Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-09-26
CHAPTER xxv.-continued.


"Ah, to be sure! You were away
Christmas eve, when those vandals
broke in. Bates merely mentioned it
in the last report / got from him in
New York. That was all right. / as
sumed, of course, that you had gone
off somewhere to get little Christ.
mas cheer; l don't care anything
about it."
But had followed her-I went to
Cincinnati to see her-don't you I'M
derstaBd? She dared me to comet
was trick, a part of the conspiracy
to steal your property"
The old gentleman, smiled. 1t was
an old trick of his to grow calm as
other people waxed angry.
'She dared you to come, did she!
That is quite like Marian; but you
didn't have to go, did you, Jack?"
"Of course not; of course l didn't
have to go, but"
stammered, faltered and ceased.
Memory threw open her portals with
Il challenge. l saw Marian on the
stairway at the Armstrong;; l heard
her low, soft laughter; felt the mock
cry of her voice and eyes; l knew
again the exquisite delight of being
near her. My heart told me well
enough why had followed her!
Jack, Pm glad I'm not buried up
there in that Vermont graveyard with
nobody to exercise the right of guar
dianship over you. I've had my mis-
giVings about you; l used to think you
were a born tramp; and you disap-
pointed me in turning your back on
architeeture,-the noblest of all pro
fessions; but this performance of
yours really beats them all. Don't
you know that girl like Marian De-
vereUx isn't likely to become the agent
Of any rascal? Do you really believe
for minute that she tempted you to
follow her so you might forfeit your
rights to my property"
But why was she trying to find
those notes Of his? Why did she
come back from Cincinnati with his
party? If you could answer me those
things, maybe I'd admit that I'm a
fool Pickering, imagine, is a pretty
plausible fellow where women are con-
cerned."
For Gods sake, Jack, don't speak
of that girl as women! l put her in
that viii of mine just to pique your
curiosity knowing that if there was a
penalty on your marrying her you
would be wholly likely to do it,-for
that's the way human beings are
made. But you've mixed it all vp now
and insulted her in the grossest way
possible for a fellow who is really a
gentleman. And / don't want to lose
you; l want you here with me! These
rich Americans, who go to England to
live, don't appreciate the beauty of
their own country. This landscape is
worthy of the best that man can do.
And / didn't undertake to build a
crazy house out here but one that
should have some dignity and charac-
ter. That passage around the chin
ney is an indulgence, Jack,-vll admit
it's a little bizarre,-you sec that
chimney isn't so big outside as 1t is
inland he laughed and rabbed his
knees,-"and my bringing foreign
laborers here was really to make it
easier to get things done my way.
Wait till you have seen the May-apples
blossom and heard the robin sing in
the sumner lwilight,-help me to
finish tho house, then If you want
to leave I'll bid you Godspeed."
The feeling in his Tone, the display
of sentiment 50 at variance with my
old notion of him, touched me in spite
Of myself. There WAS characteristic
nobility and dignity n his plan; 1t
was worthy OF him. AnG had never
loved him as now, when he finished
this appeal, and turned away to the
window, gazing out upon the sOmber
woodland.
MIR. Donovan Is ready to go, sir"
announced Bates at the door, and we
went into the library, where Larry and
Stoddard were waiting.