Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-10-04
.HAPTER xxVlll.-continued
6I2SAGEZ EQ5

say. I'm glad TO hear of your luck,
though | fear my tone was not espe
cially joyous
So she went on II am In a posi-
tion to pay back to you, | think. what
my father and Sam took from you.
II won't be enough. I'm afraid, to pay (
what YOU lost indirectly. But | have
told the lawyers to make 1t all over
10 you"
| could have laughed aloud 1t was
TOO ridiculous, this situation into
which | had got myself, | did not
know what to say | could hardly
keep out of my face how foolish this
collapse Of my crafty conspiracy made
me feel. And then the fulA meaning
of what she was doing came over me
the revelation Of her character.
trusted myself to steal a glance at
her; and for the first time ! didn't
see the thrilling azure sheen over her
smooth white skin, though all her
beauty was before me. as dazzling as
when it compelled me to resolve to
win her. No: | saw her, herself-the
woman within. | had known from the
outset that there was an altar of love
within my temple of passion. think
that was my first real visit to it.
Anita" said unsteadily. "Anita!"
The color famed in her cheeks: we
We're silent for long time.
"You-your people owe me moth
ing | at length found voice to say.
Even if they did, couldn't and
wouldn't take your money. But, be-
lieye me, they owe me nothing
You cannot mislead me-, she an
swered When they asked me to be-
come engaged to you, they told me
about IT,
had forgotten The whole repul-
siye, rotten business came back to me
And, changed man that | had become
in the last six months ! saw myself
as | had been felt that she was
looking at me. was reading the de
grading confession in my telltale
features.
Il will tell You the whole truth,
said l. Il did use your fathers and
your brothers debts to me as means
of getting to YOU but, before God,
Anita, | swear ! was honest with you
when said to you never hoped or
wished to win You in that way!'
Il believe you" she replied, and her
tone and expression made my heart
leap with indescribable JOY.
Love is sometimes mosg nnwise in
his use Of the reins he puts on pas
sion. Instead of acting as impulse
Il Il IT, I'D
am very different to-day, from what
was last spring" Ii never occurred
10 me how she might interpret those
words
Il know. she replied She waited
several seconds before adding: Il. too,
have changed | see that ! was far
more guilty than you. There is no
excuse for me. | was badly brought
up. as You used to say, but
"No-no.s began 10 protest.
She cnt me short with a sad You
need not be polite and spare my feel
ngs. Let's not talk of it. Let us go
back to the object had in coming
for you to-day
You owe me nothing | repeated.
tied long ago. lost nothing through
them. And I've learned that If had
never known you. Roebuck and Lang
don would still have attacked me-
What my uncle gave me has been
transferred to yon,' said she. woman
fashion. moi hearing what she did not
care to heed ! can't make You ac-
cept II. but there ii is. and there II
stays
Il cannot take IL" said |. If you
insist on leaving 1t in my name,
shall simply return it to Your uncle, :
Il wrote him what | had done she
reioined. His answer came yester.
day. He approves III
Approves it," exclaimed.
You do not know how eccentric he
is" she explained, naturally misun
derstanding my establishment. She
took a letter from her bosom and
handed II TO me. ! read:
Dear Madam 1t was yours 10 dc
with as you pleased. II Won ever find
yourself in the mood to visit. Gull
House is open to you. provided yor
bring no maid. ! will not have female
servants about Yours truly.
HOWARD FORESTER"
You will consent now. will yor
not" she asked as | lifted my eyes
from this characteristic note.
/ saw that her peace of mind wa'
al stake Yes consent.
She gave a great sigh as at the lay
ing down OF a heavy burden. THANH
YOU, was all she said. but she put !
world OF meaning into the words
She took the first homeward turning
We we're nearly at the house beforu
| found words that would pave III,
way toward expressing ny thoaght
my longings and hopes
You say you have forgiven me-
said i. Then we can be-Friends ?
She was silent. and | took her SON
Der expression to mean that sh
feared ! was hiding some subtlety
Il mean Just What say. Anita.
FASTENED to explain. -FrseAds-aim