The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-15

Duhtuu WVh W uis tuluB WAb
done. Then, In mid.July, he re-
A--/ turned to Cairo and gave an nc.
count Of his Stewardship. With Tenn
pie In control ~ superintendent and
engineer the mine had become richly
paying property, and with Temple there
there was no further need for Dun
cans presence.
During that half year Duncan had.
lived chiefly with the Temples In the
euperintcndents house, which Mary
Temple had quickly converted from a
barnlike structure, standing alone upon
the face OF the bald prairie. into q
home In the midst Of a garden Of fiow-
ers.
During his long stay at the mine Dun.
can had made frequent visits TO Cairo.
These were brief In duration, usually
covering a Sunday, but each visit gave
Guilford Duncan two opportunities
that no desired. He could sit late ON
Saturday evening. discussing his plans
with Captain VIII Hallam, and on Sun.
day he had opportunity to become more
and more closely acquainted with Bar.
bnra.
He made no formal calls upon her,
and none was necessary. He simply
adopted the plan OF remaining after
the ] O'clock Sunday dinner, and little
by little Barbara came 10 feel that he
expected her to join him In the little
parIor after his cigar was finished. He
seemed to like the quiet conversations
with her. while she regarded the op.
portunlty to talk with n man 10 su.
perior In education. culture and intel.
lect to any other that she had known
as a privilege TO be priced.
Their attitude toward each other at
this time was peculiar. They were
good friends, fond Of each others so
cIety. and seemingly at least they were
nothing more. The fascination that
Duncan had from the FIRST felt In Bar
barn's presence was stlll upon him.
but be accepted II more calmly now.
and II soothed his natural restiessness
where at first II had excited II.
To Barbara. Gullford Duncan's atti-
tude seemed a gracious condescension.
which she did not dream that she de-
served. She sometimes wondered that
this young man OF rare quality. who
was sure OF welcome wherever he
might go. should be content to sit with
her throughout the Sunday aftsrnoons
instead OF seeking company better 6t
to entertain him.
IL was a riddle that she could not
read. and for the present at least Dun
can would not offer her any help In
solving II. He knew now that Bar
bara Verne was the woman be loved
the only woman In all the world who
could be to him what a wife must be
to man Of his temperament II two
souls are to be satisfied.
But he saw clearly that Barbara
Verne had no thought Of that kind In
her mind, or, at least, no such con-
scious thought She was accustomed
to think Of herself as very common.
place young woman, not at all the
equal Of this very superior man, to
whom everybody In Cairo paid q mark
ed Difference. He understood Barbara
az she did not at all understand her
self. He had looked upon her white
soul and bowed his head in worship Of
Its purity, Its nobility, its utter truth
rulness. He knew the qualities OF
mind that had no Just self apprecia-
ton. He felt, rather than knew, that
no thought of his loving her otherwise
than as an elder brother might love
little sister had ever crossed her con-
sclousness. He felt that the abrupt
suggestion OF that thought would only
shock and distress her.
'Pll lind way of making others sug-
gest It after awhile" he resolved. "In
the MEANWHILE He didn't finish the
sentence even In his own mind. But
what he did In that meanwhile" was
to see as much as possible OF Barbara,
10 talk with her impersonally, gently
and interestingly, TO win her perfect
trust and confidence and, so far us pos
sible, to make his presence necessary
thing to her. He paid her no public at
tentlon of any kind, but he paid no
public or private attention to any 9th I
or young woman. 1t was well under
stood that for time, he was living
1t the mine and coming to Cairo only
for brief visits of a business charac-
ter at infrequent intervals. His neg
ect of society therefore seemed In
need Of no explanation, while his un-
intimacy with Barbara
attracted no attention. The only per
son who ever spoke to him about It
was Mrs. VIII Hallam.
"You are going to marry Barbara
Verne, OF courseF' she half said, half
lsked one day.
"If I can, yes" he answered.
"I'm very glad of that" And she
.aid no more.
On his final return to Cairo. however.
Duncan found himself expected in
what Is called society. Society was
destined to disappointment, for Dun
'an went nowhere, except that he usu-
lily sat for some hours every Sunday
afternoon In the vine clad porch OF the