Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-05-15
NV ~
CHAPTER Xn.-yContinued. }

"Ae' ieIt MIN. In my sitting room
round DIR. Awdrey waiting to see me.
L saw Lynn's horse outside, and ]
cropped in to know If he were here.
should Like to see him before he goes, II
you don't mind my waiting here"
10 in and see him at once" said
i have done with him."
de thanked me and went into the Office
while l slipped into my dining room
which, as l have said, is divided from
the office by half-glazed door, that in
tercepts sound 50 slightly that what takes
place in one room Is audible in the other
IL anyone thinks 1t is wrong to play at
eavesdropping, let them remember that
am only lawyer. l have no compunc-
tion to listening in case of this kind.
They had got through their first greet
Ing when I reached the door, but as l
saw through the old green taffety cur
tains, they still held each other by the
hand
"A mere sprain; that's all. Painful
enough et 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
or two to us?" asked Awdrey
"Oh, | didn't want to make fuss
about trife-especially at such a time
and you know what women are when
there's anything the matter with a fell
low" Lynn replied, throwing himself into
. chair.
"Your silence made US think that the
accident was not a trife," Awdrey 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"
II am sorry also. 1t must have trou-
bled Miss Dalrympls; 1t would have Of
tended her had she been an ordinary girl.
Old Keene here doesn't like you war
rant he has put a bad construction on
your silence and done his utmost to set
her against you. Indeed II 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-
ble means of escape), and then he said /:
"Awdrey, old fellow, l must tell you
all. i can't keep a secret-at any rate,
from you. l purposely stayed away-I
was purposely silent"
why? Let US have the whole matter
out from beginning to end"
Some months ago this old rascal here,
Keens-for what purpose l cannot i'm
agine-let me to believe that 1 was heir
TO Flexmore's fortune. In the belief that
! should before long be In a decent posi-
ton to maintain a wife, sought to win
Gertrude Dalrymple. Well, on the
day Of Flexmore's death I discovered the
truth-that l had nothing to expect from
him"
The barefaced effrontery of this lie
nearly took my breath away.
II had been living rather e1travagant-
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 l loved with the
home l had absolutely offered her a few
days before. OF course, am to blame
know that. l ought to have been pru-
dent, l ought not to have counted upon
Flexmores generosity, ought not to have
offered my hand before l was assured
beyond the possibility Of doubt that |
had enough to marry upon. But you
know what l ana headstrong, impuls-
i've, thoughtless, reckless, thriftless, un-
happy wretch !" His voice faltered, he
covered his face with his hands, rose alb
ruptly, stamping with impatience at his
own weakness, and turned in silence to
the window. 1t was not bad piece Of
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 1t, Awdrey, and that's the
worst part about it. l must break off the
engagement. but l know not how with
such generous girl as that l know
what she will say when l tell her am
beggar she will say, No matter, can
wait till you are rich Wait-good gra-
cious ! am in debt now; a penniless
beggar must remain. l haven't the
ability to gain fifty pounds year, and
never shall have. No; it must be broken
off. | said that from the first. Do you
know, | forced myself to affront her, that
she might throw me over-I pretended a
brutally cruel feeling towards dear little
Laure, poor child that Gertrude might
think me unfeeling. went off to Lon
don without a word Of farewell, l re-
Trained from writing one kind word-all
with the same purpose. Don't you see
now?"
"Yes but all that must be made clear
to her." said Awdrey, slowly.
Made clear to herr Is that the way
to break off this unfortunate engage
ment?"
mo- but there Is no necessity to break
off the engagement"
what do you mean? Surely you
wouldn't have me ask her to wait till
grow rich-rich I, who never did a
decent days work In my life"