The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-02

another standpoint. -
81 fail to see that any one is to
blame. 1 can hardly see how the lady
could have acted otherwise, tho her
abrupt method of doing it was un-
doubtedly to be regretted. Having no
mother, she had no one to advise her at
such a crisis
cit was slight, sir, public slight, -
said Lord st. Simon, tapping mis- fin
gers upon the table.
"You must make allowance for this
poor girl, placed in SO unprecedented a
81 will make no allowance. | am
very angry, indeed, and I have been
shamefully used. " !.
"I think that heard ring,'' said
Holmes. eyes, there are steps on the
landing. If I cannot persuade you to
take 1enient view Of the natter, Lord
st. Simou, I have brought an advocate
opened the door and usnercd in a lady
and gentleman. "Lord st. Simon
said he, "allow me to introduce you to
Mr.. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton.
The lady, l think, you have already
met.
At the sight Of these newcomers our
client had sprung from his seat AMI
down and his hand thrust into the
breast Of his frock coat, a picture OF
offended dignity. The lady had taken
a quick step forward and had held out
her hand to him, but he still refused to
| raise his eyes. It was as well for his
resolution, perhaps, for her pleading
face was one which it was hard to re-
sist. -, a,o
m * Se !, I guess you nave every cause
"Pray make no apology to me, - SAID
Lord st. Simon, bitterly
| "Oh, yes, I know that ! have treated
YOU real bad, and that l should have
spoken to you before Went: but was
kind of ratified. and from the time Whe n
] saw Frank here again Just dldn Z
know what I was doing or SAYING l
only wonder I didn't fall down and 40
faint right there before the altar.
NPerhaps, Mrs Moulton, you would
like nv friend and me to leave the room
while you explain this matterY
eff may give all opinion" re-
marked the strange gentleman, "we we
had Just little too much secrecy over
this business already. For my part l
should like all Europe and America to t.
hear the rights of it.'' He was a small
wiry. sunburnt man, clean shaven, with
a sharp face and alert manner.
"Then I'll tell our story right
away said the lady. " Frank here and
| I met in 'S4 in McGulre' g camp, near the
Rockies, where pa was working CLAIM.
We were engaged to each other. Frank
and I; but then, one day father struck
poor Frank here had a claim that pc
tered out and came to nothing: The
richer pa grew, the poorer was Frank;
SO at last pa wouldn't hear of our en-
gagement lasting any longer. and ne
took me away to Frisco; Frank
wouldn It throw up his land, tho; SO he
followed me there. ard ne saw me with =.
out pa knowing anything about it: 1t
would only have made him mad TIC
know. so we Just fixed it all up for our
selves. Frank said that he would go
and make his pile, too, and never come
back to claim me until he had as much
as pa. So then I promised to wait fol
him to the end Of time. and pledged my
self not to marry any one else while he
lived. why shouldn't we be married
right away, thenu' said he. and theI
I will feel sure of you; and l won 7
claim to be your husband until [ come
; backs Well. we talked it over. and
he had fixed it all up so nicely, with q
} clergyman all ready in waiting, that we
just did it right there; and then Frank
went off to seek his fortune. and
went back to pa.
"The next 1 heard of Frank was that
he was in Montana, and then he went
prospecting in Arizona, and then
heard of him in New Mexico. After that
, came long newspaper story about how
miners camp had been attacked by
Apache Indians. and there was my
Frank s name among the killed.
for months after. Pa thought I had g
decline, and took me to half the doctors
in Frisco. Not a word of news came fol
year and more, 50 that l never doubt
ed that Frank was really dead Then
Lord st. Simon came to Frisco, and we
, came to London, and a marriage was
arranged, and pa was very pleased, but
I felt all the time that no man on this
earth would ever take the place in my
, heart that had been given to my poor
Frank.
HStill, if I had married Lord st. ST
monr Of course I'd have done my duty
J by him. We can't command our love
but we can our actions. l went to TIT
altar with him with the intention tt
make him just as good wife as it we,
J in me to be. But you may imagin wha
rails. [ glanced back and saw Franz
) standing and looking at me out Of tn
! first pew. I thought it was his ghos
at first; but when I looked again, Their
, he was still, with kind of question il
, his eyes, as if to ask me whether I wer
, glad or sorry to see him. I wonder
, didn't drop. I know that everythin,
was turning round. and the words Of tn
clergyman were just like the buzz of
!, bee in my ear. I didn It know what t
. do. Should stop the service and max
, a scene in the church, / glanced at hir
, again, and he seemed to know what
: was thinking, for he raised his finge
to his lips to tell me to be still. Then
!, saw him scribble on a piece of paper
and [ knew that he was writing me
, note. AS / passed his pew on the wa
! out | dropped my bouquet over to hin
and he slipped the note into my ham
! when he returned me the flowers. I
was only line asking me to Join hin
!. when he made the sign to me to do sc
) OF course, / never doubted for a me
ment that my first duty was now to hin
3 and [ determined to do Just whatever
( might direct.
"When got back I told my maic
who had known him in California, an
had always been his friend I ordere
her to say nothing, but to get a fe,
? things packed and my ulster ready.
know Ieought to have spoken to Lor
e St. Simon, but it was dreadful har
4 before his mother and all those grea
II people. l just made up my mind t
l run away and explain afterwards.
hadn t been at the table ten minute
i before / saw Frank out of the windo,
s at the other side of the road. n
d beckoned to me, and then began wall
q ing into the park. / slipped out, on
put on my things, and followed hin
= Some woman came talking somethin
or other about Lord ST Simon to m