Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-15
CHAPTER XlI.-Continued.

ing room the other night?" she ex-
claimed, when he had finished telling
her, and she opened her beautiful gray
eyes very widely at young Murray.
by Jove, yes!" I added, and it
wasn't old Terhune, after ALL"
And it wasn't old Terhune, either,
who was with Agatha First the day
you saw the red automobile in the
woods" she said.
by JoVe, MOI" | said excftedly. 81
knew I'd seen that machine of Brance-
peth's before" And as I glanced at it
again the whole significance of the
mystery we had made in regard to
Agatha First and Arch came to me
with the force of revelation l turned
to explain it all to Dearest, but, as
usual, she was ahead of me.
1t was you all the time!" she said
TO Murray, but with smile of such in
effable relief that wondered, until she
turned to Arch and l saw what bearing
that fact had on the situation in re-
gard to Agatha Sixth and Terhune's
aunt's property.
I'm so sorry" she said, holding out
her hands to the old boy. 1--WE did you
an injustice, Mr.. Terhune!" And she
told him briefly of the scene she and
[ and Agatha Sixth had been witness
to the other night in the drawing room
and our suspicious of him in connec-
ton with it.
1t took him a moment or two to
grasp what she meant, and what her
discovery that our suspicious were I'M
Just might mean, and l spoke before he
did
And now it will be all right, Dear
esS, | said, about Agatha Sixth. She
will see that she was unjust to Arch
and You viii tell her, won't you?" And
| looked at her eagerly. But to my
surprise, just as I thought everything
explained, everything arranged and
the road clear to a reconciliation and
Engagement between my friend and my
Tife's friend, toward the accomplishing
IF which object we had invited both
Dearest seemed inclined to spoil the
whole thing by refusing to act as medi-
atOr between the two. Ana a mediator
was necessary, that is if they were
to be brought together in time to make
the engagement a fact before the fatal
hour had arrived. for Miss Lawrence
was still locked in the fastness of her
room.
II say!" l implored, Selling Dearest's
hand, don't hesitate now! At such a
crisis. Go and tell Agatha Sixth the
news and get her to come down before
its too latel BY Jove, it is hard on
poor old Ternune to lose n fortune be
cause you choose to have whims." |
was so earnest l was almost angry.
One would think a fortune was a mat
ter OF no Importance to him at ALL"
That's just lit" replied my wife
sadly; its of too much Importance.
The only reason that hesitate to do
as you ask is because I've seen all
along that the fortune has been the
only important thing to you men! What
a PITY" And the eyes love best in the
world filed with tears And it was
then that the whole thing came to me
and saw at once what was the other
obstacle I had to face in my attempt
to obtain a fortune for my friend.
Now that Agatha Sixth's mistake in re-
gard to his fondness for Agatha First
lad been dissipated by Brancepeth's
-eveladons. the only impeachment to the
satisfactory conclusion of Arch's affair
was Dearest's refusal to cooperate
with me at this crucial moment be-
cause Of her belief that Terhune's wish
to marry Agatha Sixth was purely a
merGnary one. And as at length
comprehended what I might have seen
a long time ago if had only stopped
10 think, understood in a second her
scornfuI and almost resentfuI attitude
toward myself on several occasions,
SOr apparently supporting my friend in
ais meretricious designs. With this
lew grasp of the situation suddenly
given to me. I couldn't begin fast
enough to try to make my wife under
stand what I had so lately learned
myself, that Terhune sincerely loved
Miss Lawrence. AS quickly as could
speak l began to tell her, as proof, OF
Arch's Reputation of my suggestion in
regard to asking Agatha First instead.
a moment ago in the hall l judged,