Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-11-02

II told YOU" she tbegapS "that am
the daughter Of q THIEF. My father
was trusted absolutely by my grand.
father. He betrayed the, trust. He
made use of his authOrity as member
OF the banking house not only to wreck
1t in speculation, but also. to rob all
the people who had Entrusted their
money to it. | don't understand such
matters very well; but, at any rate, my
father ruined the firm and robbed Its
customers. at, Il 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 bleYs his brains out. was
born that day, a6dsAny mother died OF
shock. and GRIEF within the hour. My
poor grandfather lived for month.
without speaking word to anybody;
then he quit living" -.
,"It is a\terribly sad story" said Dun"
can. 81 should not have let you tell 1t.
poor child" 80
"Oh, but was obliged to tell you"
she interrupted. ut was my duty.
You see-well. you have been 80 good
to me, and | am obliged to say no to
what you asked me before you knew
this horrible thing. 1t wouldn't have
been fair just to say mo- and not tell
YOU of thing that explains. q thing
that must make you wish you hadn't
asked me that"
But 1t does not make me wish any
thing of the kind, Barbara. 1t makes
me more eager than ever to win you
In order that / may devote my life to
the loving task Of making you forget
the horror of this thing. Oh, Barbara,
I never loved you half so madly as l
love you now. And you love me. l
know it, but you must say 1t. You love
me, Barbara! Say it! Say 1t now"
The girl hesitated for no more than
q moment, while her whole body Quiv-
cred.
God help me-" she said then. Il do
love you! | 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 fadlt Is not yours that
your father betrayed his trust a score
of years sgo--before you We're born"
Tho two were standing now.
II want you to sit down while / an
swer you, Barbara" said Duncan, with
almost unimaginable tenderness In his
tone. "No, not in that straight backed
chair, for I want you to listen to all
have to say and to be at ease while
YOU listen. Sit here" pushing an easy
chair forward, "sit here where you can
see my face as l speak. | want you
to see In my eyes the sincerity OF my
soul. Now l know you, Barbara, for
what you are, and love you for that
alone. What your father may have
done or been makes no difference TO
me; it in no way alters or lessons my
love for you, and it never will. KNOW
ing it all, am more earnest than ever
in my purpose to make you my wife II
! can persuade you to that after have
told you something about myself that
may very justly seem to you real bar
to my hopes"
go on, please" said the girl. "Tell
me what you will, but shall never be-
lievo anything i'll of you. know bet
ter"
Thank you for saying that, DEAR" he
responded. with u tremor In his tone.
put unhappily others may believe It,
they do, then the career you have
Expected for me must be at an end at
once. My reputation for integrity will
be gone for good, and | must be con-
tent to surrender all my ambitions.
That is why l must tell you Of this
ugly thing before again asking you to
be my wife,
eco on" she said again. "But shall
believe nothing bad Of you. even though
an angel should" tell me-"
II told you the other night" he said,
'that l had Quarreled with Napier
Tandy. that he had tried to tempt me
with money bride to do an infamous
thing. He now gives it out that It was
I who proposed the bride; that i went.
to him with an offer to do that infa'
nous thing for hire and that he indig-
nantly rejected the Offer"
"He lies~ broke in the girl.
Eyes, he lies, of course" answered
Duncan, "but have no way OF prov
ing II. He and / were alone and in bis
house. There were no witnesses. How,
then, am | ever to clear my name OF SO
foul an accusation?"
There is no need" answered the
girl. Nobody who knows you will
ever believe the story. Captain Hal
lam would not think it worth asking
question about"
"No; Captain Hallam would not FOR
n moment think Of such thing as even
possible. But that is because he knows
me as few other men do or ever VIII.
But the accusation troubles him, be-
cause he knows that other people VIII
believe it. He and Richard Temple
are at this moment busy trying to find
some way of clearing my name or the
foul SANDER. They will do all that two
loyal and sagacious friends can do to
accomplish that purpose. But / can
not imagine any way In which they
con succeed." =
What is it they are doing"
10 not know. They have refused
pc. l oFiy know that they can
knust not think that. You
Nat wonders Captain Hal