Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-09-11
CHAPTER XII.

Harold Denison touched his hat Taught
lily, and rode home but the old usurer's
artful speech still simmered in his brain.
Why should it not be? 1t would cut the
tangled knot of his difficulties. He had
made inquiries. Young Pearman had
been brought up a gentleman, and visited
in several good houses in the county. He
naturally little exaggerated this to him
self, to justify the course he intended TO
pursue nay. for the matter of that, had
been pursuing for some days. His wife
had told him that she had laid the Pear
man proposition before Maude, and that
the young lady had declined, with thanks I;
since which intelligence he had bullied
Mrs. Denison, and snubbed or treated his
daughter with cold Indifference The h,ads
of the family can make contumacious
children conscious of their high displeas-
ure without any unseemly rating-indeed
that may be looked upon as mere mild and
salutary punishment compared to the 9th
er-that other which, to speak metaphor
ically, consists in being condemned to this
domestic ice house. 1t is hard to describe
still there will be few of my reader,
who, if they have had the good fortune
not to experience it, but must have seen
some culprit enduring that slow punish
ment-meted out more often, perhaps, to
daughters than sons. But don't we all
know 1t the chilling rejoinder that meets
any attempt at geniality-the austere
look that seems to say 1t is heresy that
we should presume to forget the measure
of our offending-the moral thong always
awaiting us should we show any signs OF
relapsing into cheerfulness? Bah those
physical torturers of the middle ages were
mere bunglers at their craft.
From this time poor Maude's life wa.
made heavy to bear. Harold Denison sent
for her to his study, and himself put
Pearmans proposal before her. He en-
larged upon its advantages, and declared
that 1t was her duty to save the property
to her descendants on her head it rest
ed whether the Denisons Of Glinn shoulC
cease to exist, as of course her future
husband must take her name. For him
self, he cared not-he was an old man
and it mattered little to him. Any foreign
watering place was good enough for hin
to wear out his miserable life in. H
deplored the follies of his youth.
was sad that father should plead be
lOlt u uuubhici III Nhio WiSc. LIZ NOuA
bear anything but the thought that tn
Densons of Glinn should be expunge,
from the roll of the county in which the,
had dwelt and been known since the War
of the Roses all this 1t was In Maude'
power to avert Why could she not mar
ry this man? He hard been brought up
gentleman, and mixed In the best societ
In the county. If not quite her equal i
blood, he would repair the shattered for
tunes of the family. Such matches wer
made every day. The destiny Of the plu
tocracy was to strengthen the aristocracy
Far be 1t from him to put any pressur
upon her, but it was his duty as a paren
to lay the whole case before her.
Calamity did Maude fight her battl,
and though at the end Of this long inter
view she stood with flushed and teal
stained cheeks to listen to her father
final exordium, she was still resolute 1
her refusal.
But the struggle was too unequal. Or
der the pressure put upon her by her hui,
band Mrs. Denison had not only mad
Maude write letter Of remuneration I
: Grenville Rose, but had penned him a yer
severe philippe herself, In which she IL
sisted LQdI Hi correspondence SuOul
cease between them. She had furthe
under the threat of revealing everythin
to Mr.. Denison, extorted a promise froi
|, Maude that she would write no more I
her cousin. She knew her daughter wei
and felt implicit confidence that, her wor
once pledged. troth would be kept.
: | have described the first stage of IL
attack 1t is a common enough stor
as many a woman could bear witness t
; as far as the general details go. Ca
you not easily guess the result? She W,
a high-spirited girl, and bore herse
bravely In the beginning; but cut Q
from all communication with her love
she gave way at last to the moral pre-
sure brought to bear upon her, and, vii
pale cheeks and heavy eyes, whispered h
mother that they might do with her
they liked II she couldn't marry Gre
she didn't care who 1t was"
Ito be continued.)
A Boys Way.