The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-06-01
HAMLIN GARLAND

"Just this. You're not fit to shak
the hand Of decent GIRL much less
cultured, high bred woman like AM
Rupert, and you know it!'
Munro was staggered. "What bust
ness is it of yours?" he asked, witt
instant anger.
Raymond's wrath was self contained
"Keep your temper, Jack. We've SUN
mered and wintered together, and you
can't make any mistakes about what
mean. I know the kind Of women 70;
live with and the kind Of life you lead
and I tell you to keep away from tho
Kelly cabin"
Munro did not snarl as Raymond ex
pected. His voice became softly in
sinuating as he said: Suppose the
lady invited me to call? Suppose she
was interested in my conversation:
The lady had a chance to go. The path
was open, but she fingered, she smiled
you're liar!'
Munro was now very confident IAN
II Ask the boy; he saw her talking
with me. I say the lady was gracious
The gambler took on the air of an in
jured comrade. "Now, see here, Rob-
you're away out Of limits. 1 acknowl.
edge I've known a whole lot of cheap
women, but that's all the more reason
why I should be able to tell when l
meet the real thing. Her name is as
safe with me as with you. Probably
she's tied up back in the states any
way, SO that neither Of us has any
chance Of interesting her. But it's an
open course and no favors, and so long
as she doesn't hand me out the icy
mitt' I'm going to make the most Of
my chance, and from this moment"-he
took off his haiti reform, throw up
my job at Hanley's, cut off Booze
and shake Eau Claire"
Raymond was impressed by his RI
val's manner. "You can quit gam
bling, and I hope you can leave liquor
alone, but I see trouble when you
shake Claire. But that doesn't matter.
For the sake Of old times I want to
avoid quarrel with you, Jack. But I
warn you that If Miss Rupert finds
your presence disagreeable you go, and
you stay! AS you say, she is probably
engaged to better man than either of
us. But she is here because of the boy,
and I feel certain responsibility for
them both, and the man who presumes
on chance acquaintance with her will
answer to me-"
"All right. Leave it to her, Rob-"
said Munro almost jocularly. IF she
turns me down I'll pull out of my own
accord, lightning sure. Good night"
Raymond walked away with sense
of failure. Munro had adroitly writhed
out of his grasp and was probably ex-
ulting at his own cleverness- He was
troubled, too, by the confident tone
which Munro had taken in saying, The
way was open; she fingered"
Out Of the tumult Of his doubt he
emerged with an accession Of conf
1ence in himself. IF it comes to a
choice between US, my chances are as
good as Jacks. Her tolerance of him
Is due to ignorance of his real charac-
Ter. Mrs. Kelly must tell her."
He saw the light in Kelly's home,
and its allurement was stronger than
ever before. but he resolutely held his
way to his own f1reside, there to Bit
:erly muse the entire evening over his
poverty and the false position in which
Munro had cleverly placed him.
He repented Of his resolute passing
# her door when he heard next day
hat couple of the independent opera
ors had spent the entire evening with
Kelly and that one Of them talked a
Teat deal to Ann. The sting of It lay
n the fact that Tracy was fine young
elbow, studious and capable You are
FOOL" Raymond said to himself "You
brew away chance to be happy.
Don't do it again."