Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-08-29
CHAPTER XIV.


chat but he had to make the best of it
now-perhaps coasoiing himself with the
reflection that he would not stand !;
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
= bully they have teascd beforehand!
IT think this is scarcely a 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. al know / am not perfect but
you must admit that allowances should
be made for fellow under the influence
of-of emotion"
az am willing to admit that man
under that condition is not responsible
for his actions-is that enoughT
'If you admit that, what am l to IN
derstaad by your present attitudef You
seem to forget what took place before
went away"
But do not. You made me an offer
OF marriage: but am I wrong In thinking
that you made that under the influence
of emotion? l absolve you from respon-
sibiIity for action under that condition.
May 1 not suppose that you were beside
yourself when you made that proposal,
and overlook the mistake as readily as
that you have committed SINGER
ut 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 am-yet
an honest fellow-and be my wife"
Nurse Gertrude was not greatly moved
with this speech, which had very little
appearance of depth and sincerity IN H.
despite the quavering of that manly voice.
May l ask why you have thought 1t
necessary to ask me second time r she
asked. trying to Ak his shifty eyes, and
learn the truth from them.
sWell. your manner seems to imply
that you consider the engagement broken
off,"
''I did think 1t broken off. Had l not
reason to think soF'
''Oh, yes the way / spoke to you ana
little Laurie was objectionable"
He nausea 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, If she should re-
sent his silence, with few words or a
kiss or two. and without going into any
more vexatious explanation than mere
avowal of manly weakness under trying
circumstances. DR.. Awdrey had told him
to confess the truth, and conceal nothing,
adding that a woman would forgive the
man she loves anything except dupncity.
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 II presented a certain attraction
In being untruthful, would require good
deal Of boistering up to support his as
sumption Of honesty and generosity. How
ever. he had bungled so 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 slash at his leg, II was pur-
posely brutal to little Laure and you.
/ wished you to take offense and relieve
me from the enga cement"
THAT Is what | thought was the
only construction l could put upon your
behavior" said she.
81 dare say you wonder what my rea-
son was. / will tell you. l can't conceal
the truth. and l know veil enough that
there's nothing 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 DIR. Awdrey's.
II knew that through Keene's delay
was ruined-that l had nothing whatever
to expect from my unce's will. l knew
that | must no longer cherish the thought
of making you my wife, in debt and pen
niless as l was, and-but there. you can
imagine the rest"
''You wanted to give me the opportu-
nifty Of breaking the engagement, before il
might appear that our separation was due
10 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.
selfish-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 a tone that seemed to disclain
any merit to gratitude.
"But you wronged me, Lynn" she saic
gently-'you wronged me, to think
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 It. If he had been wis,
enough to tell her all that had passed be
tween him and Awdrey, she would hav,
been his without doubt In return for al
oman ayowal che would have swept asid
my warning and all prudential con
siderations, put the best construction OIL
his motives, and scorned to entertain an,
suspicion Of mercenary motives whicl
might be suggested by his conduct. Nov
was tho time for him to spring up an,
put his arms around her; but he hum
back, the dolt- With that perverse idea
Of a girls mental inferiority, he though
he had told her enough Possibly he wa
annoyed In being forced to abandon hi
l.