Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1908-08-21
CHAPTER xr1.-,Continusd.

safe, left him. In my sitting room /
found DR.. Awdrey waiting to see me.
II saw Lynn's horse outside, and
dropped in to know If he were here.
should like to see him before he goes, if
YOU don't mind my waiting here"
go in and see him at once" said l..
II have done with him."
He thanked me and went into the Office,
while slipped into my dining room,
which, as 1 have said, is divided from
the Office by half-glazed door, that In
tercepts sound 30 slightly that what takes
place in one room Is audible in the other
II anyone thinks it is wrong to play at
eavesdropping, let them remember that
am only lawyer. / have no compunc-
ton to listening In a case Of this kind.
They had got through their first greet
ing when 1 reached the door, but as
saw through the OLD green taffety cur
tains, they still held each other by the
hand
"A mere sprain; that's all, Painful
enough at first just enough to keep me
from running about you know" Lynn
was saying in his bluff, open tone.
why on earth didn't you write word
OF TWO TO us r asked AWurey.
"Ob, didn't want to make fuss
about trihe-espeoally at such time
and you know what women are when
there's anything the matter with a fell
low" Lynn replied, throwing himself into
a chair.
Your silence made us think that the
accident was not triAe," Audrey said,
half seating himself on the table and fac
ing his friend.
II see now that was to blame. I'm
sorry for 1t. That's all l can say, my
dear fellow"
81 am sorry also. 1t must have trou-
bled Miss Dalrymple; it would have Of
Tended her had she been an ordinary girl.
Old Keene here doesn't like YOU l war
rant he has put a bad construction on
your silence and done his utmost to set
her against you. Indeed 1t taxed my
ingenuity to find excuses for your neg
lect."
Lynn toyed with his riding whip in 81
lence for a few minutes during which
his quick brain had conceived a plausi
BILE means of escaped, and then he said
"Awdrey, old fellow, must tell you
all. can't keep a secret-at any rate,
from you. I purposely stayed away
was purposely silent"
why? Let us have the whole matter
out from beginning to end"
'Some months ago this old rascal here,
Keene-for what purpose l cannot i'm
agine-let me 10 believe that l was heir
to Flexmore's fortune. In the belief that
should before long be In decent posi-
ton to maintain a wife, l sought to win
Gertrude-Miss Dalrymple. Well, on the
day of Flexmore's death l discovered the
truth-that had nothing to expect from
him."
The barefaced effrontery of this lie
nearly took my breath away.
II had been living rather extravaganza
ly," continued Lynn-'beyond my means,
in fact-relying on being able to recoup
myself sooner or later, and then suddenly
realized that l was thrown upon my
own resources, In debt, and incapable of
providing the woman | loved with the
home l had absolutely offered her few
days before. OF course, / am to blame
l know that. l ought to have been pru-
dent, l ought not to have counted upon
FleNmore's generosity, ought not to have
offered my hand before l was assured
beyond the possibility Of doubt that 1
had enough to marry upon. But you
know what I ana headstrong impuls-
i've, thoughtless, reckless, thriftless, I'M
happy wretch r. His voice faltered, he
covered his face with his hands, rose abb
ruptly, stamping with impatience at his
own weakness, and turned in silence to
10 ,.frs -
acting; it took Awdrey in completely. He
rose. went to the window, and, slipping
his hand through the others arm, said
There's nothing objectionable in that,
Lynn-nothing that she will not readily
forgive"
81 know It, Awdrey, and that's the
worst part about 1t. / must break off the
engagement, but l know not how with
such a generous girl as that. 1 know
what she will say when tell her am a
beggar; she will say, No matter, can
wait tin you arc rich Wait-good gra-
ciousl am in debt now; penniless
beggar must remain. l haven't the
ability to gain fifty pounds a year, and
never shall have. No; it must be broken
of. | said that from the first. Do you
Know forced mySell 10 aHront her. that
she might throw me over-I pretended a
brutally cruel feeling towards dear little
Iaure. poor child that Gertrude might
think me unfeeling. l went off to Lon
don without word Of farewell. re-
Trained from writing one kind word-all
with the same purpose. Don't you see
nowl"
Yes; but all that must be made clear
to her" said Audrey, slowly. q
MADE clear to herr Is that the way
to break of this unfortunate engage
ment?"