Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-09-03
! CHAPTER xIi.-fcontInued.

ludt uS was SeILlnS OUT TO London, bllt
to make himself worthy of her, and tc
provide the means without which he
could not ask her be his The task
be had set before him was nothing
less than the redemption Of self. He
had been slowly rusting, steadily dc.
teriorating, losing unconsciously
moral muscle and fiber. The dawn OF
love was like a mirror held up to Ma.
ture, revealing to him not only what
he was, but what he might be: and to
60 back now on all his hopes and
dreams aud resolutions would be COW.
ardice Of the worst kind.
Unfortunately, in his defense he had
NOT the courage to take his mother
into his confidence. To tell her that
he was going out into the world to
win back his lost self, that he might
win and wed the daughter of their
greatest enemy, required more daring
than he possessed To her preiudiced
eyes such proposition would not only
be grotesque. but absolutely idiotic.
Even to himself the adventure seemed
SO quixotic that he hardly dared think
Of 1t In specific terms.
For the moment, however, the flu
ture beckoned him, and love urged him
on. To what difficulties, to what
dangers, TO what humiliations, to what
defeats he was marching he did not
KNOW and he did not very much care.
Love blinded his eyes to all minor
matters If he could win Marion. and
win himself in the effort, the compen-
satlon would be more than sufficient.
He listened very patiently and sym
pathetically to all his mother had. ts
say. Her grief touched him to the
quick, and yet he angered her unwit-
tingly.
Il know you sacrificed a lot to send
me to Oxford, he said. But IN to
the present what has been the use Of
! am hoping now shall be able
to turn my education to some ac-
count
Ny dear son." she exclaimed tear
fully, why will you take that common
commercial view? should have
thought that culture FOR its own sake
-----n
Yes, yes. mother" he interrupted;
II quite agree with you, of course.
Still, since we have to live, and we
cannot live without such common
things as food, and clothes, and fuel.
one is justified in turning his educa-
ton to account"
.In your case there is no such
necessity
Excuse me, there is very great
necessity" he replied. 1--WE are al
ways on the edge of the last sover-
sign. We are always denying our
I selves. A dozen replenishments are
needed, and we cannot afford them.
We cannot afford trip abroad, or
even a holiday nearer home. Ii we
only had the courage. to give up this
penny pomp and. show, and were con-
tent with a modest villa or fiat, with
what I can earn we should be in
clover,
This was the last straw. The mere
suggestion of a villa was nearly as bad
as suggesting the workhouse. Burst
4 Ing into paroxysm Of tears she stole
3 dejectedly out Of the room.
Clement was glad when the time
came for him to take his departure
The atmosphere of Mawgan Chase be-.
came more and more depressing. Mrs.
MaWgaIl was sarcastic and pathetic.
by turns. Esther alone kept a bright.
and cheerful countenance. In her heart
she admired her brother for his cour-
i age, and looked forward to long Wis
its8to London which should more than
compensate for the lonely days and
weeks that would intervene.
Clement had been gone rather more
i than month, and Esther and her
mother were settling down comforta-.
bly, to the new condition Of things,
when news was brought to Mawgan
Chase by Grayton that the Nebraska
was beginning to break mp, and that
y already q quantity OF passengers lug1
4 gage had been washed up by the tide
Esther was all excitement IN mo-
s5ment, and insisted ION taking a walk
& at once TO st. Chloe bay.
Grayton felt his heart give d sud.
den bound. IL Esther went to st.
Chloe bay she would be sure to walk
with him as far as the village. Per-
4 haps she would allow him to go with
4 her as far as she went. Perhaps She
would allow him To return with her to
MawSan Chase Perhaps But he
checked himself suddenly at that
point.
sss Mrs. MaWgan raised numerous OBJ
jections The day was cold, the wind
ma e,iataIn,,s the road era mn sY.
VI xavepx