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

eyes. It Is always amazing to parent
to find unexpected powers Of divinatlon
in child. Constance was still little
girl in his heart. What had conferred
this insight into complex nature like
her mothers?
"There is something to be said for
that view." he admitted. II rccollect
now that Pyne told me she had lived
some years in the western states, but
he said, too. that her husband. the man
whose name she bears, died there. My
poor girls. l do, indeed. pity you If all
this story of miserable intrigue, this
squalid romance of the law courts, is
to be dragged into the light in n town
where you are honored Enid. you see
now how doubly fortunate you are in
being restored to fathers arms
"Oh, no. nor walled Enid. DO not
say that. II seems to cut us apart.
What have you done that you should
dread the worst that can be said? And
WHY bllOuId lhCAS NC any oSuuuul Ut
all? cannot bear you to say such
things"
II think understand you, dad" said
Constance, her burning glance striving
to read his hidden thought. MATTERS
cannot rest where they are. You will
not allow-my mother-to 60 away-a
second time-without a clear state
ment as to the future and an equally
honest explanation Of the past"
This was precisely the question he
dreaded. 1t had forced Its unwelcome
presence upon him in the first moment
Of the meeting with his wife, but he
was man of order, of discipline. The
habits of years might not be flung
aside SO readily. 1t was absurd, he
held, to inaict the self torture of use
less imnglnings on the first night of
their home coming after the severe
trials of their precarious life on the
rock.
Above all else 1t was necessary to re.
assure Constance, whose strength only
concealed the raging fire beneath and
Enid. whose highly strung tempera-
ment was on the borderland Of hys-
terra.
| He was still the arbiter of their
ives. the one to whom they looked for
guidance He rebelled against the
prospect of night of sleepless misery
for these two, and it needed his en-
phatic dominance to direct their
thoughts into a more peaceful chan
mel.
So he assumed the settled purpose
he was far from feeling and sum-
moned kindly smile to his aid.
i "Surely we hive discussed our diff
culties sufficiently tonight" he said.
4 "In the morning. Constance. will
meet Mr.. Trail. He is gentleman
and man of the world. I think, too
} that his nephew will be resourceful
and wise in counsel beyond his years
Now we are all going to obtain some
} much needed rest. Neither you MOI
will yield to slcepless hours of brood
ing. Neither of you knows that not
forty-eight hours ago I made myself
, n thief in the determination to save
your lives and mine. 1t was need
less burglary. persuaded myself thai
1t was necessary in the interests Of
the Trinity Brethren, those grave gen
t tlemen in velvet cloaks. Enid. wht
would be Mortified by the mere sug
gestion. refuse to place myself OF
} the moral rack another time. In tn,
: old days when was boy the dram,
} was wont to be followed by n NOR,
7 lively scene. forbid further discus
! sion. Come. kiss me, both of you.
{ think that stiff glass Of hot puncl
3 will not do me any harm, nor you, I'm
j. less you imbibed freely of that cham
: payne saw Nesting in the ice pail"
They rose obediently. Although the
] knew he. was acting a part on thei
account, they were sensible that h
G was adopting sane course.
Enid tried to contribute to the ney
r note. She bobbed in the approved styl
of the country dome st:c.
"Please, Sir Stephen" she said
] would you like some lemon, Ill TIL
I toddyf"
Constance placed little copper ket
J. tie on the fire. Their gloom had give
: way to not wholly forced Cheerful
: ness-for in that pleasant cottage sol
0 row was IN unwelcome guest-whc
they were surprised to hear shar
knock on the outer door.
! AT another time the incident, thong
q unusual at n late hour. would not llav
: disturbed them. But the emotions {
l. the night were too recent, their sui
{ sidence too artiGcially achieved, thu
they should not dread the possibilitie
which lay beyond that imperative sun
q mons.
$ Mrs. Sheppard and the servant la
retired to rest, worn out with IL
anxious uncertainties of events r
= ported from the lighthouse.
l. So Brand went to the door and IL
e girls listened in nervous foreboding.
They heard their father say:
+ Hello, jenkins, what is the matte
8 now?"
o Jenkins was a sergeant of polio
o whom they knew.
e "Sorry to trouble you. Mr. Brand. b,
d an odd thing has happened. A lady,