, 1908-06-11

and the Hrst time l saw marian Dever-
eux she was with hint was at
sherry's the night before I came here.
suppose she reached st. Agatha's
only a few hours ahead Of me"
Yes. Sister Theresa was her guar
dian. Her father was a dear friend,
and | knew her from her early child.
hood. You are mistaken, Jack. Her
knowing Pickering can nothing
they both lived in New York and
moved in the same circle"
But It doesn't explain her efforts
to help him. does it?" l blazed. HE
wished to marry her,-Sister Theresa
told me that,-and I failed-I failed
miserably to keep my obligation here
I ran away to follow herr"
All to be sure! You were away
Christmas eve, when those vandals
broke in. Bates merely mentioned it
In the last report | got from him In
New York. That was all right. as
sumed, of course, that you had gone
off somewhere to get a little Christ.
mas cheer: I don't care anything
about It,"
But I had followed her-I went to
CINCINNATI " oCc Hel-uOn I you un-
derstand? She dared me to comet
was a trick, a part of the conspiracy
to steal your property"
The old gentleman smiled. It was
an old trick Of his to grow calm as
other people waxed angry.
She dared you to come. did she!
That is quite like Marian; but YOU
didn't have to go, did you, JACKIE
"Of course not; of course | didn't
have to go, but"
stammered, faltered and ceased.
Memory threw ORE her portals With
u challenge. I saw Marian on tie
stairway at the Armstrong;; 1 heard
her low, soft laughter: 1 felt the mock.
cry Of hor voice and eyes: | knew
again the exquisite delight of being
near her. My heart told me well
enough why I had followed her!
Jack. I'm glad I'm not buried up
there in that Vermont graveyard with
nobody to exercise the right of guar
dianship ovor O I've had my mis-
sivings about you; I used to think you
were a born tramp; and you disap-
pointed me In turning you back On
architecture.-the noblest of all pro-
fessions: but this performance Of
yours really beats them all. Don't
o know that a girl like Marian De-
vsreux isn't likely to become the agent
of any rascal? Do you really believe
for a minute that she tempted you to
follow her SO you might forfeit your
rights to my property"
4 But why was she trying to And
those notes Of his? Why did she
come back from Cincinnati with his
party? II you could answer me those
things, maybe I'd admit that I'm .
fool. Pickering, I imagine. is a pretty
plausible fellow where women are con
cerned."
"For Gods sake. Jack, don't speak
Of that girl as women! l put her in
that will Of mine Just to pique your
curiosity. knowing that II there was q
penalty on you marrying her you
would be wholly likely to do it.-for
that's the way human beings are
made. But you've mixed 1t all up now
and ~insulted her in the grossest way
possible for a fellow who is really q
gentleman. And l don't want to lose
you; I want you here with me! These
rich Americans, who 60 to England to
live, don't appreciate the beauty Of
their OWE country. This landscape Is
worthy Of the best that man can do.
And I didn't undertake to build .
crazy house out here but one that
should have some dignity and charac-
ter. That passage around the chin.
ney II an indulgence, Jack.-Tu admit
it's a little bizarre.-you see that
chimney isn't SO big outside as It 10
inland he laughed and rubbed his
knees,-"and my bringing foreign
laborers here was really to make 1t
easier to get things done my way
Wait till you have seen the May-apples
blossom and heard he robin sing In
the summer twilight.-help me to
finish the house.-then II you want
to leave I'll bid you Godspeed."
The feeling In his tone. the display
OF sentiment 90 at variance with my
old notion Of him. touched me in spite
OF myself. There was a characteristic
nobility and dignity in his plan; It
was worthy OF him. And l had never
loved him as now. when he nnished
this appeal, and turned away to the
window, gazing out upon he somber
woodland.
"Mr. Donovan 10 ready to 80. SIR
announced Bates at the door, and we
went into the library. where Larry ana
stoddard were waiting.
CHAPTER XVI.