Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-02-10
CHAPTER XXI

WthN ~ HANah NAAh DoffN 49,
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;
81 came TO talk with you"
well. come through the gate then,
Mary. VIII you talk IN the cottage, or
will you talk hersr
LET rs stay outslde-here In the
shade, David. When will you cease to
worry your uncleT
ibid he tell you that l worry him?
Has no been complniningT
mo. He even denies that you have
any share In the new trouble that seems
to have fallen upon him. But / know
that 1t is caused by you. Aftor every
one OF your morning visits he Is miser-
able. Every day he grows more nervous
and more lrrltable He sheds tears when
he Is alone. l am quite sure that you are
the cause Of his trouble"
well Mary, perhaps you are right
may be the cause Of it. Perhaps
may be the cause Of a good deal more
trouble than | have done"
"Ohl David, think-he Is an old man;
he 10 afflicted with paralysis; you are
fastening his end. What good will It
do 70 you II you worry him into his
gravel VIII that restore the past2 VIII
that make you what you used to BET"
NAY, that 1t will not do. But when
| see him at my mercy, crying for pity,
think Of the day when I came TO ask
him to lend me a poor 6fty pounds, with
which to try my luck In Canada, and he
laughed me In the face"
well, then. David, does II do you
any good TO remember that dAyl Let
the past be dead, David, and live for the
future"
"You don't know what you are saying.
Mary. What should you know about II?
You are only girl'-he spoke roughly
and rudely, but not nkindly-"what do
you knowf Let the past be dead. Why.
all the world Is crying because the past
won't die | only wish the past would
die Here, 1t seems to me, David hit
upon a profound truth; for very nearly
all the world-not quite-it would be,
unhappily, far better II the past would
die. IF the past should die, Mary, |
should forget that was once n substan-
tlal man, who sat respected at the mar
ket ordinary, rode my own horse, aud
farmed my own land. | should forget
that l had to 20 away from my native
/ place and take ship with the lowest emil
grants. | should forget-Mary," he
whispered, 81 can trust you-I have told
no one else-I should forget that / had
been In prison-yes, In prison"
David" She shrank from him, but
recovered, and laid her hand softly upon
his.
YES In prison. And now l am no
longer ht to sit and talk with George
and you. But l am fit to talk with my
uncle, because, bad as l am, he Is worse"
But II he is, David, forgive him."
II will worry him." said David. "as
long as l can. l will never spare him
I've got another But never mind.
Oil when you are gone, Mary. he shall
have a life that he little dreams Of nowr'
David 1t is terrible. Can nothing
move your
Nothing, Mary; not even you. And
mind you. don't try to put yourself be-
tween him and me, because he won't
stand II. 1t isn't me that won't stand it,
because don't greatly care who knows;
hnA IL hAAhs AAe Anto NV u Contt ne
watches for me and waits for me.
though he knows that when | am gone
he will turn and wrlggls In his chair.
and cry and curse. Yet he wants me
back. Say no more about 1t, Mary"
1t was indeed useless to try further
persuasions. Mary was silent. Her
cousin, worked up by his wrath, stood
before her with purple cheeks and fam
ing eyes
Il must go away soon." she said 81
cannot let George go out Into the world
without any one. And then must leave
him-alone."
Yes; but he will have me-" said Ds-
vid, grimly.
well, have said what l came to say,
David, and have done no good. II you
would only forget"
II cannot forget. Stay. Mary; one
thing l must say. Remember afterward
that l said 1t In time. Then, perhaps,
you'll think that II 1t hadn't been for
him l might have been = different man"
what is II. Davidr'
"Is Ia this" His face softened the
moment he ceased to think upon his
wrongs. 1t was but the wreck Of a face
which had once been handsome aud full
Of hope; but 1t was better and healthier
to look upon than the face black with
revenge. "Will tells me that you are
going to marry George without your I'M
cles consentf'
YES"
you know that he must then give me
the whole Of my aunt's money!
Yes"
VERY well. Mary. am feeling him.
Never mind how. But you shall not be
wronged. You shall have all yonr for
tune. Marry George without any fear.
Remember-you shall not be wrongedl
| am as bad as you like. but l will not
rob you, Mary; l will not rob your