The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-07
(Continued.l
CHAPTER Xxx.
Knowledge of Law

CHAPTER Xxx.
knowledge of Law
All three stood stone still. Not 6
sound was heard except faint quich
breathing. Athlyne tried to think; bu
his brain seemed numb. He knew that
now was a crisis if not the crisis OF
the whole affair. 1t chilled him with 9
: deathly chill to think that Joy must
have heard all the, conversation be-
tween Iser father and himself. What g
remembrance for her in all the empty
yeIfs to comet What sorrow, what
pin! Presently he heard behind him
1/as he stood facing her sound which
was rather a groan than an ejacula-
tion-a groan endowed with articulated
utterance:s '1
Good Godv' Unconsciously he re-
peated the word under his breath:
Good Godt'
Joy. with a fixed high-strung look
stepped down into the room She stood
beside Athlyne who. as she came Close
to him, turned with her So that to-
Ogilvie said in a slow whisper, the
words dropping out one by one:
Have -you-been- there-a1l-the-
time? Did-you-hear-all- 1we4-said? p
She answered boldly: tqs,7t
sTesl I was there and heard every
thingl" Again a long pause of silence,
ended by Colonel Ogilvie's next ques-
tion: 4
at once; her quick speech following the
slow tension sounded almost svolub,e.
I could not get away. I wanted to;
but there is no other door to the room
woke. I could not get my boots
which the maid had taken last night
and I wanted to get away las3 quickly
as possible. And, Father, being there,
myself. could not help hearing every
thingr Her father had evidently ex-
pected that she would say something
more for as she stopped therefhe look
sort of dry sob in his throat Athlyne
stood still and silent: he hardly dared
to breathe. lest he should unintention-
ally thwart joys purpose For with
all his instincts he realized, that she
had a purpose. He knew that she un-
derstood her father and that she was
the most potent force to deal with
him; and knowing this he felt that the
best thing he could do wonld be to
leave her quite free and uHhampered
to- take her own course. He kept his
eyes on her face, gazing at her UNI
winkfngly. Her face was fxed-not
stern but set to a purpose. Somehow
at that moment he began to realize
now we'll he understood her. Without
more help than his eyes could give
him. he seemed to follow the workings
I of her mind. For her mind was chang
ing. AT, the first her expression was of
f1inty fxedness: but as she continued
to look at the old man it softened; and
with the softening her intentioned sill
ence gave way. Her lovers thoughts
translated thus:
II will protect my-him against my
father. He has threatened him: he is
forcing him to death. I shall not help
him by sparing him a pang. an awk-
Wardness. And yet-why, that? He is
an old man-and my father. That
white hair demands respect. He is
anTy-hard and untender now; but his
life has been a tender one to me-and
he Is my father. Though / am deter
mined to save my lover-riy husband,
need not in the doing cause that
white head to sink in shame; I can
spare him the pangs of what he may
think ingratitude in me- And. after
all. he has what must seem to him
Just cause of offence. /. He can
noEwin not understand. He is
brave and proud. and has a code of
honour which is more than a religion
zArd-he my lover-my husband is brave
too And as unyielding as my father.
And he is willing to die-for me. To
die for me-my honour my happiness
Though his dying is worse-far worse
bravely,-and THAT was to have been
his wife-must die braveiy worthily
too If he can suffer and die in sill
encei so too must I. .'.tstS
II seemed natural SEQUENCE of
Thought when she said to her. father:
Daddy, do you know you have not
said a word to me yet. What have
ever done in my life that you should
not trust me now? Have ever lied
to YOU that you cannot trust me to
answer truly when you ask me-ask
me anything. Why don't you ask me
now? / know that things do not look
well realize that you must have
been shocked when you came into the
rocm But Daddy dear, there are few
things in the world that cannot be ex-
plafned-at any rate in part Don't
forget that I am a woman now. I am
not longer a child whose ignorance is
her Innocence. Speak to mel Ask me
what you will. and I will answer you
truly! Hear me. even as you would
listen to one dying. For indeed it is
So If You carry out your Intention
as I have heard it expressed I shall
no longer live; there will be nothing
for me to live for
do you mean that you will commit
suicide 2' said her father.
oh. mol 4 hope I have pluck enough
to Hve-if I can. Do not fear for me
Daddy! I shall play the game full as
he win do" As she spoke. she pointed
finger at Athlyne. She felt now, and
for the first time. acutely that she did
not know what to call him before a
third sperson-even her father. Athlyne
looked relieved by her words. When
she spoke of dying he had grown sadly
white: he shared her fathers appre-
hension. Colonel Ogilvie saw the
change in his look, and took it ill. As
may be surmised a part of his anger
towards Athlyne rose from jealousy
Until this man had appeared upon the
scene his little girl was his alone
no other third man shared in her af-
lection As she was an only child all
his parental affection had been centred
in her Though he might have been
prepared to see her mate with a man
of his own choOSing-or at any rate of
his acceptance. he was jealous of the
man VINO had stepped in. unaccredited
and wanting in difference to himself
1t must have been a tfnge of this
Jealousy which prompted his next
question Turning with a bitter for
mality to Athlyne he said:
II suppose you are satisfied, now,
sir, Whatever may come; my daugh-