The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-07-23

last gasp of evaporation, eff my girl
marries you l swear will never give her
penny, and ! swear l will never speak
to you again"
Ford looked at him steadily.
81 hear what you say" he said, "and
shall keep you to your word if you
are inclined to break it,
.'What do you mean?" bawled Brack-
II don't like you, Mr.. Brackley. I
don't like your house, and l don't like
your friends I think your daughter will
be we'll away from you. and in time. J.
have hopes that I shall be able to make
her forget you
:. VEL" We AM; Am ! mad am I dreamins'
eff it is. 1 don't see the point Of it:
l don't like you, Mr.. Brackley, and
don't want to see you. / don't mind
your sons. They can come and see me
and their sister,"
''You think 1 would allow my sons to
see their sisters degradation, her
shame! Perhaps you think it is amusing
to live in workhouse?"
Il don't know. There may be worse
places. If you hadn't been able to tide
you might have been living in goal"'
1t was hard hit and true one.
whatever I've done 1 did for my
children. At any rate. [ haven't stolen
into house and persuaded a girl to go
out Of it and starve with me. If you
think you can blackmail me, you are mis-
taken. If you take the girl, she starves
mind that-she starvesw
'But why should she starve?''
''Then what-what do you propose my
daughter is to live on? Though, mind
you, if she marries you she is no longer
daughter of mine"
81 do mind you. Well, she can live on
me. 1 am a very rich man, Mr.. Brack
ley?". ..
that the tutor was bluffing.
every, very rich. One of the richest
men in England. You see, l came here
as tutor-like King Arthur, don't you
know-just to see how the poor live
How the poor live! You needn't III
suit me, sir! To steal my daughter and
rob her of her Inheritance is enough"
you are right, ,Brackley, you are
right" said Ford, dropping into famil-,
iarity very unbecoming in tutor. land
l wasn't speaking the truth. l came
her to sec your daughter. Yours are
not, as you mentioned yourself, the sort
of people whom / am likely to meet.
You must forgive my being vulgar
enough to say so. But l had fallen in
love at sight of her, and l thought II l
made her acquaintance in the ordinary
way, that if She didn't fall in love with
me, you would, and try to persuade her;
I SO wanted to be loved for myself, and
1 was as little sure of that in nv own
world as in yours. I'm nobleman.
"a nObleman!' 80
Haven't you heard of Lord Ascot!
see you have. Well, he is the rlcnest
nobleman in Rutland, if not the Oldest
l. tn6
gone on a yachting expedition. Well. 1t
wasn't true. His yacht went, but he did
not He went on an expedition to Lam
caster Gate"
Lord Ascot. You!'
"'Yes, and | am so glad that in marry
ing Mabel l shall not be marrying her
family. l was a little afraid l should
have to, and | was quite prepared to
make the sacrifice. But you have maze
the way easy"
BracSley sank into a chair. The reve-
lation had been too much for him. Ii
was some minutes before he could speak.
''Then / have the honor to tell you,
Lord Ascott,' he said, gathering strength
as he went on, II have the honor TO tell
you that you have behaved like a cad.
You steal into a mans house and get
his daughters affections under the pre-
tense that you are a penniless tutor. You
take advantage of a fathers natural and
proper anger at such ruin for his daugh,
ter to break with him and to cut him Off
from that daughters love. You may be
a nobleman, by name, if not by nature.
and YOU may be a rich man, but [ don't
take back a word which l said to Ford
the tutor-except, perhaps, what l said
about our not being likely to meet"
"By j0ve! you've got more spirit in you
than | bargained for?' said Lord AS
cott Il am beginning to be sorry for the
first time that you swore you would never
speak to your daughter again II she mar
ried me-"
But at that moment Mabel burst into
the room
Il can't bear the suspense any long
Their? l see he has. You must forgive
him and me-"
She went and stood by the young man,
taking his hand
Your father has sworn that if you
marry. me ne will never speak to you
again."
and Went to her father. "You can't
mean that. 1 love Mr.. Ford: l don't
mind trying to work for my living. But
| do want to be happy. And | couldn't
be happy if you cast me off like that
and cast him off too
$50 you would leave your father for
this man?" said Bracklev.
II would leave you for him because he
is to be my husband. But love you,
father, and if you do this dreadful
thing you will know that you are spoil
ing my life-and spelling it just when
1 ought to be happy"
The two men looked at each other.
eve mustn't spoil her happiness, even
to please ourselves, said the young man.
II expect you will have to break your
oath. Brackley; and 1 shall have to grin
when YOU do it. Shall we fall on our
knees and ask your blessing?"
But at that Mr.. Bracklev turned and
left the room hurriedly.
HE will forgive us, I'm sure he will,
said Mabel. :,
Il think so, darling; and we shall yet
learn to like each other-he and l.
Reginald Turner in the Saturday Jour-