The Rich Hill tribune., 1908-01-02
cHAPrER xV.--centInued.


CHAPTER Nv.--continued.
The case seems fully proved" she
confessed. laughingly. and 1t is sure
" not my duty TO punish the culprit
What did you talk about? But. pshaW,
] know well enough without asking.
she told you how greatly she admired
the romance OF the west, and begged
you to call upon her with a recital of
your own exploits. Have not guessed
arightg"
Partially. at least; some such ex-
pressions were used"
"of course, they always are. do
not know whether they form merely a
part of fer stock in trade. or are
spoken earnestly. You would laugh to
hear the tales of wild and thrilling ad-
venture which she picks up, and actu-
ally believes. That Jack MoHat pos
sesses the most marvellous imagina-
tion for such things, and II make fun
Of his impossible stories she becomes
angry in an instant"
4 am afraid you do not greatly ad-
mlre this Miss Spencer"
"Oh, hut / do; truly do. You must
not think me ungrateful 40 one has
ever helped me more. and beneath
this mask Of artifciality she is really
a noble-hearted woman. / do not uh-
derstand the necessity for people to-
lead false lives. Is II this way in all
society-eastern society. ! mean? Do
men and women there continually
scheme and firt, smile and stab, for
ever assuming parts like so many play
actors?"
1T is far too common" be admitted.
touched by her naive questioning.
What Is known as fashionable social
life has become an almost pitiful
sham, and you can scarcely conceive
the relief Il is 10 meet with one utter
" uncontamlnated by It's miserable de-
ceits. It's shallow make-believes II is
no wonder you shock the nerves OF
such people; the deed is easily accom-
plished7
But I do not mean to-" And she
looked az him graveiy. striving TO
make him comprehend 4 try so hard
20 be-be commonplace. and-and sat
isiied. Only there Is 80 much that
seems silly. useless. piufully con.
femptibie that | lose all patience.
Perhaps need proper training in what
Aiiss Spencer calls refinement; but
-rhy should l pretend 10 like what /
don't like. and to beiieve what don't
believer Cannot one act lie as well
as speak one? And Is Il no longer
right 20 search after the TRUTH"
= have always felt Il ives our duty
10 discover the truth wherever poszi-
BILE" be said. thoughtiully: yet. /
confess. the search is not fashionable,
nor the earnest seeker popular"
A little trim OF laughter flowed from
between her parted lips, but the sound
was not altogether merry.
Most certainly am not They all
scold me, and repeat with manifest
horror the terrible things I say. being
unconscious that they are evil. Why
should ] suspect thoughts that come
20 me naturally. l want 10 know. TO
understand. / grope about In the
dark. Il seems 10 me sometimes that
this whole world is a mystery / 90
20 Mr. Wynkoop with my questions,
and they only seem 20 shock him.
why should they2 God must have put
all these doubts and wondeTings into
my mind. and there must be an an
swer for them somewhere Mr.. Wyn-
koop Is a good man, / truly respect
him. ! want 10 please him. and / ad.
mire his intellectual attainmeuts. but
how can he accept 50 much on faith
and be contentg I know I am a per.
feet heather. Miss Spencer says !
am,-but do you think II IS 80 awful
Tor me TO want 10 kLow these things -
you merely express clearly what
thousands feel without the moral eour-
age 20 utter Il, The saddest part Of Il
an d. the deeper We dolye the less We
arc satisfied 10 our intellectual ma
tures. We merely succeed In learning
that We are the yeriest pygmies. Men
ike Mr. Wynkoop are simply driyan
b4fi ul.0a faith - 3 last resort. abso