The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-02-17

4
Telfare panied. Il shall not resent II
Men Of my class do not fight men o
yours. You can't insult me. Buckley
What you say does not affect me in tn,
slightest. Men of honor
"You have no honor to lean on" burs
from Buckley's lips. mo man has hon
or who deliberately insults a man who
is as helpless to resent 1t as | am in
this case. You would strike a woman
You are cur, Telfarep'
Telfare was painting again, but his
eyes fell beneath Georges fierce stare
1t looked as if he were actually afraid
Buckley might suddenly strike him In
| the face
You have not heard what | intend
to propose" he faltered. 81 have it in
my power to pardon your father, who
Is now at the coal mines. | can do this
! simply by signing my name to a pa
per, and If you
THAT is what you want to proposeY'
George shrank back in bewilderment
The awful significance of the proposal
stunned him. drove his rage momenta.
rHy from his brain, set him Quivering
from head to foot. He sat down on the
bench opposite Telfare and lowered his
face to his hands. His fathers liberty
was within his reach.
Telfare chuckled contemptuously.
"Ah, see 1 hit you between the eyes!
l reckon you are sorry now that You
didn't wait till / had finished before
you dared to-but that may pass. /
simply will not degrade myself, Buck
ley, by visiting lady who is receiving
a man of your standing-even If she, is
led only. by her sympathies, and II. you
will give up all claim to her and agree
never to approach her on an equal foot
Ing again, will liberate your father
or course, you understand, I'd want
some sort of petition to come to me-
only few names of his neighbors will
debut
"And your object" George asked.
looking up.
"Well, that's a private matter" an
swered Telfare, but may as well ad-
NIT that my object is to marry Miss
Cranston, and, as she evidently is actu-
ated by sort of pity, admirable in a
woman, for you in your misfortune,
simply want to remove you from fur
Their contact with her without having
openly to request the step of her or her
parents. God knows I'm not jealous Of
you! 1t is not that. 1t Is only the idea
of our visiting here as social equals"
George stood up. He had something
to say, and it rang in Telfare's ears
long after the words were spoken.
my fathe Telfare," he began, was
for stealing, and no doubt
justly, but he was an unlettered, igno-
rant man. He was a thief, but you, Tel
fare. are lower than be- for, with your
for knowing right from
wrong, you degrade your office-the Of |
fee given in trust to you by the state
to advance your own personal inter
ests. You are more objectionable than
my father. AS for my having any
claim ON the lady you mention, l have |
none, and It would be dishonOrable for |
me to trade I'm commodity / don't |
possess. But hold on: / am not through,
| want to add that IL my accepting !
your proposition meant that lent the |
weight VI straw toward making Miss |
Cranston your wife, I'd refuse with my |
lying breath. / could not live know |
ng that the purest and noblest woman |
God ever made was through an act of
mine living with loathsome reptile |
ike you. If my father stood on the
gallows condemned to death and |
could save him by allowing you to |
.ouch Miss Cranston's hand in lawful
wedlock I should let him die"
You mean. to refuse your fathers
'reedomT gasped Telfare. I
Yes, I refuse. am trying. Telfare,
% show the world by my life thatrI I
nave not inherited my parents weak
Tess. shall not depart from that rule
~ entering into dishonorable COM
,act with a man as base as you are.
egardless of what it means to me-
You'd better think this over, Buck
ey," said the governor. "You are mad
low." F
II have nothing else to say" replied
Buckley, land, to show you how little
egard i have for your wishes, l shah
;eep my engagement with Miss Gram
ton this evening" And, turning, he
walked ahead OF Telfare to the house
nd into the lighted parlor. A servant
ook his hat and told him Miss Gran
ton had gone into the garden, but
would return In moment. While he
vas waiting the governor entered the
DOM and sat down. He was pale.
ervous and had a desperate glare in
lis eyes. Then Lydia came IN. she
vas slightly flushed and had a tube
ose in her hand.
"I'm so glad you came" she said to
George. Telfare had risen and stood
rying to appear at ease, but she did
lot notice him. 49,
"Do you like tuberosesT' she asked
Buckley. -:t
VERY much" he replied.
Then you shall wear this" she said.
Ter voice quite unsteady. She glanced
{ Teifare and finished: ITS the only