The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-01-13
he Easand Ips<lllasncer
BEL AIR, Md, JAN. 10. 1905.

western independence and intolerance
and am not equal to it standing"
| She yielded. not unwillingly.
a man without antecedents"- she
| began.
I'm this section OF Gods country.
he interrupted firmly. "a man stands
| for just what he is. No one cares who
his relatives are If he is square and
| white and does the right thing here
| Never mind my 'antecedents.' Agnes
Don't you love me-"
He put out his hand and softly
| touched fold OF her riding habit. She
| in the tender touch
Il wish you'd go away" she pleaded
''Won't You 90 away while ! think il
all OUT"
The odd. boyish abruptness that had
so often amused her came back again
"GO away? Not muchi III stay
right here may be of great assist
| ance TO you in making up your mind.
She sat in troubled silence.
Presently he began speaking again
low and tenderly. You have not said
that you love me. Agnes, but l believe
that You do
IL am afraid that I do" will,
something very like sob in her voice
ST have often wondered how it would
seem toto care so much for some one
ms to wish to be with him always.
Now know
He controlled the wild impulses of
his impetuous heart and only said
gently. 'T believe l can make you
happy"
There are some things" she inter
rupted, speaking slowly and with IL
painful effort, that it is only right you
should know. II think l am older
than you"
YES" he assented calmly. Il knew
that"
'You''-after pause-"you are not
more than thirty-fve:' questioningly.
I'm awfully sorry, dear, but you've
got to cut off ten years. I'll be TWEEN
ty-five next Thursday"
She gasped, recoiling as from Il dash
of cold water, and covered her face
with slender, trembling hands.
Its a shame, isn't it, sweetheart
coaXingly. But don't you mind. We
don't need to hang our family record
on the outside of the house, and my
gray hair is so deceiving no one will
suspect. Let's talk about the wedding
if it could be this week.
This week. in startled consterna-
ton. who ever heard of such Il
thing?"
when a man has lived a whole quar-
ter of century don't you think he
ought to have birthday gift-the one
he wants? l want YOU Agnes. We
can be married then-there is no need
of waiting-and We'll just run over to
Frisco and take Il trip somewhere
across the ocean perhaps" watching
the averted face closely-'perhaps to
Sydney to see Jack
With sharp cry of pain she turned
Il white, frightened face to his.
Jack, What do you know of Jack: 2"
"Only good, dear ones soothingly.
"Your brother is well and doing finely
in his profession
"Do you know-all about Jack:" she
whispered.
"Everything.''
She was crying softly.
He put his arms about her and drew
her to him with tender, comforting
words.
look at me, sweetheart. Don't you
know who l am? Think of that last
dow ynlI cav IocL'-
She gazed long and earnestly into
his face.
"Not Robert Boylew she cried at last.
Robert MacNeal Boyle" he an
swered slowly, with a certain pride of
ancestry in his voice. MY father new
er forgave me, and so when l came
west 1 reversed my name and am
known here as MacNeal Roberts. Good
old Converse and Eleanor are the only
ones who know the truth. l think |
loved you from that day when you
came to see Jack; you were so brave
and true When Dick Converse brought
his Boston bride home and l learned
she was your friend, 1 asked her to
prevail upon you to visit her. 1 meant
to win you if l could"
She touched his face softly with her
finger tips.
"And you-you served
Il served a year in prison" firmly;
"hence the white locks, sweetheart"
"A year that belonged to jack she
sobbed.
"There was no other way" he argued
earnestly. Jack wouldn't have lived
q month shut up there in prison. 1t
was only bit of boyish bravado any
way, but the authorities were deter
mined to make an example of some
college fellow. Jacks sudden sickness
gave me the chance to clear him and
to help those stupid detectives prove it
against me. They knew it was one of
us. I've never regretted it, but that is
| why 1 have no 'antecedents,' Agnes"
She put her arms about his neck and
| held her face against his. You don't
need antecedents dear. l love you for
what you are yourself"