Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-05-22
CHAPTER XIV.

ed on the ground. He couldn't stand
chaf but he had to make the best of 1t
now-perhaps consoling himself with the
reflection that he would not stand 1t
after their marriage. / can imagine him
promising himself to break her in and
bring her to meek submission In the fu-
ture. Pity those poor souls who marry
a bully they have teased beforehand!
Il think this is scarcely time for
badinage," said he, after a pause, still
looking upon the ground and tracing the
pattern of the carpet with the lash of his
whip. 81 know / am not perfect; but
you must admit that allowances should
be made for fellow under the influence
of-of emotion"
II am willing to admit that man
under that condition is not responsible
for his actions-is that enouSh2"
''If you admit that, what am l to un-
derstand by your present attitude? You
seem to forget what took place before l
went away"
But l do not. You made me an offer
of marriage; but am wrong in thinking
that you made that under the influence
of emotionf | absolve you from respon-
sibility for action under that condition.
May l not suppose that you were beside
yourself when you made that proposal,
and overlook the mistake as readily as
that you have committed since"
'It was not a mistake, Gertrude
loved you then as love you now; have
come here this afternoon to ask you again
II you will have me, faulty as l am-yet
an honest fellow-and bs my wife,"
Nurse Gertrude was not greatly moved
with this speech. which had very little
appearance Of depth and sincerity In II,
despite the quavering Of that manly voice.
May ask why you have thought 1t
necessary to ask me a second timer she
asked, trying to fix his shifty eyes, and
learn the truth from them.
"Well, your manner seems to imply
that you consider the engagement broken
off,"
IT did think It broken Of. Had l not
reason to think so?"
"Oh, yes; the way l spoke to you and
little Laurs was objectionable"
He paused and looked down again to
escape from her fathoming eyes. He had
probably thought that there would be lit
tie difficulty in his way, and that he could
Just reconcile Gertrude, :. II she should re-
sent his silence, with a few words or
kiss or two, and without going into any
more ve1atious explanation than mere
avowal Of manly weakness under trying
circumstances. DR.. Awdrey had told him
to confess the truth, and conceal nothing
adding that woman would forgive the
man she loves anything except duplicity.
But Lynn, in his own conceited, pig
headed way, had fully relied on his own
cleverness his contempt for women In
general disposed him to tell them no more
than was necessary. He would rather
have avoided an explanation which,
though It presented certain attraction
In being untruthful, would require a good
deal of bolstering up to support his as
sumption Of honesty and generosity. How
ever, he had bungled 80 disastrously In
his own attempt, that he saw no escape
from his dilemma but by acting now on
Awdrey's suggestion.
THE fact is," said he, changing his
tone with a slash at his leg, Il was pur-
posely brutal to little Laure and you.
/ wished you to take offense and relieve
me from the engagement"
''That is what / thought-it was the
only construction I could put upon your
behavior" said she.
II dare say you wonder what my rea-
son was. will tell you. can't conceal
ha nd Ennw wall onnnUh that
there's nothing a loving woman will not
forgive, except duplicity."
A new warmth glowed In Gertrude's
heart She liked those words; they were
good and true-it never struck her that
they might be DR.. Awdrey's.
II knew that through Keene's delay
was ruined-that had nothing whatever
to expect from my uncle's will. I knew
that l must no longer cherish the thought
Of making you my wife, in debt and pen
niless as was, and-but there, you can
imagine the rest"
"You wanted to give me the opportu-
nifty Of breaking the engagement, before it
might appear that our separation was due
to mercenary considerations on my part
Oh, that was generous - exclaimed Nurse
Gertrude, carried away by her own impul-
sive and generous recognition of an un-
selfsh-nay, a chivalrous motive on his
part. All my warning was forgotten in
an instant.
81 did not want to tell you this" he
said, in tone that seemed to disclaim
any merit to gratitude.
"But you wronged me, Lynn" she said
gehtly-"you wronged me, to think l
might wish to break the engagement be-
cause you were less rich than you ex-
pected to be when you made me an offer"
She held out her hand to him frankly,
and he took 1t. If he had been wise
enough to tell her all that had passed be-
tween him and Awdrey, she would have
been his without doubt. In return for an
open avowal, she would have swept aside
my warning and all prudential con-
siderations, put the best construction on
his motives, and scorned to entertain any
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