Evening star., 1909-05-02

paralyze him.
There was quick steps on the stairs. A
% voice said: There" and The door rat
were willing to separate. But before they
could do so the door opened and the tig-
ure of Col. Ogilvie blocked the entrance.
Good GOd." The old mans face had
grown white as though the sight had on
all in that second that Joy and Athlyne
received at once the same idea; that his
mustache, which they had thought of
snowy whiteness, was but gray against
the marble face.
The fathers instinct was protective
too. and his action was quick. In the in
slant. without turning his face, he shut
the door behind him and put his heel
against 1t.
Quick. daughter. quick!' he said, in
a whisper. low but so fierce that il cut
the air like knife. Get into that room
and dress yourself. And. get out. If you
ticed" AS he spoke lie pointed toward
the open door through which in the
darkened room the bed with clothing in
disarray could be dimly seem Joy fled in
continently. The movements of young
woman can be of extraordinary quick
ness. but never quicker than when fear
lends her wings 1t seemed 10 Athlyne
that she made but one jump from where
she stood through the doorway. He could
remember afterward the flash of her bare
behind her
Now sire"' Col. ogilvie's voice was
stern to deadliness as he spoke. Athlyne
realized its import. He felt that lie was
bound hand and foot, and knew that his
part of the coming struggle would have
to be passive. He braced himself to en-
dure. Still, the coionefs question had to
be answered. The onus of beginning the
explanation had been thrust upon him.
1t was due to Joy that there should be no
delay on his part in her vindication. Al
most sick al heart with apprehension he
began:
There has been no fault on joys
part" The instant he had spoken the
look of bitter haughtiness which came on
Col. Ogilvie's face warned him that he
had made a mistake. To set the error
right he must know what he had to
meet: and so he waited.
I'VE had better. | think, leave Miss
Ogilvie's name out Of our conversation.
And ! may perhaps remind you, sir
that l am the best judge of my daugh
ter's conduct. When | have said any
thing TO my daughters detrment il viii
be quite time for a stranger to Interfere
on her behalf. . 1t is of your conduct
sir. that l ask-demand explanation"
Athlyne would have liked to meet
speech of this kind with a blow. In the
case of any other man he would have
done SO: but this man was joys father
and in all circumstances must be treated
as such. He felt in vague sort of way
"a background OF tnought rather than
thought itself-that his manhood was be-
ing tested, and by a fiery test Come
what might. he must be calm. or at least
be master of himself; or else bitter wee
would come to JOY. OF course it would
come-perhaps had come already to him
self: but TO that he was already braced.
Col. Ogilvie was skilled in the deadly
preliminaries to lethal quarrel. More than
once when a foe had been marked down
for vengeance had he led him on to force
the duel himself In no previous quarrel
of his life had he ever had the good
cause that he had now, and be sure that
he used that knowledge to the full. There
was in his nature something of that
stoical quality of the red Irdian which
enables him 20 enjoy the torture of his
foe. though the doing so entails keen
anguish to himself. Perhaps the very
air of the dark and bloody ground of
Kentucky was SO impregnated with the
passions OF those who made it SO that