The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-06-16
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CHAPTER xIv.-Continued

formation decided her. 1t did not
seem fair that her motives should
be so liable to misconstruction,
and she almost regretted now that
she had not given them her conf
dence from the beginning. But
she had been afraid that Miss So
phia's garrulous simplicity might
have betrayed her, no matter how
unwittingly, and 1t would have
been too ivnidious to beg Miss
Jane to keep secret from her
sister.
.He was quite right" she. an
swered quickly, now that she had
made up her mind to clear herself
in their eyes. II didn't go to San
Francisco after all. And l must
tell you why. / hope you won't
think / did wrong, because-I
couldn't help myself"
my DEAR" Miss Jane assured
her tenderly, "I'm sure that you
would not do anything but what
was right and proper. said SO to
Sophia, after your cousin called.
But go on"
ut was because of him / had to
leave you," the girl began. II must
explain, in the first place, that he
is not my cousin except by
courtesy.
"You see," she went on while
the sisters listened in grave sur
prise, "Mr. Miles Quaintance had
no family. He was not married.
NY father was Lieutenant General
Lorraine, and, when he died In San
Francisco, not many months after
my mother, Mr.. Quaintance adopt
ed me. / was an infant then.
"He always called me Elinor, af-
ter some old sweetheart Of his. l
didn't know my own name till the
day before l left for Europe, when
he told me my history and what l
owed him-although I had had no
voice in the matter"
HE wrote of you as Elinor,"
said Miss Sophia. "Elinor Quain-
lance. l wonder who she mar
ried."
Her mind was running on the
dead mans dead romance-or
tragedy. Her face expressed in
tensest interest.
Il don't know" the girl rejoin-
ed, "but he believed that he had
been bitterly wronged. He was a
strange man in many ways-very
reserved and often moody, always
most arbitrary. / am indebted to
him for all l ever had, and yeti
had no love for him. l was glad
to leave his house to come here"
ooh, my dear!" cried Miss Jane,
much distressed.
1T may be wrong, but--one can't
help ones feelings, and it's best
to be quite honest about it. Had
/ had any choice, I would have
owed him nothing. No man can
buy affection. He cannot buy an
others flesh and blood, nor can he
sell either of these. Mr.. Quain-
lance believed he had bought me.
He would have sold me, too. Can
you blame me II I feel barely crate
full to him."
She paused, half wishful Of some
assurance that she was not so
blameworthy as she had sometimes
deemed herself in spite Of her
strong innate sense OF right and
wrong, but the problem involved
was all too complicated yet for the
sisters, who lives had always run
In straight, well charted chan
nels.
when Mr.. Quaintance died."
she once more went on, This law
yers sent me long letter he had
written me. 1t was a very cruel
letter and told me, in so many
words, that he had already dis
posed of my future. l was to mar
ry his brothers son, a man had
never heard of before and whom he
he had never SEEN And there was
a penalty attached, which he no
doubt thought too dreadful to be
incurred by either of US.
''He had left large estate, some
millions, l think, which would be
awarded us on the sole condition
that we were married within a
year of his death. Failing which,
we would both be left penniless.
SIN other words, he had made up
his mind to present me, his chattel,
60 an unknown man, and to pay
him handsomely for accepting me.
Would any girl have submitted to.
such unspeakable degradation"
She was breathing quickly, her
eyes aglow with wounded pride.
~ was powerless to alter the
!, and felt my position so
Dl(eenly then that didn't dare to
ask your advice, in case you should
seek to influence me against the
decision came to as soon as had
read the letter through. Mr..
Quaintance had written his nephew
to the same effect, and was dread.
fully afraid he might seek me out
at once. was quite determined
-