Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-04-24
-- T II e --
CONQUEST ef CANAAN
By BOOTH HARRINGTON.
Author of Cherry" "r1on.eur Beaucaire" Etc N
COPYRIGHT. HARPER {. BRorHHRs
By BOOTH HARRINGTON,

"Wnat were you saying OF sir. Lou.
den3" she asked, smiling down upon
the young man. Ut was this smile
which inspired his description of her
as "a revelation and dreamy
"Oh nothing particular" was his en-
barrassed reply. II only mentioned I'd
heard there was some talk among
the He paused awkwardly, remem-
bering that Ariel had walked with
Joseph Louden in the face of Canaan
that very day. THAT is, mean to say,
there's some talk of his running for
mayor"
'Whatf"
There was general exclamation.
followed by an uncomfortable moment
or two of silence. No one present was
unaware of that noon walk, though
there was prevalent a pleasing notion
that 1t would not happen again, found
ed on the idea that Ariel, having only
arrived the previous evening, had prob
ably met Joe on the street by accident
and, remembering him as a playmate
OF her childhood and uniformed as to
his reputation, had, naturally enough,
permitted him to walk home with her.
Mr. Flitcroft broke the silence, rush
ing into words with derisive laugh:
Eyes, he's talked of for nayor-by
the saloon people and the niggers! i
expect the Beaver Beach crowd would
be for him, and IL tramps could vote
he might
what is Beaver Beach? ?" asked Ariel,
not turning.
what is Beaver Beach?" he repeat
Cd and cast his eyes to the sky, shals-
ing his head awesomely. Its place."
he said, with abysmal solemnity-"a
place l shouldn't have mentioned In
your presence, Miss Tabor"
what has 1t to do with Mr.. Lou
den"
The predestined Norbert conceived
the present to be heaven sent oppor.
tunity to enlighten her concerning Joe's
character, since the Pixies appeared to
have been derelict in the performance
of this kindness.
He goes there!" he proceeded heay-
fly. HE lived there for awhile when
he first came back from running away,
and he's friend of Mike Sheehan's
that runs 1t. He's friend of all the
riffraff that hang around there"
How do you know he goes there?"
"Why, it was in the paper the day
after he came back" He appealed for
corroboration. Wasn't 1t, Eugene?"
mo, mol" she persisted. '.Newspa.
pers are sometimes mistaken, aren't
they? Have you ever met any one
who has seen him thereY
give seen him there myself! The
words skipped out of Norberts mouth
like 80 many little devils the instant
he opened 1t. She had spoken so quick
ly and with such vehemence, looking
him full in the eye, that he had for
gotten everything in the world except
making the point to which her insist
ence had led him.
Mamie looked Mortified. There was
sound of smothered laughter, and Nor
bert, overwhelmed by the treachery Of
his own mouth. sat gasping.
at can't be such a. terrific place. then,
after all," said Ariel gently, and, turn
ing to Eugene, "Have you ever been
there, Mr.. Bantry?" she asked.
He changed color but answered with
enough glibness, NO"
Several of the young men rose. The
wretched Flitcroft, however, evatling
NAMES eye, in which there was dis
tinct hint, sat where he was until all
of them, except Eugene, had taken a
reluctant departure, one group after
another, leaving in the order of their
arrival.
Ariel started to her feet, but the bent
figure coming up the walk in the dark
ness was that of Eskew Arp. He
bowed gloomily to Mamie and in re-
Spouse to her inquiry If he wished to
see her father answered no; he had
come to talk with the granddaughter
of his old friend Roger Tabor.
"AIr. Arp!" called Ariel. 81 am so
very glad" She ran down to him and
gave him her hand. "We'll sit here on
the bench, shan't WEI"
Mamie had risen and, skirting Nor
bert frostily, touched Eugene upon the
shoulder as she went up the steps. He
understood that he was to follow her
indoors, and, after deep look at the
bench where Ariel had seated herself
beside Mr.. Arp, he obeyed. Norbert
was left lonely ruin between the
cold twin dogs. He had wrought DESC
lation this afternoon, and that sweet
verdure, his good name, SO long In the
planting, so carefully tended, was now
, dreary waste; yet lie contemplated
this not SO much as his present aspect
of splendid isolation. Frozen by the
daughter of the house. forgotten by
the visitor, whose conversation with
Mr.. Arp was carried on in tones SO
low that he could not understand it,
the fat one, though heartbreakingly
loath to take himself away, began to
comprehend that his hour had struck.
He rose, descended the steps to the
bench and seated himself unexpect-
eddy upon the cement walk at Ariers
feet.
Legs gone to Sleep" he explained
in response to her startled exclama-