The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-07-18


there! You stay there"
mo" she said, moving between him
and the door Mamie and l are going
for drive"
"You 60 back to my houser' He fol-
lowed her, waving an arm fercely at
her. Don't you come around here
trying to run over me! You talk about
your 'affairsv All you've got on earth
is this two for a nickel old shack over
your head and bushel basket of dis
tillery stock that you can sell by the
pound for old paper!' He threw the
words in her face, the bull bass voice
scanned and cracked with falsetto. "Old
paper, old rags, old iron, bottles, old
clothes! You talk about your affairs!
Who are you? Rothschild? You haven't
got any affairs!'
Not look, not a word, not q motion
Of his escaped her In all the fury Of
sound and gesture in which he seemed
fairly to envelop himself. Least Of all
did that shaking of his-the quivering
Of jaw and temple, the tumultuous agi.
tation of his hands-evade her watch
fitness.
when did you find this out?" she
said very quickly. AFTER you became
administrators
He struck the back OF the chair she
had vacated a vicious blow with his
open hand mo, you spendthrift! All
there was to your grandfather when
you buried him was basketful of dis
tillery stock, tell you! Old paper!
Can't you hear me? Old paper, old
rags
"You have sent me the same in
come" she lifted her voice to interrupt
"You have made the same quarterly
payments since his death that you
made before. If you knew, why did
you do thatY'
frantic and incredulous evaporation of
an intolerant man utterly unused to
opposition, his face empurpled, his fore
head dripping and his hands ruthlessly
pounding the back of the chair, but
this straight question stripped him sud-
denly Of gesture and left him standing
limp and still before her, pale splotches
beginning to show on his hot cheeks.
IF you knew, why did you do itT'
she repeated. "You wrote me that my
income was from dividends, and l
knew and thought nothing about it, but
If the stock which came to me was
worthless how could it pay dividends?"
ut did not" he answered huskily.
"That distillery stock, I tell you, isn't
worth the matches to burn it."
"But there has been no difference
in my income" she persisted steadily.
"Why? Can you explain that to me?"
"Yes; can" he replied. And it
seemed to her that he spoke with a
pallid and bitter desperation, like a
man driven to the wall. II can if you
think you want to know"
II do"
81 sent it."
"Do you mean from your own
II mean it was my own money"
She had not taken her eyes from his,
which met hers straightly and angrily,
and at this she leaned forward, gazing
at him with profound scrutiny.
"Why did you send it?' she asked.
"Charity," he answered after palpa-
BILE hesitation.
Her eyes widened, and she leaned
back against the Intel Of the door.
staring at him incredulously. "Char-
ity" she echoed in whisper.
Perhaps he mistook her amazement
at his performance for dismay caused
by the sense Of her own position, for
the strength Of his own habit Of demi-
nance came back to him. Charity,
madam he broke out, shouting intol-
erably. Charity, dye hear? I was
friend Of the man that made the money
you and your grandfather squandered;
was friend Of Jonas Tabor, l say!
That's why was willing to support
you for a year and over rather than
let a niece Of his suffer"
"'Sufferv she cried. "'Supportv
You sent me a hundred thousand
francsv'
The white SplOtcheS which had mot
tied Martin Pixies face disappeared as
If they had been suddenly splashed
with hot red. "You go back to my
house." ne said. what sent you
only shows the extent Of N.Y.
"Effronteryp' The word rang through
the whole house, so loudly and clearly
did she strike it-rang in his ears till
it stung like a castigation. 1t was ON
nous, portentous Of justice and of dis
aster. There was more than doubt of
him in it-there was conviction.
He fell back from this word, and
when he again advanced Ariel had left
the house. She had turned the next
corner before he came out Of the gate,
and as he passed his own home on his
way downtown he saw her white dress
mingling with his daughters near the
horse block beside the frs, where the
two. with their arms about each other.
stood waiting for Sam Warden and the
open summer carriage
Judge Pike walked on, the white
splotches reappearing like pale rash
upon his face. A yellow butterfly zig
Jagged before him, knee high, across
the sidewalk. He raised his foot and
half kicked at it.
CHAPTER XIX.
4 s the Judge continued his walk
~ down Main street he wished