Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-08-21
CHApTnR xII.-(Continued.l

II saw Lynn's- horse outside, and
dropped In to knew II he were here.
should like to zee him before he goes, II
yDU dent mind my waiting here"
'0o In and see him at once" said 1.
II hare done with him."
He. thanked me and went into the Office,
while slipped into my dining room,
which, 40 I have said. 10 divided from
the once By q half-glazed door, that in
tsrcsrss sound 70 slightly that what takes
placo In enc room 10 audible In the other.
tf anyone thinks It 10 wrong to play at
savesdropping, let them remember that
am only Q lawyer. I have no eompunc-
ton 70 listsntng In q case Of this kind.
They had got through their first greet
ing when / reached the door. but as
Rw through the old green taftety cur
taina, they still held each other by the
kand.
"A mere sprain; that's all. Painful
enough at first; just enough to keep me
from running about, you know" Lynn
wAs saying in his bluff, open tone.
why on earth didn't you write word
er two to us7" asked Awdrey.
~Oh, didn't want to make q fuss
about especially at such time
and you know what women are when
ehere's anything the matter with fell
low" Lynn replied. throwing himself into
Q chair.
~Your silence made Us think that the
accident was not a trihe," Awdrey said,
half eeating himself on the table and fac
ing his friend.
II sea now that was to blame. I'm
l., a Wha& Ill ~
dear fellow"
II am sorry also. 1t must have trou-
bled Miss Dalrymple; it would have Of
tended her had she been an ordinary girl.
OLD Keens here doesn't like you; war
Ant he has put bad construction on
POUR silence and done his utmost to set
har agatnak you. Indeed It taxed my
ingenuity TO find excuses for your neg
lect."
Lynn tcyed with his riding whip in 81
leneo fer q few minutes during which
his quick brain had conceived a plaus-
Die means Of ESCAPED, and then be said !:
"Awdfey, old fellow, l must tell you
all. / can't keep a secret-at any rate,
from zen. / purposely stayed away
was purposely silent"
"WAy3 Let us have the whole matter
cut from beginning to end.
''Some months ago this old rascal here,
Keene-for what purpose cannot Inn
agfne-let me to believe chat was heir
% F1exmore's fortune. In the belief that
] should before long be in decent posi-
ton to maintain . wife, sought TO win
Gertrude-Miss Dalrymple. Well, on the
day Of Flexmore's death discovered the
truth-tAat had nothing to expect from
him"
The barefaced effrontery Of this lie
nearly toOk my breath away.
II had been living rather extravaGant-
b. centinusd Lynn-''beyond my means,
IN fAct-Felying on being able to recoup
myself sooner o. later, and then suddenly
realized that was thrown upoa my
own requires. IN debt, and incapable d
providing the woman l loved with the
home had absolutely offered her q few
days before. OF course, am to blame
know that. ought to have been pru-
dent, ought not to have counted upon
EleKm0re's generosity, ought not to have
offered my hand before was assured
beyond the possibility Of doubt that
had enough to marry upon. But you
know what ana headStrong. impulS
I've, thoughtless, reckless, thriftless, un-
happy WretchY His voice faltered, he
covered his face with his hands, rose alb
ruptly, stamping with lmpatlence at hdd
own weakness, and turned In silence tc
the window. 1t was not a bad piece Of
acting: It took Audrey in completely. He
rose, went to the window, and, slipping
his hand through the others arm, said
There's nothing objectionable in that
Lynn-nothlng that she will not readily
forgive"
II know II, Awdrey, and that's tht
worst part about 1t. must break OF thG
engagement, but know not how viii
such a generous girl a. that. know
what she win say when tell her am q
beggar: she will say, No matter, car
walt till you are rich.' Wait-good gra
eiousl am In debt now; q pennllesl
beggar l must remain. l haven't tn,
ability to gain fifty pounds q year, anG
never shall have. No; It must be broker
OF. said that from the first. Do yoV
know, l forced myself TO affront her, thal
she might throw me overI pretended I
brutally cruel feeling towards dear IIttl,
Laurie, poor child that Gertrudo nigh
think me unfeSling. went OF to Lon
don without q word Of farewell, re
Trained from writing one kind wcrd-al
with the same purpose Don't ron -
nOwT
'Yes; bat al that must be made cleal
b her" said AWdrey, slowly.
shade clear 10 herf Il that the wa,
70 break Of dis unfortunate engage
naentl"
mo; but there IL no necessity 30 brsal
OF the engagement"
"What do you mean3 Surely 70,
wouldn't have me ask her to wait till
grow rich-richi l, who never did
decent days work In my life"
"No; you will not ask her that. Sh
did not inquire whether you were rio
Or poor wksn she consented to be you
wife; she win not refuse you now for an
reason Of that kind. You must explai
your silence, and ask her to marry 20
at once. Listen to me- Lynn am nc
advising you without reason. Flexmo1
wished you to be the guardian, with Nil
Dairymple, Of little Laure, and to tai
the interest Of the money in trust for hi
until she came Of age. By an accidel
that wish was prevented from being lega
~ carried cut but, virtually, you are I
lanch entitled to the money as though Il