The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-20

AASW mat II was SChemS 10 test me,
and she played me into Pickering's
hands. caught her down there in
the tunnel acting as his spy, looking
for the lost notes, that she might gain
grace in his eyes by turning them
over TO him. You know how I always
hated Pickering,Ahe was too smooth,
too SNUG, and you and everybody else
were forever praising him to me. He
was always held up to me as q model;
and the first time I saw Marian Dover
eux she was with hint was at
Sherrys the night before I came here.
suppose she reached st. Agatha's
only a few hours ahead of me"
Yes, Sister Theresa was her guar
dian. Her father was a dear friend,
and I knew her from her early child
hood. You are mistaken, Jack. Her
knowing Pickering means nothing
they both lived in New York and
moved in the same circle"
But It doesn't explain her efforts
to help him, does tt?" I blazed. He
wished to marry her,-Sister Theresa
told me that,-and failed failed
miserably to keep my obligation here
i ran away to follow her!"
"Ah, to be sure! You were away
Christmas eve, when those vandals
broke in. Bates merely mentioned It
in the last report I got from him in
New York. That was all right. I as
sumed. of course, that you had gone
off somewhere to get a little Christ
mas cheer; I don't care anything
about it."
But I had followed her-I went to
Cincinnati to see her-don't you un-
derstand7 She dared me to comet
was a trick, part of the conspiracy
to steal your property"
The old gentleman smiled. It was
an old trick Of his to grow calm as
other people waxed angry.
She dared you to come, did shell
That is quite like Marian; but you
didn't have to go, did you, Jack?"
''Of course not; of course 1 didn't
have to go, but"
1 stammered, faltered and ceased.
Memory threw open her portals with
G challenge. I saw Earlan on the
stairway at the Armstrong;; I heard
her low, soft laughter; felt the mock,
cry of her voice and eyes; I knew
again the exquisite delight of being
near her. My heart told me well
enough why had followed her!
Jack, I'm glad Pm not buried up
there in that Vermont graveyard with
nobody to exercise the right of guar
dtanship over you. I've had nv mis-
givings about you; I used to think you
were a born tramp; and you dtsap-
pointed me in turning your back on
architecture,-the noblest of all pro
fessions; but this performance of
yours really beats them all. Don't
you know that a 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 womenl 1 put her In
that will 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 up now
and insulted her in the grossest way
possible for a fellow who is really 8
gentleman. And I don't want to lose
you; l want you here with me! Those
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 l didn't undertake 10 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,-Tn admit
~ 4ANOlC BlSLI OQ STE Jlal
chimney isn't so big outside as it is
in!"-and he laughed and rubbed his
knees,-"and my bringing foreign
laborers here was really to make II
easier to get things done my way
Wait till you have seen the May-apples
blossom and heard the robin sing II
the summer twilight,-help me tc
finish the house,-then if you want
to leave III bid you G0dsDeed."
The feeling in his tone, the display
of sentiment so at variance with ny
old notion of him, touched me in spite
Of myself. There was a characteristic
nobility and dignity in his plan; il
was worthy of him. And I had never
loved him as now, when he finished
this appeal, and turned away to tbs
window, gazing out upon the sombel
woodland.
Mr.. Donovan is ready to go, sir
announced Bates at the door, and "
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