The Glenwood post., 1907-07-27
Carney.Croft
BY
JOSEPH BROWN COOKE
Copyright 1907. by Story Pres Corporston.)
CHAPTER xVIii.-Continued.

How would it do to get your
brothers. own opinion and see how
se feels?" l suggested. Either you
pr l, or even both of us, might write
kim and put the matter clearly before
him. If there is any good left
h him-you will pardon me, Miss
rney, l hope, for l spoke very
moughtlessly-bu he ought to come
10 his senses and decide for him
self"
She looked up into my face, her
Eyes wet with tears, but with wan
smile that was evidently conjured up
ior the moment, and said gently:
You need not ask my forgiveness,
Mr.. Ware, for you always think and
speak for the best, and my own feel
Egs toward Jack are the same as
Tcurs. l have never mentioned his
name to you before for | could not
bear to think of those awful days he
tpent here after my fathers death,
Ind l am so glad that poor Annie did
lot see him then as / did. He knew
That he was not fit for her to see
and l must say that he showed him
10 arrange our business affairs. He
seemed to understand the degrade
tion of his position, and although l
have never written to him in all
these years, my heart warns to him
7ow and l want to overlook it,
but l cannot, oh l cannot, Mr.. Ware"
Would you like me to write to him
hyself?" / asked. 81 could hardly ex-
plain matters in a telegram. and while
l never know exactly where he is
have reason to believe that he is in
the neighborhood of London or Paris.
A letter to his bankers would reach
him within week or ten days and
he could be here in little more than
a fortnight"
You know best" she murmured,
resting her head on her hand and wip-
ing her eyes slowly. You know
best and must act according to your
own judgment. 1t seems to me that
We ought to send for him, if only
to you"
Her feelings overwhelmed her
again, but as soon as she could calm
herself, she went on: Perhaps have
been wrong myself in not trying to
help him and make him see the posi-
tion in which he has placed himself,
but when he was here | could not
bring myself to do it."
l remembered Miss Weston's impas-
stoned statement that no one connect
ed with the mysterious happenings at
Carney-Croft had done any wrong or
was in any way responsible for the
present inexplicable condition of
things, and, while could not see how
John Carney could have any possible
connection with the affair l grasped
the frail straw offered by this sug-
gestion and. in my anxiety to calm
Miss Carney, l made the most of it
that l could.
Il know nothing Of your brothers
life while he was away" l began,
"and, while, of course, do not count
him blameless, l can assure you
that you have nothing to regret on
your part. You know things of
this kind begin slowly and insidious.
ly and"
"Oh, MOI" she Interrupted, vehe-
mently, 'it was cowardly way to
act, at best, and, as l first under
stood it, it was worse than cowardly.
You can imagine my feelings when
! thought it was all for mere lovers 8
Quarrel and then-then, when knew
the whole story, l could not bring
myself to view it in much better
light, although, of course, my sympa-
thies all went out to him. 1t was
not the act of such a man ~ l had
always thought Jack to be. I had
looked up to him and respected him
all my life and it almost broke my
heart-it almost broke my heart.
You wouldn't do such a thing, Mr.
Ware, l know, and even If you try
to hide your real opinion Of him,
understand too well what it is
and he is my brother my only
brother!"
She sobbed convulsively for some
minutes, while l stood like a fool by
her side, keeping down, as best / could,
the words that were uppermost in my
heart and then, suddenly, she arose
and said, abruptly:
Il have kept you too long, l fear,
but this was troubling me SO that
simply had to tell it to some one.
l think you had better write to my
brother at once and 1t will have to
rest with him whether he comes or
not. Good night"
followed her with my eyes as she
entered the house and walked slowly
Ip the stairs.
CHAPTER XIX.