Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-05-21

time" .quoth that fisher OF feeble human
ity. He was right; and day after day
did Harold Denison ponder over the old
hsherman's terms at first contemptuous-
ly, then moodily, until at last he began
to think that 1t was his duty to retain
Glinn at all hazards. Once arrived thus
far, the speciousness of the reasoning
became easy and rapid. THE lands | re-
ceived from my ancestors it is my duty to
transmit to my descendants" A fine coun-
try gentleman's sentiment, that would
have invariably insured a round Of ap-
plause at the farmers ordinary in any
market town of respectable dimensions.
Now, of course, it was all plain sailing,
morally. AS personal matter, the mean
est lodgings at Hastings or st. Leonards
would have sufficed. 1t were better so
than to see Denison of Glinn so vilely
mated. But there were other ties to be
considered. He, Harold Denison, had un-
doubtedly betrayed the trust of a long
line of ancestors.
Then he began to think once more of
his daughter. He felt compunction at
the idea OF yielding his handsome Maude
to this lowborn suitor. But then Maude
had never been to him what an only child
is to most fathers. He had never quite
forgiven the fact of her not being a son,
and she had ever been more her mothers
pet than his. Again, this candidate for
her hand had been brought up a gentle
man, had the mark of the university
stamped on his based composition, and,
in short, had done much to compensate
for the deficiency of birth with which he
had entered the world. He had seen
young Pearman upon two or three occa-
sions only. That gentleman, though the
blood Of his father ran strong in his
veins, had quite sufficient tact to avoid
showing it. He dressed quietly, and abb
stained from self-assertion when mixing
with the class in which he was SO anx-
ious to establish himself. He was, nat
urally, too careful of his money to fall
into the error Of most parvenues, that Of
ostentatious display. The little he knew
of him had not Jared on Harold Deni-
son. AS to Maude, her affections must
be wholly unfettered. If she could be
brought to think of this man as a hus-
band, it would really be a good thing for
her in the end And by such reasoning
the squire gradually worked himself
round to the conviction that it was, at all
events, his duty to submit Pearman's
proposal to Maude, and, further, to press
it strongly on her attention.
But before Harold Denson had arriv-
ed at this conclusion, there had been
much grief at Glinn. He had told his
wife of the contemplated foreclosing Of
the mortgage, and explained to her that it
meant ruin-that is, ruin inevitable, as
far as their still continuing the possessors
of Glinn went.
"Yes, Nellie, it's all over" said the
squire; I'm beaten at last. Dear old
Glinn must go through the hands of the
whatever greasy trader happens to have
most money at his disposal just now. It's
hard lines for you to have to leave the
place wherein | installed you as mistress
so many years ago."
Don't think Of me-" replied Mrs.
Denison, tearfully. II shall be always
happy as long as l have you and Maude
with me. 1t will be sad to leave all my
old cottagers and almoners to the tender
mercies of others but oh ! it will fall
heaviest on you, Harold, to give up what
has been the home of your people for so
many generations "
II don't deny it. 1t will be dread
full wrench to think of Glinn passing to
strangers; but l suppose it must be so.
The folies of our youth, Nel smite us
sharply as we grow old. We shall have
to end our days in some cheap conti-
mental town"