The Sauk Centre herald., 1907-07-25

euppuse you Iedf he may have been
rough with her for taking my step
brother into the carriage. He was not.
On the contrary, he spoke very quietly
to her and went on out toward the sta
bles. But l haven't come to you to
talk Of Judge Pike either"
NO" said Ariel; II don't care par
ticularly to hear of him. but of Ma
mie."
"Nor of her eitherr' he broke out. 81
want to talk of your
There was no mistaking him, no
possibility of misunderstanding the
real passion that shook him, and her
startled eyes betrayed her comprehen-
sion.
Eyes, see you understandv' he cried
bitterly. That's because you've seen
others the same way. God help me-"
he went on, striking his forehead with
his open hand, ''that young fool Of a
Bradbury told me you refused him
only yesterday! He was proud of even
rejection from you! And there's Nor
bert and half a dozen others, perhaps,
already since you've been here" He
flung out his arms in ludicrous, savage
despair. "And here am r.
"Ah, yes" she cut him off, lit is Of
yourself that you want to speak after
all, not of met"
look here" he vociferated. Are
you going to marry that Joe Louden?
want to know whether you are or
not. He gave me this and this todayw
He touched his bandaged hand and
plastered forehead. HE ran into me-
over me-for nothing when I was not
Oh my guard, struck me down-stamp-
ed on me-
She turned upon him, cheeks aflame,
eyes sparkling and dry.
"Mr: Bantry," She cried, "he did
good thing! And now I want you to
go home. l want you to go home and
try if you can discover anything in
yourself that is worthy Of Mamie and
of what she showed herself to be this
morning! If you can, you will have
found something that could likev
She went rapidly toward the house,
and he was senseless enough to follow,
babbling: What do you think I'm
made Of? You trample on me, as he
did! 1 can't bear everything! I tell
YOU
But she lifted her hand with such
imperious will that he stopped short.
Then through the window Of the sick
room came clearly the QuerulOus voice:
81 tell you it was. heard him speak
Just nOw-Out there in the yard-that
no account stepbrother Of JOe's! What
If he is a hired hand on the TOcsin?
He'd better give up his job and quit
than do what he's done to help make
the town think hard of Joe. And what
is he? Why, he's worse than Cory.
When that Claudine Fear first came
here, Gene Bantry was hangin' around
her himself Joe knew it, and he'd
never tell, but l will. l saw 'em
buggy ridin' out near Beaver Beach,
and she slapped his face fer him. 1t
ought to be told"'
Il didn't know that Joe knew-that,"
Eugene stammered huskily. at was
it was-a long time ago.
eff you understood Joe," she said in
a low voice, "you would know that be-
fore these men leave this house he will
have their promise never to tell"
His eyes fell miserably, then lifted
again, but in her clear and unbearable
gaze there shone such fame of scorn
as he could not endure to look upon.
For the first time in his life he saw
true light upon himself, and, though
the vision was darkling, the revelation
was complete.
Heaven pity your she whispered.
Eugene found himself alone and
stumbled away, his glance not lifted.
He passed his own home without look
ing up and did not see his mother beck
oning frantically from window. She
ran to the door and called him. He
did not hear her. but went on toward
the Tocsin Office with his head still
bent