The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-09-07
By. :
GEORGE
CARY
EGGLESTON


! Drought him into healthier condition
OF mind When he had finished the
task and had taken the papers to the
postoffice he realized that his state of
mind had been a morbid one. He real
lied, too, that he must end the sus-
pense as quickly as possible in order
that he might take up work and grow
sound of soul again.
Returning to his office, he sent note
to Barbara:
shall go to see you tonight. unless you
forbid L must hear what more you have
to tell me, and l must in my turn tell
you something of myself. When that is
done L shall renew my efforts 20 win you
to myself Please send me word that
may come.
For answer he got the single word
Come" written in the middle of a
page, without address or signature.
Thus it came about that while Temple
was sitting In his hotel room in nego-
tlation with Tandy over a matter that
involved Duncans future more vitality
than any other event had ever done,
Duncan himself sat with Barbara, try
ing to adjust another matter which
seemed to him of even greater conse-
quence.
Barbara had her emotions in leash
now Without hesitation and with a
bravely controlled utterance she went
at once to the marrow of the matter
Il told YOU" she began, that / am
the daughter of Il thief. My father
was trusted absolutely by my grand
father. He betrayed the trust He
made use of his authority as a member
of the banking house not only to wreck
1t In speculation, but also TO rob all
the people who had intrusted their
money to it, / don't understand such
matters very we'll; but, at any rate my
father ruined the firm and robbed its
customers At a single stroke he re-
duced his father to poverty and for
ever disgraced his honorable name.
When he found that the facts must be-
come known at once my father went
home and blew his brains out. | was
born that day, and my mother died of
shock and grief within the hour. My
poor grandfather lived for month";
without speaking a word to anybody;
then he quit living"
ct is terribly sad story" said Dun
can. Il should not have let you tell II,
poor child"
ooh, but | was obliged to tell YOU"
she interrupted. 1T was my duty.
You see-well, you have been so good
to me, and | am obliged TO say no to
what yort' asked me before you knew
this horrible thing. 1t wouldn't have
been fair just to say no and not tell
you of thing that explains a thing
that must make you wish you hadn't
asked me that"
But it does not make me wish any
thing Of the kind. Barbara. 1t makes
me more eager than ever to win you
ia order that | may devote my life to
the loving task of making you forget
the horror of this thing Oh, Barbara,
l never loved you half so madly as l
love you now. And you love me. /
know it, but you must say it. You love
me, Barbara. Say it, Say it now?
The girl hesitated for no more than
moment, while her whole body quiz
cred.
God help me-" she said then, Il do
love you. l love you too we'll to let
you link your life with mine to let
you take upon yourself the shadow of
my disgrace"
But you have no disgrace. You are
innocent The fault is not yours that
your father betrayed his trust score
of years ago-before you were born"
The two were standing now.
continued merit WeeEI