Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-17

himself with extreme carefulness at
the candle. After this ceremonial he
dragged chair to the window, tilted
back in 1t with his feet on the low sill,
his back to the thin light and his friend,
and said in Il slow, gentle tone:
"Well. Crailey?"
II suppose you mean that l ought to
offer my explanation frst?" said the
other, still standing. "Well, there isn't
any" He did not speak doggedly or
sullenly. as one In fault, but more with
the air Of man curiously ready to
throw all possible light upon cloudy
phenomenon. "It's very simple-all
that l know about II. l went there
first on the evening Of the Madrillon
masquerade and played little come
dy for her, so that some Of my theat-
rical allusions-they weren't very illu-
rinating-to my engagement to Fan
,;.Gn made her believe l was Vanrevel
when her father told her about the
pair of us. l discovered that the night
his warehouses burned-and / saw
something more, because l can't help
seeing such things-that yours was just
the character TO appeal to young girl
fresh from the convent and full OF
honesty and fine dreams and fire. No
boly could arrange more fatal fasci-
nation for girl Of nineteen than to
have deadly quarrel with her father.
And that's especially true when the ia
theirs like that mad brute Of q Bob
Carewe. Then, too, you're more or
less the town model Of virtue and pop
ular hero, in spite Of the abolitionism,
Just as l am the town scamp. SO let
it 60 on and played little ut being
you, saying the things that you only
think-that was all. 1t isn't strange
that it's lasted until now, not more
than three weeks, after all. She's only
seen you four or five times and me not
much oftener. No one speaks of you to
her, and I've kept out Of sight when
others were about. Mrs. Tanberry Is
her only close friend and, naturally,
wouldn't be apt to mention that you
are dark and am fair or to describe
us personally any more than you and
| would mention the general appear
ance of people, we both meet about
town. But You needn't tell me that 1t
can't last much longer. Some petty,
unexpected trife will turn up, OF
course. All that / want to know Is
what you mean to do"
ITO do?" repeated Tom softly and
blew long scarf Of smoke out of the
window.
"Ahw Crailey's voice grew sharp
and loud. "There are many things you
needn't tell me. You need not tell me
what I've done to you nor what you
think of me. You need not tell me that
you have others to consider; that you
have Miss Carewe to think of. Don't
you suppose l know that? And you
need not tell me that you have duty
to Fanchon"-
EYES," Tom broke in, his tone not
quite steady -"yes, I've thought OF
that"
well"
"Have you-did YOU He hesitated,
but Crailey understood Immediately.
"No; haven't seen her again.
"But YOU
Eyes, l wrote. answered the let
ter"
AS
Eyes: signed your name. told you
that had just let things 20 on" Graf.
ley answered, with an impatient move
ment of his hands. what are you go
ing to dor
I'm going over to see the governor
| In the morning. I'll be away two or
three days, imagine"
"yanrevel," exclaimed Crailey hoty,
twill you give me an answer and not
beat about the bush any longer, or do
you mean that you refuse to answer"
Tom dropped his cigar upon the brick
window ledge with IN abysmal sigh.
"Oh, no; it isn't that" he answered
mildly. "I've been thinking 1t all over
for three days in the country, and
when l got back tonight found that
[ had come to decision without know
Ing it and that had come to 1t even
before started. My leaving the letter
for you proved 1t. It's little like this
Mexican war-a mixed up problem.
The thing Is bound to happen, and you
can't stop 1t. I believe the men who
make this war for their own uses will
suffer for it. But it is made, and there's
only one thing / can see as the thing
for me to do. They've called me every
name on earth-and the same with you,
too, Crailey-because I'm an abolition
st, but now, whether the country has
sinned or not, a good many thousand
men have got to do the bleeding for
her, and ] want to be one Of them.
That's the one thing that Is plain to
me-"
"Yes," returned Crailey. you know
I'm with you, and I think you're al
ways right. Yes, we'll all be on the
way in a fortnight or so. Do you mean
you won't quarrel with me because OF
that? Do you mean 1t would be poor
time now, when we're all going out to
take our chances together?"
"Quarrel with you! Tom rose and
came to the desk, looking across 1t at
his friend. "Did you think I might do
that?'
"Yes-I thought So"
"Craileyw And now Toms express
sion showed desperation. 1t was that
of man whose apprehensions have
eliminated and who Is forced to face
| } crisis long expected, long averted,
Ibut Imminent at last. his eyes fell