Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-06-11

GUS about gaining his good opinion and
pleasing him than of yore. "To think
Gren should care about me in this way !"
she murmured; "and do love him? l
don't know. He's nicer, and better, land
cleverer than anyone ever met. Why
didn't he tell me this when he was here
last? 1 think I'd rather have heard it
from himself. All but doesn't he tell
me why not" and the girl once more
took up the letter and read:
"All this, my darling, has been on my
lips for months, but how could l tell
ou!-how could l seek your love who
had not even a home to offer? What the
struggle has been to see you so often, and
yet keep down what surged within me,
only know. When l kissed your cheek
at parting last time, l nearly casped you
in my arms and poured out the secret of
my soul to you. / did not; it seemed
madness-it is perhaps madness now; but,
my darling, 1 could not lose you. When
you tell me that another seeks the prize
| covet, right or wrong, l must speak
Maude, you must decide between us. Can
you trust me, and waltz"
Once more the letter fell in her lap,
and the softened grey eyes and slightly
flushed face augured well for Grenville
Roses wooing.
YES" she muttered, softly, 81 think
| love him now as he would have me !;
and if l don't quite yet-for it seems all
SO new to mel know 1 could shortly.
Gren, dear, what am l to write to you ?
| think it must be Yes"
1t was wrong, she thought, to keep
Gren in suspense when he was so dread
| fully in love with her; so that night 8
mail bore a timid, futtering little note,
the receipt Of which produced a tre-
mendous state of exhilaration in that
young Templar.
But poor Maude, after the first flush
of exultation that enters the breast of
every girl at welcome declaration Of
love, quickly awoke to the fact that her
position was not whit improved by it.
She confided her engagement to her moth
er, and for the first time in her life
Maude beheld Mrs. Denison really angry.
I'm surprised and disgusted with Gren-
ville," said that lady. Its too bad of
him, taking advantage of a child like you
in this manner. like him, always have
| liked him, and, under different circum-
stances would have sooner seen you his
wife than any mans | know. But he
can barely keep himself as yet, and must
know that his thinking of a wife at all
is foolish in the extreme, and that think
ing of you is simply absurd. He's behaved
very badly, and if you don't promise to
write and break it off, you can say, by
my desire, l shall tell your father all
about it,"
"Oh, mother, you won't do that" said
Maude.
mot unless you oblige me-" said Mrs.
Denison, sternly.
Poor Maude was electrified. That the
mother she had been always accustomed
to pet, and do as she liked with, should
suddenly rise against her like this, was
past her comprehension. Yet to anyone
who has made character his study, moth
ing can be more in accordance with the
usual law in such cases. Weak, feeble
characters, when, either from caprice or
driven by necessity, they exert such power
as may be in their hands, invariably do it
tyrannically and despotically.
Mrs. Denison has suffered of late from
the stern rule of her lord and master. In
spite of all her love for her daughter, rhe
has become dimly conscious that there
will be no peace at Glinn unless Maude
yields assent to the ukase Harold Deni-
son has promulgated. Women of her
class can suffer, but they cannot resist
Even now she would not urge Maude to
marry Pearman. But that her impecuni-
Gus nephew had dared to entangIe her
daughter in an engagement, especially at
this time, reused as much wrath within
her as her nature was capable Of. Most
mothers, l imagine, would deem she had
grounds for indignation.
All this while Pearman has not been
idle. Slowly, but surely, the legal notices
and proceedings progress, and Harold
Denison knows full well that within three
weeks ten thousand pounds must be found.
or Glinn must go to the hammer. The
Pearmans conduct the campaign with
scrupulous politeness. 1t is quite in ac
cordance with the old traditions of the
Battle of Fontenoy. They apologize for
every fresh process, and allude to it as a
mere matter of form. They affect to be-
leve that there can be no doubt Mr.. Den
ison will easily pay them off at the ex-
piration Of the notice Of foreclosure. The
old gentleman even indulges in popularity
on the subject.
"Mean to have the very last day out
of us, l see, sir; and quite right, too" he
chuckled, upon meeting the squire one
day.
"Yes, Pearman," was the grim retort
II learned the exacting Of my pound of
flesh, to the last pennyweight, in your
hands. 1 have not forgot my lesson. You
burn it into your pupils minds pretty
deeply"
The old lawyer has laid himself open
to another rebuff, and Denison has not
failed to take advantage thereof. Why?
Sarcasm breaks no bones, few knew bet
ter than that astute fisher of men,"
His sentiviness was tolerably blunt, and
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