The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-02-11


With him app~arcd piainiy enough. bu
seiwgn raBch~i 20 the hcnrf and mis-
crafty apprebcnsite. darrd not ones
tion him anaskcd
And ~ they sat there Tor awhile
selwyn making uhAt conversation b.
could and Al lrngib Gerald turned and
dagsed himself Across the bed. drop
: ping his head back on the dlscniered
Z pillows
@uo on he said I'm listening
So Selwyn continued bis pleasant.
incons-quentiai observations and Ger,
aid lay with closed eyes quite motion
less uniil watching him Selwyn 81 "
his hand was trembling where II lay
ciinched beside him Aud presently
The boy turned his face to the wall.
Toward midnight selwyn rose quie,
~. removed his nnlighied pipe from
between his teeth. knocked the ashes
from II and pockefcd IL Then he
walked TO the he'd and seated himself
on the edge
whats the trouble old many" he
asked cooily
There was no answer. He placed his
hand over Geraid's The boys hand
lay inert. then quiyered and closed on
Selwyn's conyulsively.
That's right" said the elder man;
that's what I'm here for-to stand by
when you hoist signals Go on"
The boy shook his head and buried
II deeper IN the pillow.
bad as thatY commented Sclwyn
quietly well. what OF M I'm stand.
Ing by. | tell yon. That's right" las
Gerald broke down. his body qnivering
under the spasm Of soundless grief
that's the safety valve working Good
business Take your time"
II took long time. and Selwyn sat
silent and motlonless. bis whole arm
numb from It's position and Gerald's
crushing grasp And at last. seeing that
was the moment to speak. be said:
Now let's fix up this matter. Gerald
Come orr
Good heavensl H.how can 1t be
f-fxed?"
I'll tell you when you tell me. It's
a money difficulty, suppose. isn't IT."
Yes"
"Cardsi"
"P-partly."
"Oh, note? Case OF honor2 Where
IL this |. o. U. that you gaver
IT'S worse than that The--the note
Is paid. Good God-I can't tell your!
you must That's why I'm here.
Gerald"
well, then. IL drew check
knowing that had no funds II tiff
they return II marked
Il see. What are the Hgures?"
The boy stanmered them out Sci.
wyn's grave face grew graver still.
That Is bad" he said slowly. Every
bad. Have you-but OF course you
couldn't have seen Austin"
I'D kill myself firstr said Gerald
fercely.
mo, you wouldn't do that. You're
not that kind. Keep perfectly COOL
Gerald. because It is going to be fixed
The method only remains to be de.
cided upon"
Il cant TAKE your money! stammer.
ed the boy. Il cant take cent from
you after what I've sald--the benstly
things I've said"
ut isn't the things you So, to me.
Gerald. that matter Let me think q
bit and don't worry. Just lie quietly
and understand that III do the worry.
Ing. And while I'm amusing myself
with little quiet reflection as to ways
and means Just take your own bearings
from this reef and set true course
once more. Gerald. That Is all the re-
proach. all the criticism, you are going
to get from me. Deal with yourself
and your God In silence"
And In silence and heavy dismay
Selwyn confronted the sacrifice be
must make to save the honor Of the
house of Enroll
1t meant more than temporary incon.
venIence to himself II meant that he
must go into the market and sell Sc.
curities which were partly his capital
and from which came the modest In.
come that enabled him to live as be
did
There was no other way unless he
went to Austin. But he dared not do
not think what Austin's
action in the matter might be. And
be knew that II Gerald were ever
driven into hopeless exile, with Austin's
Of bis disgrace ranking, the
boys utter. ruin must result inevita.
bly,.
Yet-yet-how could he afford to do
earning nothing. be
eft Of bis profession. with only the
,hance III view that bis chaosite might
turn out stable enough to be market.
iblei How could be dare so strip him.
,slf? Yet there was no other way. II
had to be done, and done at once--the
yery FIRST thing In the morning, before
I became too late.
And at FIRST. In the bitter resentment
II the necessity. his impulse was to
urn on Gerald and bind him to good
conduct by every pledge the boy could
i've At least there would be compen.
alton. Yet with the thought came the
lear conviction Of Its futillty The
,oy had brushed too close to dlshonor
lot to recognize II. And II this were
lot lifelong lesson to him no prom.
ses forced from him In bis dire need
md distress. no oaths, no pledges,
ould bind him. No blame. no admoni.
ion. no scorn. no contempt. no re.
proach. could help him to see more
clearly the pit OF destruction than he
,ould see now.
you need sleep, Gerald" he said
quietly. Don't worry. I'll see that
your check Is not dlshonored All you
nave to see to Is yourself. Good night
ny boy"
But Gernld could not speak, aud 90
selwyn left him and walked slowly
Jack to his own room. where be seat
Il himself At his desk. grave. absent
.yed, his untitled pipe between his