Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-07-08
CHAPTER XIX.
IN SUSPENSE.

i "a S0 AaSCs
"A fine guardian. you arep'
he said witheringly. you came here
1 to protect her from something you
Thought was rotten. Now we all know
It's rotten you hand her over!'
/ The lad paused. and then he laughed
/ bitterly.
by Jove.' he exclaimed Of sud-
den. II shouldn't be surprised If you
consent to the settlement stoor'
The lawyer looked at him gravely.
my son. shouldn't be surprised If
I did"
"By the Lord. but you play queer
game, Mr.. Pike"
"Oh, I'm just crossing the Rubicon.
Your father used to say: IF you're
going to cross the Rubicon, cross 1t.
| Don't wade out to the middle and
stand there. You only get hill from
| both banksp''
II beg your pardon" said voice
! behind them, and they turned to find
Lady Creech She went on, addressing
Horace:
"Mr. Simpson. have you
! seen my nephewy'
"No. I've rather avoided that, II
you don't mind my saying So" Horace
replied.
"Im sorry, Lady Creech," he went
on. "but I've had most awful shak-
ing up. and I'm thinking of going back
home with Mr.. Pike think he's
about right in his IDEAS You know
we abused him, not only for himself,
but for his vulgar friend, yet his vul-
gar friend turned out to be grand
duke. and look at what our friends
turned out to bep'
| He stepped quickly to the entrance
and disappeared into the hotel Al
meric's voice was heard as Lady
Creech turned to go, and Pike smiled.
'Here he comes now. bending under
the blow" he said.
Almeric appeared with a white bull
| pup. which he handed over to Mariana
with the remark:
Wash him bit, old chap; tepid
water, you know, and drop of milk
afterward = nothing but milk, you
know. Be deuced careful, say!'
AS Mariana disappeared with the
dog at arms length Lady Creech said
solemniy:
"Almeric. really there are more inn
portant things, you know"
"Rotr replied the young man. II
almost missed him. But think I'm
to be congratulated. you know. Eh?"
81 think you are. my son." said Pike
quietly. II have given my consent"
"Rippin'r declared Almeric. And
Lady Creech started forward.
| "And the settlement" she asked.
Pike nodded.
| s'The settlement also-everythingy'
Ethel came from the side Of the ter
race, followed by Horace, who seemed
to be arguing with her.
! "Of course never worried, you
! know" said Almeric. "But fancy it
will be weight off the poor govern
or's mind. I'll wire him at Naples, for
he'll be glad to know about that bally
convict chap-the arrangement you
made with him. you know"
"Almeric. | think it's noble to be
brave in trouble. but Ethel began,
and Pike smiled behind his hand. Al
meric looked at her In astonishment
Il say you know, you've really got
mev'
II mean that i admire you for your
! pluck. for your seeming unconcern
under disgrace, but
| "Disgraced! Why, who's disgraced?
Not even the governor, as see it!
ho oto I1I 1ce
your"
Whom do you mean" she asked.
!, wonderment In her voice.
"Why. that convict chap Didn't
! you send him away? You bought him
off SO he wouldn't talk, didn't you
gave him money not to bother us?''
| She whirled on him like a storm.
| why, heaven pity you! Do you
think thaty' she cried
| Almeric was taken aback.
/ "Oh-what! He wouldn't agree?
! Oh. say, that will be pill for the
governor-he1l be worried, you know!"
Ethel went close to him.
"Don't you see that you've got to
worry little about yourself; that
| you've got to begin to do something
worthy that will obliterate this
| shame? To work-to workp'
What possible need will there be
for that? Why, there's the settle
/ ment''
/ Settlement cried Ethel, aghast
"You talk of settlement now r.
"Don't you sect The only objection
was the settlement, and Mr. Pixies
given his consent to that"
| 'With his own lips. Didn't you?" Al
neric asked Pike.