Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-08-08
CHAPTER xvIii.-contInued.

How would IL do to get your
brothers own opinion and sec how
nc feels?" | suggested. EITHER you
or J., or even both of us, might write
him and put the matter clearly before
him. II there is any good left
in him-you will pardon me, Miss
Carney, I hope, for | spoke very
thOughtlcsgly-but he ought to come
to his senses and decide for himself"
Sic looked up into my face, her
eyer wet with tears, but with a wan
smhe that was evidently conjurcd 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
name to you before for ! cduld not
bear to think of those awful days he
Tpent here after my fathers death.
r / am so glad that poo Annie did
not see him then as | did. He knew
that he IA not 1T for her to see
and ] must say that he showed him
self to me only enough to enable us
to arrange our business affairs. lie
seemed to understand the degrade
ton Of his position. and although ]
have never 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" ! asked. II could hardly cx.
plain matters In "A telegram. and while
] never know exactly where he Is !
have reason to believe that he is In
the ncighbOrhOod Of London 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
u fortnight"
you know best" she murmurcd,
resting her head on her hand and wip.
ing her eyes slowly. you know
best and must act according to your
own judgment. u seems to me that
we ought to send for him, II only
for Annic's sake, but | leave II all
TO you."
Her feelings overwhelmed her
again, but AS sOon as she could calm
herself, she went on: perhaps | have
been wrong myself In not trying to
help him and make him sec the posi-
ton In which he has placed himself.
but when he was here ] could not
bring myself to do It,"
remembered Miss Wcston's impas
stoned statement that no one connect.
cd with the mysterious happenings at
Carney-Croft had lone any wrong or
was in any way responsible for the
present incXpllcablc condition OF
things. and, while | could not see how
John Carney could have any possible
connection with the affair | grasped
the frail straw offered by this sus.
gestion and, in my anxiety to calm
Miss Carney. ! made the most OF It
that ] could.
IL know nothing OF your brothers
life while he waa away" ! began,
and, while. of course, ! do no count
him blamelcss. ! 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, no." she Interrupted, vchc.
mently, ut war IA %cowardly way to
act, at best. and, as I first under.
stood II. II was worse than cOwardly.
You can imagine my feelings when
] thought It was all for n mere lovers
quarrel aId thcn-then, when | knew
the whole story, ! could not bring
myself to view II In a much better
light, although. Of course, my sympa,
tbie8 all went out to him. IT. was
not the act Of such n man as | had
always thought Jack to be. bad
looked up to him and respected him
all my life and Il almost broke my
hoart--it almost broke my heart.
You wouldn't do such n thing, M.
Ware, ] know. and even II you try
to hide your real opinion of him,
understand too well what Il is
and he Is my brother - my only
b%rothcr."
She bObbcd cOnvulsivcIy for some
minutes. while | stood like a fool by
her side, keeping down, as best ! could,
the words that were uppcrmost In my
heart and then. suddenly, she arose
and said, abruptly:
II have kept yOJ too long, ] fear
but this was troubling me SO that
simply had 10 tell II &c some one.
think you had better write to my
brother at once anG IL will have 10
rest with him whether he comes or
not. Good night"
] followed her with my eyes as yhc
entered the house and walked slowly