Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-10-03

was ten years older. my inoughr was
to educate her to n somewhat higher
ideal of life than the frivolities Of
fashionable world. 1t was mistake.
If girl harbors decisions before mar
riage the experience of married life Is
not cure. but all incentive. A less
tolerant man would have made her a
safer husband"
Constance would listen to nothing
which would disparage him.
81 hate to be unjust to her even In
my thoughts. but where could she have
found better husband than you, dad?"
millionaire, indeed" protested Enid,
breaking in with her own tumultuous
thoughts II would not exchange you
for twenty millionaires."
MY methods cannot have been SO Ill
considered If they have brought me
two such daughters" he said, with a
mournful smile. But, there! 1 am
only deluding myself into q postpone
ment of painful duty. My secret
must QUITO you, at any rate. When
I married your mother, Constance,
was an attache at the British embassy
In Paris. Her maiden name was Mad
eleine Nanette de Courtray. Her fam
lily, Notwithstanding the French sound
of her name, was almost wholly Eng
llsh. They were Jersey people, re-
cruited from British stock, but two
generations of English husbands were
compelled to assume the style De COur-
tray owing to entailed estates on the
island. There is something quaint In
the idea Us it worked out. The place
was only small farm. When we were
married the stipulation lapsed, be-
cause 1t was more advisable for me to
retain my own name. was then the
heir to a title can now claim. am
legally and lawfully Sir Stephen
Brand, ninth baronet of Lesser Ham,
blcdoh. in Northumberland"
"And you became n lighthouse
keeper"
1t was Enid who found breath for
the exclamation Constance braced
herself for THAT which was to come
That Stephen Brand was well born
nan was not new thing in their In.
telligence.
"Yes, cleaner of lamps and trans.
mitter of ships signals. Have We been
less happy?" A most vehement Nor
was the answer.
Don't run away with the idea that
was, therefore, endowed with ample
MEANS There are baronets poorer
than some crossing sweepers. The es
tate was encountered. During my
fathers life, during my own until five
years ago, it yielded only Thousand
q year. Even now, after fifteen year,
of retrenchment-you both forget tina
while was stationed at Flamborougf
Head was absent for n few days t,
attend my fathers funeral-it pro
duces only n little over $4,000 Enough
for us, eh, to enjoy life on? Enough t,
satisfy Lady Margaret's scruples, Enid
us to her sons absurd notion of matri
mony? Enough, too. Constance, t
mate you to the man of your choice
whatever his position7"
Dad" murmured Constance, II
there no hope of the old days coming
back againY'
"Who can tell? These things are no
in mortal ken. need hardly say thu
my allowance of one-third of the fam
,, lily revenues was barely sufficient t
maintain Junior in the diplomat
service. Yet l married, heaven he'll
i me, in the pursuance Of an ideal, Onl
t to find my ideal realized, after muc
: suffering, on lonely rocks and blea
f headlands. With strict economy W
: existed happily. until you were borr
My wife at first WAS sufficiently dc
lighted to exchange Jersey society 70
n Paris and the. distinguished circle l
# which we moved there. But you wer
not many months old until chang
8 came. A Frcnchman, rich fop, bega
@ to pay her attentions which turned he
G. head. do not think she meant an
J. harm. People never do mean harr
d who accomplish 1t most fatally. di
n that which man who respects himsel
O loathes to dol protested. There wa
scene, tears and wild reproachel
n Next day the crash came She endea,
!. ored to mislead me rs to IN appoin
# ment. God knows only wished
r. save her, but 1t was too much to as
\. me to pass over In silence the scheme
!. Of a libertinc, though he, too, was ii
n fatuated by her beauty. discovere
them in clandestine meeting, and.
: and-my blood was hot and the coul
! try was France. We fought ne,
n morning, and l killed him."
Constance bent her head and kisse
! his right hand. Here ut least was
II lineal descendant Of nine generation
>, of border raiders. who held their sword
" of greater worth than musty laws.
a Brands eyes kindled. His voice b.
= came more vehement. The girls In
pulsive action seemed to sanctify IL
: deed.
a. II did not regret, have never regre
Il ted, the outcome of the duel. He we
- MORALLY wounded and was carried [
~ his house to die. fled from Paris
escape arrest, but the woman In who's
defense l encountered him behave
- most cruelty. She deserted me IN
.. went to him. Ask Mrs. Sheppard. 81
~ was your English nurse Mt the tim
Constance. 1t was she who brougl
10 you 10 Eubiduu. i never met my WI
again. believe, on my soul, that 81
>, was innocent Of the greater offense.
think she rebelled against the thougl
!" that had slain one who said he wo
N SHIPPED her. Anyhow, she had her pric
- She remained with him, in sheer d
" fiance of me, until his death. and h
reward was his wealth. Were 1t III
;. for this we might have come togeth'
~ again and striven to forget the past
;. mutual federation. The knowledge tn
she was enriched with that mans go
- maddened me. could not forget thu
- l loathed ail that money could give
the diamonds, the dresses, the insal
devices of society-to pour out trea
Z. ure on the vanities of the hour. E
~ Idle chance was drawn to the ligh
~ house service. 1t was the mere viii
ie of friend Into whose sympathet
~ ears gave my sorrows. 1t is true
:. did not intend to devote my life to II
I