattler