Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-09-03
CHAPTER Ix.-(Continued.)

4
= not my destiny's lord the better"
Stop, child-listen to me-" and the
usrvous tremor in her mothers voice ar
vested Maude's madcap humor instantly
She knew every infexion of that dearly
loved voice, and her quick ear detected
coming trouble, much as the sailor fore
sees the storm in that peculiar sobbing
sound the wind sometimes gives forth
shortly before the tempest bursts.
In second she dropped quietly on
her knees by Mrs. Denison's side, and
leaning on the arm of her chair, said,
There's more to come, mother; you
haven't told me all yet"
No, my dearest; had hoped 80 diff
terently. l meant told your father, In
Short--;" and here Mrs. Denison fairly
broke down, and wept copiously.
Maude petted, soothed and coaxed, as
shs had done on many a previous occa-
sion and between the showers Of tears
learned how much they were in the hands
o. the Pearmans; how that their remain
ing ct Glinn was an impossibility unless
ehs Pearmans came to their assistance;
and how her hand was the price they
placed on standing in the breach between
Harold Denison and his creditors. About
the foregoing Of their own claims the
poor lady wisely said nothing. Better
Mauds should think her future husband
stood chivalrOusly forward in her fathers
support with the prospect of her fair
selt as his guerdon, than she should
know that her hand was the sole bride
which induced him to forbear Selling upon
Glinn.
The saucy smile had left the girls lips
BY the time she comprehended the sad
story. 1t was replaced by pale, anxious
look, such as had never been seen before
On Maude Denison's face.
You can't mean this, mother" she
said, at length. "You surely don't wish
that should marry this man, whom l
can't say dislike, for l don't even know
him enough to tell whether l do or no
but that am to take this man for q hus-
band without any reference to my own
tseltngs-you dou't intend that, do you"
n don't know what will become of US
Il you DON'T Maude," gasped Mrs. Deni-
son.
+And 10 Il not possible that we could
I'VE without Glinn3" inquired her daugh-
tsR.
What would your father dot" moaned
ne mother once more, truer to him even
stili than to the child she adored so.
1T Is hard !" said Maude, and her
young face grew stern In expression as
she spoke "Do you think II quite fair
thAf am to throw my lIfe's happiness
away at eighteen 10 save Glinn? Mother,
know nothing Of the world, but q man
surely brings a bad Introduction to a
girls heart who seeks her as Mr.. Pearman
would apparently seek me- don't think
I'm romantic fool, but l never thought
70 leave your side in this wise. OF course
] know girls do marry for money; but
butt had--had hoped should be DIFF
terents" and here Maude was seized with
an hySterical choking In the throat,
which though It only drew few tears
from her own eyes. brought forth another
shower from Mrs. Denison's.
I really am shocked, for the sake Of
my readers, at the amount of tears intro
duced Into this part Of my story. "Um-
brsllAs upw would have made an appro-
pirate heading to this chapter; but what
am to dot You see, Mrs. Denison is
one Of those women who naturally dis
solve into--may say, mist ?-on the most
rihing occasions, and come down in tor
rents when things 80 hard with them.
And, bear In mind, she was performing
he hardest task that had ever fallen to |
her lot as yet.
No use crying about It, mother" said |
Gaude, gulping down her agitation brave |
y. II am going up to my own room to |
think II all over: but come what may,
I feel at present you will have to let Mr.. |
PeArman know that I'm grateful for the
honor he has done me, but respectfully |
decline anything further"
When Maude reached her own room.
she sat down and began to muse over ali
her mother had told her. Had It come to
this really, that It rested with her 10 save
her parents7 What was she to do?
havs said before that she was not like
the young ladies Of this world. She was
rather behind the age in many Of her
Ideas. She was very young, and had,
tinge of that dear old-fash-
lened romance about her which is at such
= terrible discount in these utilitarian
days. "What can there be to think
Aboutf" cries Belgravia. Preserve me
trom such an imbecile daughter I" shrieks
Tyburnia. But Maude, after thinking for
half 81 hour, with set face and knit
brows, suddenly rose with a smile rim
ping over her pretty face, and while the
midday sun still glinted through her bon
lie brown hair, sat down to write 10
Granville Rose.
-He always gets me out Of scrapes."
he murmured, softly; she must out of
his, though" here she even laughed
Pm afraid Gren will think this what
Ae calls big un-'"