The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-08-20

silence. Her mother, IL she knew,
would be terribly upset, and 1t was
Just as well she should he kept In ig-
norance.
But he might have told me-" she
said to herself. with a frown. HE
knew how anxious I was, and how
fond OF the child | had become"
Then a troubled expression came
into her eyes, and she went to the
window and looked out on the rain
sodden lawn.
said to herself. "Is she less worthy
because her father was not a good
man? Is she to be punished for what
was done before she was born? If
she were to come to me now through
the wind and rain, would | refuse to
take her in?"
The tears came into her eyes again
and her lips trembled in spite OF her.
self.
II don't care what her father was"
she said to herself, resolutely. "She
is a lovely girl and worthy Of any
body's affection, and II | had it in my
power she should never be friendless
or lonely
She heard the dining room door
open and shut. Clement had come
down stairs. and most likely her moth
er also. She would have to go In to
breakfast and hide her excitement as
best she could.
Both her mother and Clement look
ed up from their letters AS she enter
ed and greeted her in the usual fash
ion, but they were too interested in
their correspondence to pay any at
tention to her.
The meal proceeded very largely in
silence. Mrs. Mawgan grumbled at
the weather, which she usually did,
whatever it might be. Clement re-
marked that they did not ordinarily
have long days of sunshine in Deem
Der. Esther suggested that they
ought TO be grateful for comfortable
rooms and a warm Preside and suf-
ficient to eat and drink. This led to
some "reminiscences of an earlier time
on the part Of Mrs. Mawgan, and
then silence fell.
Directly breakfast was over Glenn
ent retired to the library and shut the
door. He was very miserable and he.
grew daily more depressed. The
weather was choerless in the extreme.
The rain was coming down as though
it never intended to cease again. The.
wind moaned through the bare trees
from morning to night and from night
to morning with a steady and aggra-
to show his face even for a moment.
Wheeling round his easy chair in
front of the fire he unfolded his news
paper and began to scan its pages.
Suicide through despair!" was the
first headline that arrested his atten-
ton. A young girl, having lost her
situation and having uied in vain to
get another, had to choose at last be-
tween death and dishonor, and had
chosen the former, In the darkness of
a rainy December night she had
thrown herself over Westminster
bridge. A note found in her pocket
told all the sad story.
1t was a common enough tragedy,
and no words were wasted in describ-
ing 1t. Such things were happening
every day, and would continue to hap
pen while the present social order re-
NAMED. In the hurly-burly of life the
strong came to the top, the weak went
to the wall. and so keen was the
struggle for existence that very few
had a tear TO waste for those who fell.
Clement laid the paper on his knee
and stared into the fire, and as he did
so a face came up before him. sweet,
and fair, and innocent-the face of
Marion West. What was to become
of her? Would she see her little hoard
grow less and less till all was gone?
Would she, friendless and alone, have
TO tramp the dreary streets with non
to pity? Would she, in q Christian
city and In a Christian age, be faced
by an alternative like that OF which he
had just read? Would she be found
at last in the ooze OF the river, or.
worse still, In the oze of the streets?
He almost writhed as these thoughts
passed through his mind, and a spasE,
OF pain swept over his face.
Slowly but surely the conviction
was roofing itself in his mind that
Marion West had come into his life to
stay-that whether she lived Or died
her influence would remain. Ever
since he received her letter he had
been trying his best to forget her-to
put her out of his life. He had
fought and struggled with all the
strength he possessed. and instead Of
gaining the victory he knew he was
steadily losing ground. Her face was
constantly before him, the tones of
her voice were never out of his ears.
Waking or dreaming she was eve
with him. IT was a painful confession
to make even to himself. II she had
been any one else the position would
have been humiliating enough. But
that the daughter OF his fathers worst
enemy should make a captive OF him
was too CALLING for words.
His meditations were disturbed by
the entrance OF his sister. He looked
up with a glance OF surprise, almost OF
annoyance. It was not often shs dis
turbed him when be was busy with bis