The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-04-30
XIV.

Old Pearman had shown perfect knowl-
| edge of mankind on the receipt of Deni-
sons letter. He had gone over to Glinn
the next morning. The old lawyer was
quite master of the situation.
The squire felt quite grateful to his
visitor for the tact and delicacy with
which he paved the way for his retreat
from an awkward position. 1t was, per-
haps, this wonderful quality which had
helped Pearman on in the world more
than anything. Even those who had been
most closely shorn were always impressed
to their dying day that, if they could have
pulled through the swamp of impecuni-
osity their recklessness had plunged them
into, Pearman would have done it.
Denison was no fool where his interests
were concerned. He had, it is true, been
guilty of the grossest folly in squander-
ing a fine property but he was not weak
enough to look upon the lawyer as a ben
~efactor.
"Well, Mr.. Pearman," he said, I'VE
had best let bygones be bygones. 1t l
was sharp upon you the other day in
speech, you retaliated on the mortgage;
and you had the best of it. Come in and
lunch"
So the old gentleman lunched at Glinn,
and was introduced to Mrs. Denison and
his future daughter-in-law. Maude took
but little notice of him; but her mother,
having now made up her mind to the
match, was favorably impressed. Mr..
Pearman, in fact, dressed quite as the
old respectable confidential solicitor, and
acted the part extremely well. Poor Mrs.
Denison, having made up her mine to
meet her ideal of a low turf attorney, de-
rived principally from novels, was most
agreeably astonished.
That the son would quickly follow in
his fathers footsteps was a matter or
course and here again the Glinn family
were destined to be pleasantly surprised.
Sam Pearman, though he had not all. yet
inherited a fair proportion of his fathers
tact. The old gentleman, too. had given
him one or two valuable hints. He pre-
scented himself very quietly, was very sub
dued and respectful, but by no means
demonstrative in his attentions to Maude:
talked just a shade of racing, to gratlfy
the squire, letting it drop as quickly as
opportunity served; chatted pleasantly on
all the topics of the day. and took his
departure after the delivery of a neat
anecdote that made even Mrs. Denison
smile.
Poor Maude, she had sat very pale
through the visit but even she felt 8
species of mild gratitude for the little
her accredited sutton had sought from
her on this occasion. She felt that she
could marry the man to save Glinn to her
parents, but that any lovemaking before
hand would be uncomfortable. If he would
continue to treat her with quiet courtesy,
she could bear it but to yield her lips to
him, she felt was beyond her. That low
ers claim such favors she knew; but the
girl had a strong touch of romance in her,
and vowed NO kiss should be laid on her
cheek until she was irrevocably severed
from Grenville Rose. She still chung to
an underlined hope that he might rescue
her yet. Poor child her case looks sad
| enough now; but there are a good many
ftful changes in this worlds great kaleid-
| oscope. Men cut their threats premature
ly, and humanity generally declines str,S!-
| Cling, just as better times are about to
dawn. More judicious to play the game
| out than throw down the cards." holds
good in life
ITO be ~continued.)