Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-03-09

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could draw from him.
At midnight Mrs. Dan had re-
monstrated with her you must go
home, Peggy, dear" she said. ut is
disgraceful for you to stay up so late.
| went to bed at o'clock the night be-
fore | was married"
And fell asleep at in the morning"
smiled Peggy.
You are quite mistaken. my dear. l
did not fall asleep at all. But | won't
allow you to stop a minute longer. 1t
! puts rings under the eyes, and some
times they're red the morning after"
"Oh, you dear sweet philosopher"
cried Peggy. how wise you are! Do
you think | need beauty sleepY
Il don't want you to be u sleepy
beauty, that's all" retorted Mrs. Dan.
Upon Monty's return from his trying
hour with the lawyers he had been be-
sieged with questions, but he was clev
erly evasive. Peggy alone was insist
ent. She had curbed her curiosity until
they were on the way home, and then
she impored him to tell her what had
happened. The misery he had endured
was as nothing to this reckoning with
the woman who had the right to expect
fair treatment. His duty was clear,
but the strain had been heavy, and it
was not easy to meet 1t.
Peggy, something terrible has hap
pened," be faltered, uncertain Of his
course.
Tell me everything, Monty. You can
trust me to be brave"
When l asked you to marry me-" he
continued gravely, lit was with the
thought that l could give you every
thing tomorrow. l looked for for
tune. never meant that you should
marry pauper."
81 don't understand You tried to
test my love for your
mo, child, not that But I was
pledged not to speak of the money
expected, and l wanted you so much
before it came"
And it has failed you?" she answer
ed. 81 can't see that it changes things.
l expected to marry pauper, as you
call it. Do you think this could make
a difference"
But you don't understand, Peggy.
haven't penny in the world"
You hadn't a penny when / accept
ed you" she replied. Il am not afraid
l believe in you, and if you love me
shall not give you up"
Dearest" And the carriage was at
the door before another word was ut
tered But Monty called to the coach.
man to drive just once around the
block
Good night, my darling" he said
when they reached home. "Sleep till
8 o'clock II you like. There is nothing
now in the way of having the wedding
at instead of at 7. In fact, have
a reason for wanting my whole fortune
to come to me then. You will be all
that 1 have in the world, child, but
am the happiest man alive"
In his room the strain was relaxed,
and Brewster faced the bitter reality.
Without undressing he threw himself
upon the lounge and wondered what
the world held for him 1t held Peg
gy at least, he thought, and she was
enough. But had he been fair to her?
Was he right in exacting a sacrifice?
His tired brain whirled in the effort
to decide. Only one thing was clear
that he could not give her up. The fu-
ture grew black at the very thought of
1t. With her he could make things
90, but alone it was another matter
He would take the plunge, and he
would justify it, His mind went trav-
10
and he suddenly realized that he had
forfeited the confidence of men who
were worth while. His course in
profligacy would not be considered the
best training for business. The thought
nerved him to action. He must make
good. Peggy had faith in him. She
came to him when everything was
against him, and he would slave for
her he would starve, he would do any
thing to prove that she was not mis-
taken in him. She at least should
know him for a man.
Looking toward the window, he saw
the black. uneasy night give way to the
coming day. Haggard and faint, he
arose from the couch to watch the ap-
proach of the sun that is Indifferent to
wealth and poverty, to gayety and de-
lection. From far off in the gray light
there came the sound of a o'clock
bell. A little later the shrieks of fac
tory whistles were borne to his ears,
mutfied by distance, but pregnant with
the importance of new day of toll.
They were calling him, with all poor
men, to the sweatshop and the forge, to
the great mill of life. The new era
had begun, dawnlng bright and clear
to dispense the gloom in his soul. Lean
ing against the easement and wonder
ing where he could earn the first dollar
for the Peggy Brewster that was Peg
gy Gray, he rose to meet it with fine
unflinching fearlessness.
Before 7 o'clock he was downstairs
and waiting. Joe BragdOn joined him
II -, a-II