Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-10
CHAPTER TX.
At the Capital.

49, INC va pASoA.
I stayed nearly two weeks in Louisville
after the election. and I was much at the
home OF Guthrie. going there either alone
or with Jimmy Warfeld. They were pleas
ant days for me in many ways. Summer
had come and business in the law was
lax. leaving leisure. but tie warm weather
was not sufficiently advanced to drive peo-
pie away to the mountains or the seaside.
/ saw continually at the Guthries' the best
the town afforded. not always the most
fashionable. perhaps. but seldom uninter-
esting. Alicia was present two or three
times and we entered into a tacit agree
ment neither 10 seek nor to avoid one an
other. hope that I am not boaster or a
bragsart, but l believe my presence and
sympathy gave her a certain support in
this troubled period OF her life. think she
was unconscious of It. 1 have never seen
another with so absolutely pure a mind, but
it gave me a great and l am sure guilt
less JOY to know that she leaned on me-
Meanwhile | noticed that Harrison was
conducting an inSidious pursuit OF Alicia
He seemed 10 me TO belong to the preds-
tory tribe the lean. fine type of the hunt
ing wolf. but the hunter all the same
lie was a cultivated man. who had travel
ed widely, and / understood that he had
some pictures by both the old and modern
masters. which latter is the more remark
able as our state is not yet old enough
and rich enough to have acquired a taste
for great painting.
II so CHANGED that Alicia came to a
house one evening while we were both
there. and l was a keen observer OF
Harrison's manner toward her. 1t was
quiet and deferential. showing those quail
tiles that any woman, good or bad was
llSa-fh3t g 1ffsot inr,
and tempered feeling. The predatory
fangS were hidden. and Alicia could feel
that she was neithes pitied nor hunted
merely admired and observed with sym
patty
l realized with a sudden fear that such
a man might end by making Alicia love
him. and IL he felt the time was ripe he
would not hesitate TO sweep Grey from
his path.
Thus the days passed and Harrison
followed Alicia about. respectfully atten-
tive and most silent. i knew that he
helped her with Grey-that is, he kept the
man out OF her way nearly all the while
aud at other times soothed and modified
his rough spirit. / saw that she was
beginning 10 regard him with more
lenency. a 8 a friend who served her we'll.
when she needed a friend most and I
could think of no way to stop his in
sidious advance. But knew all the time
that Harrison was helping Grey with
Pauline Harmon. furthering the intrigue
and making the road smooth for it. Shreds
OF gossip about the two. Enthusiastically
true. f1oated TO me now and then, and
Grey was seen more seldom than ever in
the company of his own wife.
When the midsummer heats arrived I
went back to Carlton and was received
by Uncle Paul and Aunt Jane as their
own SON who could now be trusted with
out reserve.
Perhaps / have not stated before that
j was rich man, a very rich man for
our state. ! had inherited 1000 acres of
land in one of the finest counties. and in
the days of my wildness and disgrace
Uncle Paul had guarded it with wise
head and skiliful hand. Moreover, a val
liable coal mine had been recently dis
covered on some neglected slopes of mine
lar out In the mountains. and large rev.
enues were now coming in from that
source.
Thus l did not practice the law be-
cause ] needed money, but because !