The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-08-13
CHAPTER XII.
Transformation.

the n overmastering desire of his
life was to win the love of Marion
West and make her his wife. He had
faced the issue calmly and steadily
through a dozen sleepless nights, and
he had reached a point when doubt
was no longer possible.
To resist was useless. The Fates
were against him. He had fought and
struggled till he had no energy left.
He had argued and debated and tenn
ported till brain and will alike seem
ed worn out. Little by little-like an
incoming tide-ths conviction had
crept over him aad submerged him.
He accepted the inevitable at last
with a curious thrill OF gladness
Mingled with pain. He knew what he
wanted-there was satisfaction in that
but beyond that the outlook was as
dark and depressing as it could well
be.
He took no one into his confidence.
From every point OF view his passion
seemed hopeless. There was nothing
for him to do but to lock the secret
In his own heart and endure doggedly
and silently to the bitter end.
What had become of Marion West
be did not know, and he had no means
of finding out. She had disappeared
in the great city and all trace of her
was lost.
But eve II he knew he would be no
better off. She would not listen to
him. The knowledge of what her
father had done had raised an in
superable barrier between them. In
her way she was prouder than he. She
would rather starve than be his wife.
And even II she were willing to OBJ
literate the past as he was willing, he
was still In an utter state of helpless
ness. The finances of Mawgan Chase
were not equal to the maintenance of
another person. They had already re-
duced economy to a fine art. If mar
riage did not mean an additional in
come, then it were folly to dream of
marrying. When he became engaged
to Edith Tremayne this view of the
case was not lost sight of for a mo-
ment. Edith was not only of good
family. but she was an heiress In her
own right. OF course her money was
not the only thing, not even. perhaps,
the principal thing. He had been
taught by his mother to look only
where money existed, and he had been
obedient to her teachings. OF all the
eligible young ladies of his %acquaint-
ance he liked Edith best. He honest
ly believed that he loved her. She
was pretty and sprightly and quick
witted. and he got to be exceedingly
fond OF her. She made much of him.
met all his advances with a delightful
naivete, and took his advice in nearly
everything.
Well, that was an old story, now. He
hoped she was happy with the man
she had married. She had treated
him badly. there was no doubt: had
proved herself to be a heartless and
deceitful fiirt, n for the time being
had destroyed his faith in oman
kind. But he knew now that he had
never loved her. The coming of Mari
on had been a revelation to him.
There were depths in his nature that
Edith Tremayne had never touched
and never could touch. He had en-
couraSed himself TO love her, and
dwelt on her good qualities, and had
reasoned himself into the belief that
she was meant for him.
But in the case of Marion West love
needed no encouragement. 1t sprang
up and fiourished in spite of every
thing. He had tried his hardest to
check its growth. had labored to pull
1t up by the roots. and the more he
had labored the more 1t had grown.
He could forgive Edith now for mar
rying the other man. His eyes had
been opened to distinguish between
the genuine and the counterfeit.
And yet. apart from the JOY Of low
ing. his experience brought him no
SdtiolHStiOu. GfCn Al no COuiu uuu
Marion. win her love, and persuade
her to ignore the past, he was still in
durance from the very fact that he
was not in a position to marry a pen
niless bride, and was incapable of
earning q maintenance for himself
and her.
This fact awoke in him a feeling OF
bitterness amounting almost to con-
tempt. 1t led him to look as his past
life more calmly and dispassionately
than he had ever done before. 1t sug-
gested a number OF questions that had
never before occurred to him, and it
pulled the scales from his eyes In a
way that was distinctly disQuieting.
For the first time in his life he was
brought to close grips with himself.
Up to the present he had been con.
tent to 60 the way Of least resistance.
to accept what had been provided for
him, and to grumble because there
was not Eore Of 1t. He had been
conscious all the time Of q feeling OF
deep dissatisfaction, but had been too
INDECENT to seek out its 1t was
much easier to blame the servants,
the weather, or their strsitened
means.
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