The Caldwell tribune., 1905-11-11
CHAPTER yXTT

CHAPTER XXI.
Mary went to plead with David for
her uncle. He was in the deserted farm
yard Of Berry, with its tumble-down
buildings. He leaned against the gate
thinking always of the fields he had lost,
and the way in which they had been
taken from him. OF course his first
thought was to get out Of her way.
Don't run away, David" she said;
Il came to talk with you"
"Well. come through the gate then,
Mary. VIII you talk In the cottage, or
will yeu talk hereW
Let us stay outside-here in the
shade, David. When will you cease to
worry your uncle?"
Ibid he tell you that worry him?
Has he been complaininsT
mo. he even denies that you have
| any share In the new trouble that seems
to have fallen upon him. But l know
that IL 10 caused by you. After every
one Of your morning visits he is miser-
able. Every day he grows more nervous
and more irritable He sheds tears when
he ia alone. I am quite sure that you are
the cause of his trouble"
"Wsll, Mary, perhaps you are right.
may be the cause Of it. Perhaps I
may no the cause Of a good deal more
trouble than have done"
"0h! David, think-he is an old man;
hO 10 a@icted with paralysis; you are
Fastening his end. What good will 1t
do to yoU II you worry him into his
gravo3 WIN that restore the pastT Will
that mako you what you used to be?'
NAY, that 1t will not do. But when
sSs htEa Rt my mercy, crying for pity
l think Of the day when I came to ask
htYa to lend nae a poor Atty pounds, with
witch ts try my lack In Canada, and he
laughed me In the face"
"WeN, then, David. does it do you
any good to remember that day? Lei
the past be dead, David, aRd live for the
future"
"You don't know what you are saying
Mary. What should you know about it
You are only a gir4"-hs spoke roughl!
and rudsly, but not unkindly-"what d'
you knowH Let the past be dead. Why
all the world Is crying because the pas
won't die. I only wish the past woulc
de-" Here, 1t seems to me, David hi
upon a profound truth; for very nearl!
all the Wor1d-not Quite-it would be
unhapp!ly, far better if the past woulC
die. "If the past should die, Mary,
should forget that was once & substan
tial man, who sat respected at the mar
ket ordinary, rode my own horse, an
fwmed my own land. should forge
thGt had to 80 away from my nativ
place and take ship with the lowest emf
grants. should forget-Mary," h
whispered, II can trust you-I have toll
no ono else-I should forget that l ha
, been In prison-yes, in prison"
"Davidw She shrank from him, bu
recovered, and laid her hand softly upo
his.
"Yes; In prison. And now I am n
longer ft to sit and talk with Georg
> and you. But am at to talk with m
uncle. because, bad as am, he Is worse.
"But If he is, David, forgive him."
az will worry him" said David, "a
long as 1 can. 1 will never spare hin
I'ye got another But never mine
Obi when you are gone, Mary, he sha
have a life that he little dreams Of now!
l. "DevidI 1t is terrible. Can nothin
= move you"
: "Nothing, Mary; not even you. An
mind you, don't try to put yourself b.
y tween him and me, because he won
stand 1t. It Isn't me that won't stand
hacausc I don't greatly care who know
: bnt It's him. He likes me to come;
watches for me and waits for IN
/ though he knows that when l am go1
' be will turn and wriggle In his chat
Z. and cry and curse. Yet he wants II
y hack. Say no more about it, Mary"
II was indeed useless to try furth
persua sions. Mary was silent Il
t cousin. worked up by his wrath, stot
= before her with purple cheeks and haI
ing eyes. - .,o .oid
oapnot LET George go out into the Wor
l. without any one. And then must lea
- him-alone."
& Eyes; but he will have me-" said u
! vid, grimly. 90
"a David, and have done no good II y
4 would only forget"
d ~ cannot forget. Stay, Mary O.
g thing l must say. Remember atterwa
!, that T said it in time. Then, perhaL
"a "a von'u think that if it hadn't been I
a him l might have been a different man
~ what is it, DaVidT' .
70 al is this" His face sottened !,
,e moment he ceased. to think upon
rs rs wrongs. 1t was but the wreck OF a IA q!
- vbich had once been handsome ana l,
j. Of Di hope; but it was better and health l,i
e to look upon than the face black WI
u revenge. "Wil tells me that you
=, eoipg to marry George without your
ar cle's consent?"
q Yes"
s. You know that he must then give
y tho whole of my aunt's money"
M Yes"