The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-07-26
The Mystery
BY
s E BROWN o
Copyright 1907. By story-Press Corporaton)
CHAPTER xvlil.-Continued.

How would 1t do to get your
brothers own opinion and see how
he feels?" / suggested. Either you
or /, or even both of us, might write
him and put the matter clearly before
him. If there is any good left
in him-you will pardon me, Miss
Carney, | hope, for l spoke very
thoughtlessly-but he ought to come
to his senses and decide for him.
self
She looked up into my face, her
eyes wet with tears, but with a wan
smile that was evidently coniured up
for 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
ings toward Jack are the same as
yours. / have never mentioned his
nam to you before for ! could not
bear to think of those awful days he
spent here after my fathers death,
and I am so glad that poor Annie did
not see him then as ] did. He knew
that he was not fit for her to see
and l must say that he showed him.
self to me only enough to enable us
to arrange u business affairs. He
seemed to understand the degrade
ton of his position, and although l
have neve- written to him in all
these years, my heart warns to him
now and | want to overlook It,
but cannot, oh | cannot, Mr.. Ware"
Would you like me to write to him
myself?" l asked. 81 could hardly ex-
plain matters in a telegram. and while
i never know exactly where he is ]
have reason to believe that he is In
the neighborhood of Eondon or Paris,
A letter to his bankers would reach
him within a week or ten days and
he could be here in a 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, IL only
for Annie's sake, but l leave it all
to you"
Her feelings overwhelmed her
again. but as soon as she could calm
herself, she went on: Perhaps l have
been wrong myself in not trying to
help him and make him see the posi-
ton in which he has placed himself.
but when he was here l could not
bring myself to do It,"
remembered Miss Weston's impas-
stoned statement that no one connect.
&c 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 l could not see how
John Carney could have any possible
connection with the affair | grasped
the frail straw offered by this sug'
'gestion and, in my anxiety to calm
Miss Carney, l made the most of it
that / could.
Il know nothing of your brothers
life while he was away" l began,
land. while, of course. l 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, 1T a a cowardly way tc
act, at best. and, as / first under
stood 1t, 1t was worse than cowardly
You can imagine my feelings when
l thought it was all for a mere lovers
quarrel and then-then, when | knew
the whole story, l could not bring
myself to view it In a much bette,
light, although, of course, my sympa
thies all went out to him. 1t was
not the act Of such a man as l haG
always thought Jack to be. / hat
looked up to him and respected hin
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 IL you try
to hide YOU real opinion of him,
understand too well what 1t is
and he is my brother my onl,
brother!"
She sobbed convulsively for some
minutes, while / stood like a fool by
her side, keeping down, as best l 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
i think you had better write to my
brother at once and 1t will have t.
rest with him whether he comes o.
not. Good night"
followed her with my eyes as she
entered the house and walked slowly
mp the stairs.
nCHAPTER XIX.