Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-02-11

nice! When that woman died the sum
of $4,000 was found pinned to your
| dress; it was of course manifestly to
pay tho.e who should take care of you.
| The Morningstars kept this fact from
you, making believe you owed them Il
great debt for their charity toward
you"
Eunice gazed at him in amaZement
an intensified excitement in her eyes.
81 am not. then. under the least OBJ
legation to them" she said breatillcss-
ly. 1T is this. then, which Abe has
/ meant by his many insinuations that
If knew certain thing he knew |
would defy his parents. never
dreamed of anything like this. Then
I am free free and not slave!"
$50 then" he abruptly asked, unable
| to repress the question that spranS to
his lips. you will defy them and mar
| ry Abe? 1t has been your supposed
obligation to them that has held you
| back from doing what they disapprov-
ed?"
She looked at him, an expression In
| her eyes that was ineXplicable to him.
! She did not answer him. Suddenly
her lashes droored, and to his con-
sternation he saw two great tears roll
| over her face. Her relation with Abe
/ was actually matter of deep feeling.
| 1t was, to lie sure, not more impossi-
BILE than everything else about her.
There might be plenty Of excuse for
her being in love with Abe in view OF
| her lifelong environment, but he felt
an intolerance, almost disgust, with
| 1t that rather dampened his enthusi-
asm in championing her cause. She
didn't seem worth while If she were
capable of that At the same time her
distress gave him an impulse to go to
! her, child that she was. take out his
handkerchief and wipe away her tears.
Being kind to her was luxurious
pleasure. she was so grateful for kind
ness But he felt the need Of restrain
ing himself He abruptly asked her a
question
"Why do you bear 1t so meekly when
Mrs. Morningstar browbeats and In
suits you before other people too!
Why do you allow her to?'
She had sunk back in her chair limp
ly. The warmth and color had all
gone from her. She looked up at him,
but the fire had died out of her eyes.
"Why should | mind it? 1t Is to me
as hens cackle."
Her words gave Kinross shock OF
astonishment He felt thrill Of pride
in her, mingled with humorous sense
| of her remoteness from all ordinary
standards. So it was not poverty Of
spirit that made her so forbearing,
but a largeness Of mind that made
the woman's noisy upbraidings Of no
least moment to her.
"You are happy, indeed, to be able
to rise above 1t instead of letting 1t
make you suffer misery and rage"
She did not answer. The subject was
evidently without interest to her.
"But let us not speak Of her." he
said, anxious to restore the radiance
that had so suddenly and mysteriously
left her. 81 have a notion that l want
to examine you-may l!-as to your
knowledge of these books" glancing
toward the bookcase. with a view to
getting you employment II 1t prove
necessary"
"If 1t prove necessary? You mean,'
she asked. her voice subdued. her eyes
again downcast. "if I don't marry
Abe?"
"Wel!. yes" he lied
Her lip quivered. but she caught 1t
under her teeth and after an instant
answered him quietly.
81 am ready to be examined"
Evidently he wounded her by his
references to Abe. He did not under
stand it. However. he would avoid
that subject, too, hereafter.
He told her then what he had not