Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-08-01
CHAPTER xlx.-contlnued.

me once. while your AFFAIR with tina
Irish girl was on, that the short uppe
lip made Heaven seem possible, blu
unnecessary; then the next thing
knew. she had shaken you for the
bloated maltster Take that for your
impertinence. But perhaps 1t was
Bates?"
did not wait for an answer. was
not in mood for reflection or nice dis
tinctions. The man came in just then
with fresh plate of toast.
Bates, Mr.. Pickering has learned
that was away from the house on the
night of the attack, and I'm ordered off
for having broken my agreement to
stay here. How do you suppose he
heard Of it so promptly"
From Morgan, quite possibly.
have a letter from Mr.. Pickering my
self this morning. Just moment,
sir"
He placed before me note bearing
the same date as my own. 1t was a
sharp rebuke of Bates for his failure
to report my absence promptly by
wire, and he was ordered to prepare to
leave on the first of February. CLOSE
your accounts at the shopkeepers' and
] will audit your bills on my arrival"
The tone was peremptory and con-
temptuous. Bates had failed to satisfy
Pickering and was flung off like a
smoked-out cigar.
How much had he allowed you for
expenses, Bates?"
He met my gaze imperturabIy.
He pays me $50 a month as wages,
sir, and am allowed SIS for other ex,
penses."
But you didn't buy English pleas,
ants and champagne on that allow.
ance!"
He was carrying away the coffee
tray and his eyes wandered to the win.
dows.
Not quite, sir. You see"
But | don't see!"
at had occurred to me that as Mr.
chickering's allowance wasn't what you
might call generous it was better to
augment it, Well, sir, took the lib
erty of advancing trifle, as you might
say, to the estate. Your grandfather
would not have had you starve, sir"
He left hurriedly, as though to escape
from the consequences of his words
and when l came to myself Larry was
gloomily invoking his strange Irish
gods.
Larry Donovan, I've been tempted
to kill that fellow a dozen times, This
thing is too damned complicated for
me- l wish my lamented grandfather
had left me something easy. To think
of it-that all the time I've been ours.
ing and abusing Bates since / came
here I've been enjoying his bounty
and he's been giving me the fat of the
land, just because of his devotion to
my grandfathers memory. Lord, /
can't face the fellow again."
"As have said before, you're rather
lacking at times in perspicacity. Your
intelligence is marred by large opaque
spots. Now that there seems to be a
woman in the case you're less sane
than ever. Bah, these women! And
now we've got to go to work"
Bah, these women! My own heart
bitter. No wonder she had been anx.
ious for me to avoid Pickering in Gin
cinnati, after daring me to follow her
there!
We called council of war for that
night that we might view matters in
the light Of chickering's letter. His
assuredness in ordering me to leave
made prompt and decisive action
necessary on my part. l summoned
Stoddard to our conference, feeling
confident of his friendliness.
"Of course" said the broad-shoul,
dered chaplain, ''if you could show that
your absence was On business of very
grave Importance, the courts might
construe in your favor"
Larry looked at the ceiling and blew
rings of smoke languidly. / had not
disclosed to either of them the cause
of my absence. On such matter
knew should get precious little sym
patty from Larry, and / had, more
over, feeling that l could not discuss
Marian Devereux with any one; even
shrank from mentioning her name
though it rang like the call of bugles
in my blood.
She was always before me,-the
charmed spirit of youth, linked tc
every foot of the earth, every CLEAN o.
the sun upon the ice-bound lake, every
glory of the winter sunset. All the
good impulses l had ever stifed were
quickened to life by the thought of her
Amid the days perpleXities | started
sometimes, thinking heard her voice
her girlish laughter, or saw her agar
coming toward me down the stairs, o
holding against the light her fan will
its golden butterflies. | really knew
so little of her; could associate he
with no home, only with that last fin
of the autumn upon the lake, the snow
driven woodland, that twilight hour a
the organ in the chapel, those stole
moments at the Armstrong;. l RI
scented the pressure of the hours a
fairs, and chafed at the necessity 70
talking of my perplexities with tn
good friends who were there to hell
! wished to be alone, to yield to tn
sweet mood that the thought of. he
brought me. The doubt that creI
through my mind as TO any possibllit
of connivance between her and pickle
ing was as vague and fleeting as ii
shadow of swallows wing on
sunny meadow.
You don't intend fighting the fa
of your absence. do you?" demands
Larry. after long silence.
"of course mott" replied fiercel
Pickering was right on my heels, al
my absence was known to his m,
here. And ii would not be square
my grandfather.-who never harmed
flea, may his blessed soul rest