The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1906-08-10

Il uiansKed b scraps Alane.~ HAShes,
u aslN sand pay the iAtervst ~ L fell ains
EbAt dld not realise TIN nearly war
had GONE that, iAHteaa Of clearing The
Iwas for myself. he'd only put fresh stum.
EhIing blocks 10 my path Gerald was III.
ways coming TO ask me either 10 settle the
ioan or TO pay a heavier interest, aud
things got worse and worse, until came
M a kind of crisis and had to find q
sum four times the amount OF what had
originally owed In space OF few days.
II was useless to ask Gerald to show ms
a way out OF this difficulty. for he told me
plainly he saw none. except that Of put
ting the matter before my father and ask
Ing him to pay the dabt would nor
hear what he urged. | made myself al
moss III with worry; felt. like ID mad
man. just at this time my old aunt and
godmother, Lady Charlotte Singleton.
wrote and asked me to so and stay with
her for few days. She had charming
old country house not far from Oxford
and l was In the habit of going to see
Ger constantly. In fact, she was kind to
both Gerald and myself. although | be-
liese that she, like my father. had had
good reason to quarrel with Gerald's faith
er. II was an open secret that Lady
Charlotte intended to divide what she pos
sessed between my sister and myself"
Hubert paused here with a little sigh B
then he went on with his story.
she was not rich, but she had q GER
tain amount of property, and, among 9TH
er things, she possessed collection Of
beautiful jewels. OF which she was very
proud. and which were valued at fairly
largo sum OF money. I was sorely tempt-
ed to tell the dear old lady all that war
troubling me while was with her: and
here again I see the working of malig-
nant fate, for Il | had spoken then, Ben.
! might have spared myself all that fol-
lowed. Pride. however, and the nervous
fear lest she should Imagine I wanted her
TO help me. kept my lips sealed. When
got back to Oxford the first question
Gerald asked me was IL Lady Charlotte
wonli be able to. help me. l replied sharp
" that had said nothing 10 my god
mother Of the matter. He looked at me
In strange way for little while, and
then turned on his heel and left me, say
ing rs he went: You are about the big. |
gest fool have ever known, and you will |
renlize 4 one day.. | was very angry with
him."
They had ceased strolIing mp and down |
si,e little garden, and now they were sit
ting In the porch of the little cottage, and
the light of the lamp within shone on bis /
fate. It wes sorrowfui face for such q
yong man to wear. and Ben Coop's hears
as he looked upon 1t.
Next day Gerald and | did not meet.
! heard that he had gone away. I knew
ina be had been offered the post Of trav-
Fms tutor TO an invalid boy. and tias
this wns something he was very keen 10
-. Generous as my father was to him,
i was m old story for me to bear hos
hard life was for my cousin, and how
.inch there was be wanted to do: and be
had bern particularly keen on taking this
appointment, because h would give hfm
lhv opportunity Of travelling and seeing
thc world ! don't know that was sorry
that We lid not meet--at any rate, not
then. 4 little later 1t was . different
natter"
There was another pause. When Hu-
belt spoke again his voice was very hus.
ned and strained.
{To be continued.l