The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-04
A CLASSIC IN A AA@7
c0pYRIGHT N90@. W JW NUllER. All HEGETS RESERVEDe

Mrs. Transome did not reply. but carriage in which she was to drive with her son to see Esther. But the Transomes did not arrive as bearers of news. Johnson, deciding to cheat his partner, Christian, had brought the secret to her, in the belief that his reward there would be better than 1t would be through the Transomes.
 So Esther was not startled when the Transomea arrived in their grand equipage and asked her to spend a few days at Transome Court in order to decide on an equitable arrangement. Harold Transome, looking at the beau tiful girl as he spoke thought that perhaps a good arrangement might be a marriage. He had no romantic il- lusions about love.
 Esther sat with her hands clasping those of Mir. Lyon. You will always live with me, father?" said she. striy- ing to bring to 6 sense of reality this surprising dream. She had hardly ut- tered the words before she saw, as in vision shown by c lightning flash. the incongruity of her past, which had created around her the sanctities and affections of her life, with that future which was coming to her. Her father. with the grandeur of his past sorrows and sacrifices, giving up his vocation and vulgarly accepting an existence of petty worldly grandeur! She was ashamed of having asked the question. Her face flushed with the excitement of the vision, which i've months ago she would have been incapable of see- ing.
 When Jermyn learned that Esther was at Transome Court he saw his imminent peril. He hurried to see Mrs. Transome and demanded that she save him. It was curious interview. IEs- pecially curious were Jermyn's last words: You can save me if you will. It is not to be supposed that Harold would go on against me-if he knew the whole truth"
 Mrs. Transome arose. with a sudden light in her handsome eyes. "Be ruined!" said she. "Noi Do somethins more dastardly to save yourself! I have sinned. but my judgment fell on me beforehand-that l ahould have sinned for man like your
 Jermyn withdrew, crushed and des- perate. Harold pushed the suit wig orously. determined to ruin and dis grace the lawyer.
 Meantime Harold Transome's nrst chance thought that all trouble about the estate might be settled by a mar riage between him and Esther became settled determination as nc grew to know her. He slost no opportunity of making himself as attractive to her as a handSome. well bred man of the world can. He would have been vast ly surprised had he been told that his very breeding and charm and manner only led Esther's mind to a critical and unflattering comparison of him with the cravatless workingman Felix Holt.
 He did. indeed. learn from Esther's own lips that she took a deep interest in him, and this led him to make determined effort to save the young Radical. When Holt's trial came on, he was the most important witness for him, telling frankly how Felix had re- monstrated with him against bribing the non-voters to enter the town and engage in drunken disorder.
 Felix told his own story simply and well. He had refused to engage a lawyer, and pleaded his cause himself. He called witnesses who swore that he had always tried to induce the workingmen not to drink, and that in- stead of preaching political doctrine he had set up schools for the children and otherwise tried to enlIghten the laboring classes.
 But there had been many witnesses who swore that they had seen Felix lead the rioters Esther, listening to the trial with growing misery. felt that all had not been said which might have been said on his behalf. Before Felix was aware of 1t she was on her way to the witness box. In that su- preme moment she stood divested of all personal considerations, whether of vanity or shyness. In a clear voice,