The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-03-12
mental picture of EInice transplanteo

her thrilling TOic3, her natural dignity.
in contrast 10 Miss IEo,cott's funny.
dum-g little figure. abrupt manner and
almost coaT~e features.
The girl would appear distinguish
ed beside her he thought.
Then she is a crJr3e, ynaiucateI
country girl, quite unfit for decent So
ciety?' she demanded.
at depends upon what you mean by
decent"
is she quite hopeless. or could some
thing possibly he done for herr"
Her blood ought to tell for some
thing he said, not. without touch OF
malice.
.."Unless. she has been ruined by Leg
environment. And it would be too late
now to make up for her lac$ OF edu-
cation. OF course they never sent her
to school,"
mot after she was twelve years
old"
"Gracious'
"She has never been away from the
farm except" he stoically added, 80
go with her foster parents to town to
market to sell vegetables, butter and
eggs, smearcase, apple butter, pon
haus, snits and sauerkraut."
She gaZed at him speechless.
LET her have itr' he thought. "It
will do her good. If she does the right
thing, she will find out for herself
what the child really is"
What would the poor girl do with
Wealth. she asked in hollow voice
"You say she is utterly unfit to use it,"
II have seen many rich people no
better fitted
His eyes were constantly drawn to
the confession" which she firnli:'
held in her hand. He had an appre-
hensiOn that at any moment he might
see her tear it into shreds and defy
him to do his worst Yet an inborn
instinct of courtesy, stronger than his
vaunted cynicism, made it impossible
for him to ask her for the paper until
he had given her every chance to re-
turn it voluntarily.
"a fine lawyer I'd maker ne sneer-
ed at himself
"Then," she continued, granting, for
the sake of argument, that l believed
this paper tapping it with her fin
ger, II would at least have to try to
civiliZe her somewhat before | turned
over to her the control Of her money
1t would be an actual wrong to her to
give it to her before she was some
what prepared to use it nationally and
decently."
II think So
knowledge of her that go about it,"
She put the question tentatively.
you might travel with her There's
Europe, you know. Art galleries and
cathedrals are very civilizing. So con-
sidered, believe"
Il can't understand, Peter Kinross.
how you can jest about thing which
you must see touches me to the quick
in my most vulnerable spot, my fam
fly pride.'
But you know l always did think
you pampered that vulnerable spot.
And pampered things get spoiled. A
little exposure of the spot won't hurt
It,"
'The girl is of age. She might not
consent to my patronage. She might
want to take things into her own
hands at once. Can't you," she urged,
"give me some idea of what she is
like?'
81 prefer to leave your mind unpreju-
diced to judge for yourself"
"She must be dreadful!'
Il don't see that that follows"
ELISE you'd reassure me. You
wouldn't let me suffer such dread as
shall suffer from now until know the
worst"
CLOTHES make lot of difference,
you know" he said consolingly. "At
least l know women think so. Dress
her up. That will help"
She ignored his fiippancy. How do
you think she will take 1.-THE news
that she's an heiress?'
''Then you acknowledge her claims!''
he quickly asked.
"She claims the money, of course?'
"She knows nothing of it. I have
not even told her her name"
"Why have you not?'
81 thought it best to find out first
whether you would credit my story.
1t would have been cruel to raise her
hopes of being an heiress only to dis
appoint them in case you are unwilling
to make over to her her fathers for
tune"
Unwilling? Is it question of my
being willing or unwilling?" she asked
with touch Of bitterness.
81 must tell you that however sure
you and l might feel Of her identity
the legal proof is too weak to establish
any claims
She looked at him keenly. "Well?
What are you driving at:''
mo one can force you to part with
a dollar of this money"
"Indeedv'
'That is my conviction"
1T is very interesting" she said.
struggling her shoulders.
He looked at her dubiously.
II think see your point" she add
ed.
II believe I've lost 1t myself" he
declared. "Just what is 1t, anyway?
Help me out"
"You are doing me the honor to be-
a. 4 - T..