The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-21
EPISODE OF THE TELLTAL.E
CHAPTER Nv.

CtAETEA Nv.
You may be assured that, after read
ing M. Godin 8 confession, we looked
forward to, seeing Maitland with a good
deal OF interest. We knew this new
turn Of affairs would cause him to call
at once, SO we all strove to possess our
souls in patience while we awaited his
coming.,- In less than half an hour he
.,'The news of your success has pre-
was seated. II wish to be the first
to offer you my congratulations. You
have done for me what none other could
have done and owe you debt of graf
iitude- I can never repay. The thought
that | was unable to carry out my, faith |
free his name from the reproaches
which had been cast upon it, was crush
ing my heart like leaden weight. You
have removed this burden, and, believe
me, words fail to express the gratitude
] feel. I shall beg Of you to permit
toned tic an and TO- toE to- " She hesitated
and Maitland did not permit her to
finish her sentence.
You must pardon me, Miss Oar
row. he replied, but I can accept no
done. 1t has been pleasure to do 1t
and the knowledge that you are now re-
leased from the disagreeable possibili-
ties Of your father will is more than
sufficient remuneration. If = you still
feel that you owe me anything, perhaps
you will be willing to grant me
favor.'
''There is nothing" she said earnest
lv, "within my power to grant for
which you shall ask in vain.'
Let me beg Of you -then,' he re-
for any services you may fancy have
rendered. There is nothing you could
hestow upon me which would accept"
She gave him a quick, searching glance
end I noticed look Of pain upon her
face, but Maitland gave it no heed. for,
either to know what he wanted to say,
or knowing it,, to say it..
"And now,' he continued, IT must
no longer presume to order your actions.
You have considered my wishes so con-
scientiously, have kept your covenant
Il disagreeable responsibility has become
a pleasure which I find myself 10th to
discontinue. All power leads to tyranny
Man cannot be trusted with it. Its ex-
crcise becomes consuming passion, and
he abuses it. The story. is the same
sidered. I myself, you see, am a case
in point. I thank you for tho patience
you have shown and the pains you have
taken to make everything easy and
pleasant for me; and now I must be 60
ing, as have yet, much to do in this
matter. ''It, may be long time,''' he
"before we meet again. We have
travelled the same PATH" but he
paused as if unable to proceed, and a
let fall both her hand and his own. He
made heroic effort to proceed.
Ill shall miss-very-very much
miss-pray pardon me-I-I believe / IN
ill-a little faint I'd--I'd better get
bye, sgood-bye! and he staggered IN
steadily, half blindly to the door and out
into the street without another word.
He certainly did look i'll.
Gwen 8 face was a study. In It sur
prise, fear, pain and dismay, each strug-
tain her .self-control while I was pres
ent, but 1t was all in vain. A moment
later. she threw herself upon the sofa
and burying her face in the cushions
wept long and bitterly. I stole quietly
time she regained her self-control, if
not her usual interest in affairs.
AS day after day passed. however and
Maitland neglected to CALL transactine
such business as he had thru me, the
shadow on Owens face deepened and
elasticity Of manner, whereof she had
given such promise at Maitland's last
visit, totally deserted her, giving place
to a dreamy, far-away stolidity of dis
position which I knew full we'll bodet
no good I stood this sort Of thing az
long 49, g:a aS coH Nd and then determined
"piece of my mind.'
I did call, but when saw him all my
belligerent resolutions vanished. HI
was sitting at his table trying to work
out some complicated problem, and h
ute s consecutive thought. T had mo-
seen him for more than two weeks
and during that time he had grown tx
look ten years older. His face wa
drawn, haggard and -deathly pale.
,f,.Forr heaven 8 sake, George,'' ex
claimed, "what is the matter with
"I've an idea I'm spleeny," he re-
piled with a CHASTITY attempt at smile
This was too much for me-. He should
have the lecture after all. The mar
who thinks he is dying may be spleeny
but the man who says he is spleeny Is
OF the two, the one more likely to b.
dying.
"see here, old man, u began, don ,
hide your own head in the sand no on,
san see the color Of your feathers. 70,
might as well try. to cover up Bunke
Hill monument with q wisp Of straw
LlOu v yOu suppOS6 KNOW you low
Gwen Darrow9 That's what's tn
matter with you.'
,h mW fbs,n y, 10 replied, "and If it is
s"What then9nI calculated, "Wha
thenq Why, go to her like a man; tel
her you love her and ask her to be you
wife. That g what I'd do if I love-
-n But he interrupted me befor
/ had finished the lie, and. I was no
sorry, for, If had thought before be
came involved in that last sentence
how feared to speak to Jeanette-wel
should have left it unsaid. I hav
made my living giving advice till it ha
become q fixed habit.
5"see here, Doc" he broke in upo
me, II do love Gwen barrow as fe7
men : ever love y woman, an
the knowledge that she ca
never be. my wife Is KILN
me. Don't interrupt mel I kno,
what ]. am saying. She can never b
MY wifei Do you think I would gu
be guilty Of making traffic Of her graf
tide. Has she not her father Is con
inland to wed me if but ask her, eve
as she would have wed that scoundre
Godin, had things gone as he planne
themf Did she not tell US both ths
she should keep her covenant with he
father tho it meant for her fat
worse than death9 And you woul