The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-02-18
-EMrEzzZ EExEu-
CHAPTER IX.-(Continned.l

ed the girl merflly. And the sooner Tile
fact is broken to Mr.. Pearman that he
is not my destiny's lord the better"
stop. child-listen to me-" and the
nervous tremor in her mothers voice ar
rested Maude's madcap humor instantly.
She knew every inflexion OF that dearly
loved voice, and her quick ear detected
coming trouble. much as the sailor fore
sees the storm in that peculiar sobbing
sound the wind sometimes gives forth
shortly before the tempest bursts.
In a second size dropped quietly on
her knees by Mrs. DeniSon's' side, and
leaning on the arm of her chair, said.
There's more to come. mother; you
haven't told me all yet
NO. my dearest; l had hoped so diff
ferently. | mean-I told your father. in
Short" and here Mrs. Denison fairly
broke down. and wept copiously.
Maude petted. soothed and coaxed. as
she had done on many a previous occa
sion, and between the showers of tears
learned how much they were in the hands
of the Pearmans: how that their remain
ing at Glinn was an impossibility unless
the Pearmans came to their assistance !;
and how her hand was the price they
placed on standing in the breach between
Harold Denison and his creditors. About
the foregoing of their own claims the
poor lady wisely said nothing. Better
Maude should think her future husband
stood chivalrously forward in her fathers
support. with the prospect of her fair
self as his guerdon, than she should
know that her hand was the sole bride
which induced him to forbear seizing upon
Glinn.
The saucy smile had left the girls lips
by the time she comprehended the sad
story. 1t was replaced by pale, anxious
look. such as had never been seen before
on Maude Denison's face.
II on can't mean this, mother" she
said. ut length. You surely don't wish
that 4 should marry this man. whom
can't say l dislike. for l don't even know
him enough to tell whether | do or no !;
but that | am TO take this man for hus-
band without any reference to my own
feelings-you don't intend that. do you?''
Il don't know what will become of us
if you don't, Maude." gasped Mrs. Deni-
son.
And is it not possible that we could
live without Glinn?" inquired her daugh-
ter.
What would your father dof" moaned
the mother once more. truer to him even
still than to the child she adored So
1T is hard - said NIaude. and her
young face grew stern in expression as
she spoke. DO you think it quite fair
that / am to throw my life's happiness
away at eighteen to save CHM? Mother.
| know nothing of the world, but man
surely brings bad introduction to a
girls heart who seeks her as Mr. Pearman
would apparently seek me. don't think
I'm a romantic fool. but | never thought
to leave your side in this wise. OF course
| know girls do marry for money ; but
butt had-had hoped | should be diff
ferent," and here Maude was seized with
an hysterical choking in the throat,
which though il only drew few tears
from her own eyes, brought forth another
shower from Mrs. Denisons.
| really am shocked, for the sake of
my readers. at the amount of tears intro
duced into this part Of my story. I'm
brellas up" would have made an appro-
pirate heading to this chapter; but what
i
one of those women who naturally dis
solve into-may say, mist? -on the most
trihing occasions. and come down in tor
rents when things go hard with them.
mo use crying about it. mother" said
Maude, gulping down her agitation brave
ly. Il am going up to my own room to
think it all over: but come what may.
feel at present you will have to let Mr.
Pearman know that I'm grateful for the
honor he has done me, but respectfully
decline anything further"
When Maude reached her own room.
she sat down and began to muse over all
her mother had told her. Had it come to
this really. that it rested with her to save
her parents? What was she-to do? I
have said before that she was not like
the young ladies of this world She was
rather behind the age in many of her
ideas. She was very young, and had,
moreover, a tinge of that dear old-fasll-
toned romance about her which is at such
a terrible discount in these ut;litarian
DAYS. What can there be to think
about?' cries Belgravia. Preserve me
from such an imbecile daughter :" shrieks
Tyburnia. But Maude after thinking for
half an hour. with set face and knit
brows, suddenly rose with smile rip
ping over her pretty face, ard while the
midday sun still glnted through her bon
ME brown hair. sat down to write to
Granville Rose.
He always gets me out of scrapes, -
she murmured, softly; ''he must out of
this. though"-and here she even laughed
I'm afraid Gren will think this what
he calls a big un.