The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-03-10


EUGENE WALTER, I
/ Author CT paid IL Full" and "The
Easiest Way"
secret was known to each other. lie
was the same quiet. kindly unchange-
abe Jiinsy. BY her alone was his pro-
longed absence understood. Mrs. Har-
ris and Beth finally attributed it to
reluctance to meet continually OH an
equal footing his employer. Captain
Williams. who had taken Jimsy's place
as extra member Of the family and
usurped all his prerogatives.
10 Emma the captain was no longer
an object Of fear and detestation. She
knew that his affection was purely pa
ternal, and he knew that she under
stood him as no one dead or living
ever had or did. She manifested her
appreciation Of his regard by a conf
dcnce which was to the old fellow
comfort and huge delight. Not that
his delight took demonstrative form;
that was not in his nature, and Emma
would have been greatly astonished
could she have known what boon to
him her frank friendliness was.
The fact was that his good deed to
Emma had been the first striking cf-
feet of softening process that had
been going on very, very slowly, so
slowly as not to be noticeable to any
extent. for several years, which began
when he had been admitted to the
family circle of his late general man.
ager and with which, all unconscious
ly. Emma had had good deal to do.
He had anchored himself to the family
as his one connection with refinement
and home life. But it had been a
cautious anchoring, maintained with
distrust and carrying with it no reel
procity in the shape of business or any
other favors. A fighter who had got
nothing out of existence without fight
ing, ever on the alert to forestall an
expected treacherOus blow, his hand
had flown to his hip pocket, SO to
speak, at the slightest movement that
AS time wore on, however, his dis
trust h-id vanished, and Mrs Harris and
her daughters had become a necessity
to him. He was being civilized. He
preferred Emma to the others, which
Is saying that she was the person he
liked best on earth, but his n. 'nner of
showing it had been repellent- 'ccause
In EreA CHI
had hated him for his supposed injus-
tice to her husband, whereas, having
read Brooks through from the start,
he despised him and would not help
him even to make her lot easier. When
reawakened distrust, battling with I'M
willingness to believe that his high
estimate of her had been unmerited.
had caused him to try her out relent-
lessly ON the occasion Of her appeal
for Brooks, alone with him and at
his mercy in his rooms, she had seen
that warm heart, full of pure re-
gard for her. beat beneath his forbid
ding exterior. From that night she
had learned to respect him and Judge
him at his real value. His actions and
idiosyncrasies received ut last their
true Interpretation.
AS for Williams. the proof that he
had not been deceived in her fortified
his faith and made him really happy
He was getting old. He had won his
hard fought, lifelong battle with the
word and was as rich as he cared to
be. The devil was disposed to turn
monk. The yearning for affection. not
demonstrative, but existent, which came
with the approach of life's sunset and
which was not to be found elsewhere
was gratified there. He put on slip
pers. smoked his pipe, had his favorite
chair, expressed his views in his au-
thoritative way and liked to be CON
suited.
But he never ceased to be impressed
with the OstentatiOus prOclivities and
aristOcratic airs of Mrs. Harris and
Beth, though he laughed indulgently at
many Of the mothers foibles. TO him
monde and were authorities OH all that
pertained thereto. He deemed it a
privilege to place one of his autOmO
biles at the family's exclusive com
mand, and 1t was the most luxurious
vehicle money could buy. That he did
not give it outright was because be
knew their circumstances would not
enable them to maintain it.
Emma was different from her moth.
er and sister. She never gave herself
airs. He felt himself nearer to her,
and the more intimate they grew the
more she became endeared to him