Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-11-10

and | saw her claSped hands tighten;
but she went on bravely.
That was seven years ago. Since
then Henry has insisted on the final
division of the property. My father
had high sense of honor and he stip-
ulated that if either of his sons should
be guilty of any dishonorable act he
should forfeit his half of the $1,000
900. Henry insists that Arthur has
forfeited his rights and that the
amount withheld should be paid to
him now; but his conduct has been
such that l feel l should serve him i'll
to pay him so large a sum of money.
Moreover, / owe something to his
daughter-to Helen. Owing to her IA
theirs reckless life l have had her
make her home with me for several
years. She is a noble girl and very
beautiful-you must have seen, Mr..
Donovan, that she is an unusually
beautiful girl
YES" l assented
"And better than that" she said,
with feeling, "she is a lovely char
acter"
l nodded, touched to see how COM
pletely Helen Holbrook filled and sat
isfied her aunt's life. Miss Pat con-
tinued her story.
MY brother first sought to brighten
me into settlement by menacing my
own peace; and now he includes Hell
en- in his animosity. My house at
| Stamford was set on fire month ago;
| then thieves entered it and l was
| obliged to leave. We arranged to go
abroad, but when we got to the steam
er we found Henry waiting with a
threat to follow us if l did not accede
to his demands. 1t was Father Stod
dard who suggested this place, and
we came by a circuitous route, paus-
ing here and there to see whether we
were followed. You can imagine how
distressing-how wretched all this
| has been"
Yes; it is a sad story, Miss Hol-
brook. But you are not likely to be
molested here. You have a lake on
one side, high wall shuts off the
road, and / beg you to accept me as
your near neighbor and protector. The
servants at Mr.. Glenarm's house have
been with him for several years and
are undoubtedly trustworthy. 1t is
not likely that your brother will find
you here, but if he should've will
deal with that situation when the time
comes,"
You are very reassuring, no doubt
we shall not need to call on you And
l hope you understand" she continued,
hot to - 4 81,
l wish to avoid my brother: that if it
were wise to make this further di-
vision at this time and it were for
his good, l should be glad to give
him all-every penny Of it,"
Pardon me, but the other brother
he has not made similar demands
you do not fear him." l inquired
with some hesitation.
''No-no!" And a tremulous smile
played about her lips. Poor Arthur!
He must be dead. He ran away after
the bank failure and l have never
heard from him since. He and Henry
were very unlike, and l always felt
more closely attached to Arthur He
was not brilliant, like Henry; he was
gentle and quiet in his ways, and ia.
Their was often impatient with him
Henry has been very bitter toward
Arthur and has appealed to me on the
score of Arthur's ill-doing. 1t took all
his own fortune, he says, to save Ar
thur and the family name from dis
honor
She was remarkably composed
throughout this recital, and l mar
veled at her more and more. Now
after a moments silence, she. turned
to me with a smile
We have been annoyed in another
way. 1t is so ridiculous that l hest
, tate to tell you of it"
Pray do not-you need tell me
8, nothing more, Miss Holbrook."
, 1T is best for you to know. My
niece has been annoyed the past year
by the attentions of a young man
:, whom she greatly dislikes and whose
persistence distresses her very much
!, Indeed"
Well, he can hardly find her here;
!, and if he should"
], Miss Holbrook folded her arms
! upon her knees and smiled, bending
, toward me.
: OH" she exclaimed; he isn't a
violent person. Mr. Donovan. He's
silly, absurd, idiotic, You need fear
+ no violence from him."
v And of course your niece is not in
[ terested-he's not a fellow to appeal
a to her imagination"
+ THAT is quite true; and then in
s present unhappy circumstances, with
+ her father hanging over her like q
b menace, marriage is far from her
a thoughts She feels that even il she
s we're attached TO man and wished to
; marry, she could not. | wish she did
l. not feel so; should be glad to see
Il 4 l.