Evening star., 1909-05-08
CHAPTER XXI.
The Hatchet Buried.

For a few minutes there was silence In
the room: silence so profound that every
sound of the street was clearly heard.
Even the shutting of the sheriff's door In
the room below was distinct.
The first to speak was Col Ogilvie.
Athlyne, who would have liked to break
the silence. refrained through prudence;
he feared that were he to speak before
Col. Ogilvie did that easily irate gentle
man might take offense. He knew tat
this might be disastrous. for it would
renew the old strife, in an acute form;
as it was, there was distinct indications
of coming peace. Joy. and Joy alone.
was to- be thought of now. BY this time
Athlyne was beginning to get the meas
ure of Col. Ogilvfe's foot He realized
that the 'dictatorial. vindictive. blood
thirsty old man would perhaps do much
If left to himself. but that if hindered or
thwarted or opposed in any way his
pride or his vanity-and they were united
in hinn-would force him to keep his posi-
tion at any cost.
We'll. sir?'' The tone was per-
emptory and so superior that any man
to whom 1t had been used might well
have taken offense: but Athlyne was al
ready schooled to bear, and moreover the
statement made by the sheriff filled his
heart with such gladness that he felt that
lie CouIu pear d0ylninR. AZ JOY was now
his wife he could not quarrel with her
father-nor receive any quarrel from him.
Still. all the same. he felt that he must
support and maintain his own independ-
ent position: such would be the best
road to ultimate peace. Moreover he
had his own pride: and as he had already
made up his mind to die If need be for
joys sake. he could not go back on that
resolution without seeming to be dis
loyal to her. There would-could-be no
hi fJ,fy e,1,1 l. Il
ready heard the whole of the quarrel and
of his acquiescence to her ffthers chal-
lenge. No one, however. would have
thought he had any quarrel who heard
his reply. spoken in exquisitely modu-
lated accents of respect:
Need l say, Col. Ogilvie, that I am
equally proud and happy in finding my
self allied with your house by my mar
riage with your daughter. For. sir. 1
love her with all my soul as well as with
sweetest, dearest and best thing in all the
universe. l am proud of her and respect
her as much as l love her: and to you,
her father l hope l may say that bless
live-the day that I could call her mine"
AS he spoke. joys hand on his arm,
which had trembled at the beginning,
now gripped him hard and firmly Turn
look of alteration which made his heart
leap and his blood seem on fire. The
beautiful eyes fell for an instant as red
tide swept her face, and neck; but in an
instant more they were raised to his eyes
and hung there. beaming with pride and
love and happiness. This nerved and
softened him at once. to even a gentler
feeling toward the old man: those lovely
eyes had always looked trus.ingly and
lovingly into her fathers. and he would
never disturb-so he vowed to himself
If he could avoid it by any sacrifice on
his part, such filial and parental affection.
And so, with gentler voice and softened
mien, he went on speaking.
Now I must ask you to believe. sir.
that with the exception of that one fault
"a grave one 1 admt-of taking Miss
Ogilvie out alone in my motor, l have
not willingly consciously been guilty
of any other disrespect toward you. You
now understand. of course. that it was
that unhappy assumed name which pre-
vented my having the pleasure of visit
ing you and your family on this side of
the Atlantic. No one can deplore more
than do that unhappy alias. The other.
though I regret-and regret deeply-the
pain 1t has caused. cannot be sorry for.