The Irish standard., 1909-09-11


than with Logotheti, I'm going to
marry her myself, not only because l
want to. but because it will be long
sight better for her See? No fault
in that line Of reasoning, is there?'
80 far as reasoning goes" Lady
Maud's tone was half an admission.
"That's all wanted you to say"
| interrupted the American. 80 that's
settled, and you're going to help me-"
NO." answered Lady Maud quietly;
II won't help you to break OF that en-
gagement. But If it should come to
| nothing, without your interfering
that is, by the girls own free will
and choice and change Of mind, I'd
help you to marry her II could"
But you admit that she's going to
/ be miserable" said Van Torp stub
/ bornly.
"1'm sorry for her, but it's none of
my business. It's not honorable to
try and make trouble between en-.
gagged people, no matter how ILL.,
matched they may be-"
Funny idea of honor" observed
the American. that you're bound to
let friend Of yours break her neck
at the very gravel pit where you were
nearly smashed yourself! In the hunt
ing field you'd grab her bride il she
wouldn't listen to you, but in a mat
ter of marriage-oh, no! It's dishon-
orable to interfere She's made her
choice and she must abide by It., and
all that kind Of stuff"
Lady Maud's clear eyes met his
angry blue ones calmly.
| Il don't like you when you say such
things" she said, lowering her voice
little.
II didn't mean to be rude" an
swered the millionaire, almost hum
bly,. "You see don't always know. I
learnt things differently from what
you did. suppose you'd think 1t an
insult if said I'd give large sum of
money to your charity the day l mar
ried Nine. Cordova, II you'd help me
through"
please stop" Lady Maud's face
you"
I'LL give a million pounds sterling"
said Mr.. Van Torp slowly.
| Lady Maud leaned back In her cor
ner Of the sofa, clasping her hands
rather tightly together in her lap. Her
white throat flushed as when the light
Of dawn kisses Parian marble, and the
fresh tint in her cheeks deepened soft
ly; her lips were tightly shut, her
eyelids Quiver red little, and she
looked straight before her across the
room
you can do pretty good deal with
a million pounds" said Mr.. Van Torp.
after the silence had lasted nearly
half minute.
"Don't!' cried Lady Maud, in an
| odd voice. ...
Forty thousand pounds a year," OBJ
served the millionaire thoughtfully.
"You could do quite a great deaf Of
good with that. couldn't your
Don't! Please don't!"
She pressed her hands to her ears
and rose at the same instant Per.
haps 1t was she, after all, and not her
friend who had been brought suddenly
to great cross-road in life. She
stood still one moment by the sofa
without looking down at her com.
panion; then she left the room
abruptly. and shut the door behind
her.
Van Torp got up from his seat slow.
ly when she was gone, and went to
the window, softly blowing queer
tune between his closed teeth and
his open lips, without quite whistling.
We'll" he said aloud, in tone of
doubt, after minute or two.
But Re said no more, for he was
much too reticent and sensible a per.
son to talk to himself audibly even
when he was alone, and much too eau
tious to be sure that servant might
not be within hearing. though the door
was shut. He stood before the win
dow nearly quarter of an hour, think.
ing that Lady Maud might come back,
but as no sound Of any step broke the
silence he understood that he was
not to see her again that day, and he
quietly let himself out Of the house
and went of, not altogether discon-
tented with the extraordinary impress.
sion he had made.
Lady Maud sat alone upstairs, 90
absorbed in her thoughts that she did
not hear the click Of the lock az he
opened and shut the front door.
She was much more amazed at her.
self than surprised by the offer he had
made. Temptation, in any reasonable
sense Of the word, had passed BY her
in life, and she had never before un.
derstood what 1t could mean to her.
She was eightand-tWenty years Of
age and widow, and now 1t came
to her suddenly in a shape Of ire
mendous strength. through her trusted
friend. who had helped her for years
to help others. It was real tempta-
ton. The man who offered her a mill
lion pounds to save miserable wretches
from life Of unspeakable horror,
could offer twice as much, four, i've.
or ten millions perhaps. No one knew
the vast extent Of his wealth, and in
a. -