Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-06-28
CHAPTER XXI.
TWO CONFESSIONS.

This question, coming from such a
source, greatly embarrassed me. and
my embarrassment was Increased
rather than allayed by my uncle's I'M
expected behavior In these peculiar
circumstances. Instead of indignant
ly repudiating the charges brought
against him, or admitting their truth
by some outward and visible sign OF
depression he contented himself with
merely asking my opinion of the mat
ter, and while he awaited my reply
sugared his coffee and buttered his
toast with as great an air Of indiffer
ence as If he had asked my opinion Of
the weather.
II don't know what to think; my
brain is in whirl. l no sooner sur
mount one difficulty than I am con-
fronted by another. Are the state.
ments in my fathers letters true"
"You are too discursive," said uncle
Sam. "Let us settle one thing at a
time. If you don't know what to think
l can tell you-at least SO far as re-
CARDS the subject of that letter. To
allow your brain to get into what you
call whirl whenever you receive un-
welcome intelligence Is bad; you must
conquer that weakness, or you will al.
ways be the sport of events. OF course,
Us soon as you surmount one difficulty
another difficulty confronts you; 1t was
ever so with every man, and you will
find the process continue until you are
confronted by death-the last difficulty,
| not to be surmounted or evaded by any
of us. AS for your direct question
unhesitatlngly assure you that the
statements in your fathers letter Tex.
cept where he seeks by spurious an
alogy to associate me with the loss Of
his sequins) are perfectly true and
not only are they true, but, as | regard
the game Of life, they are perfectly
justifiable."
This declaration shocked me. | had
never before met with anybody who
entertained such INSCRIPTIONS opin
ions, or was SO honest in the express
sion Of them.
"Most people," continued unclk Sam,
"would infer from that letter that
was guilty of great treachcry to your
grandfather Wolsey, whereas the very
reverse is the case. loved his eldest
daughter (she who afterward became
your mother) and my suit was ap.
proved of by no one more than by
William Wolscy. But when later on
your father bent his glances In the
same direction that same William VOL.
sey discouraged my visits to his farm.
favored the visits of your father, and
not long aftcrward cocrced his daugh-
ter into marrying him, well knowing
that she had promised herself to me.
And why was this? Not because Of
any fault in me, real or alleged, but
for that sovereign quality in the new
suitor-ownership of couple Of thou
sand Suffolk acres. forsooth"
Here uncle Sam paused and laughed
scornfully. Presently he continued:
at was that circumstance which first
gave my mind cynical turn, and in
duced me to devote myself to the ac-
1usltion of money. which 7 conceived
was the prime mover of our kind.
Twenty years experience has confirm
ed the opinion then formed. | have
not gone out of my way to avengc the
wrong old Wolsey did nc, but when
about four years ago | accidentally
met one who greatly resembles the
girl used to ramble with in the fields
and lanes of Holdenhurst | did not re-
strain myself by any consideration for
the man who had treated me so badly.
That she has secluded herself from
her father as long as possible has been
her own wish, and was always mat
ter of Indifference to me-"
Uncle Sans sophstry was very fas-
,lnating to me. Systems of reasoning
which in others l should have de-
nounced as illogical and absurd when
presented in his words. and with the
case and charm of manner for which
he was distinguished, seemed to lack
none of the essentials of truth. At
first it appeared to me monstrous.
But my uncle's way of stating his
case obscured these considerations. and
led me rather to think of the perfdy
of my grandfather Wolsey, which was
the origin of TIE trouble, and to marvel
how my father could have accepted
for his wife a woman whose love he
had not fairly won. That the state.
mcnt was true | had no doubt what.
ever, for uncle Sam had very effect
lively alluded tc the circumstance
when he denounced his brother, and
the latter had suffered it to pass with
out challenge Another, though an en-
tirely different consideration. afforded
me muc.l qualification, and that was
the promptness with which my uncle
had admitted the truth of the charge
now brought against him, which COZ:
trastcd strongly with his strenuous
denial of having had anything to do
with the missing sequins, and afforded
an additional proof of his innocence
of that affair.
! "What do you purpose doing respect
ing this little AFFAIR." inquired uncle
Sam after long pause.
My mind was made up, and l ar.
swered without hsitation: II will 90
TO England in the Umbria and carry
out the plan you have suggested BY
that means hope l shall convince my
father that he has done you an injus.
tice, and he will readily agree that our
! friendship shall remain undsturbed.
Should fail to connect Adams with
the robbery of the sequins. then will
assert my individual right to unrestrlct-
ed action, for l am nearly of full age
| NAM md onnll rncrnnt ci1llrrH nd ro-