The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-09-08
CHAPTER XvII.-(Continued.)

She cooked up at him appealingly.
Don't make fun of such things,
Tom. Love is sacred
Il was never further from making
fun OF things in my life. l mean II
with every drop of blood in me- You
said you didn't want to find me chang
ed; I'm not changed in that, at least"
You ridiculous boy!" she said; but
that was only a stop-gap. and Long
fellow added another by coming to a
stand opposite a vast obstruction OF
building material half damming the
white road. What are you doing here
building more additions?" she asked.
mo" said Tom. 1T is a new plant
a pipe foundry"
Don't tell me we are going to have
more neighbOrs in Paradise" she said.
in mock concern.
III tel you something that may
shock you worse than that: the owner
OF this new plant has camped down
right next door TO Deer Trace"
How dreadful You don't mean
that"
oh, but do. He's young man. of
poor but honest parentage, with large
eye for the main chance. / shouldn't
be surprised If he took every opportu-
nifty to make love to YOU"
How absurd you can be. Tom. Who
Is he?"
He is Mr.. Caleb Gordon's son. /
think you think you know HON, but
you don't; nobody does"
Really, Tom? Have you gone into
business for yourself? / thought you
had another year at Boston"
I have another year coming to me,
but / don't know when / shall get II.
And ! am in business for myself;
though perhaps 1 should be modest and
call 1t a f1rm-Gordon & Gordon. !
built this new firm, and Ii is all that
has kept Chiawassee from going into
the sheriff's hands any time during the
past six months. Duxbury Farley and
his son had deliberately wrecked the
company"
You must not say such things of
Mr.. Farley and-and his son to me. If
you do. l can't listen"
You don't believe what say?"
Il believe you have convinced your
self But you are vindictive; you know
you are. And / mean to be far and
just
Tell me one thing, Ardea, and NAV
be IL will shut my mouth What Is
Vincent Farley to you-anything mora
than .Eva's brother?"
Another young woman might have
claimed her undoubted right to eyade
such pointed question. But Ard.a
saw safety only in instant frankness.
He has asked me to be his wife
Tom"
And you have consented?"
1 wonder II / have" she said half
musingly.
Don't you know" he demanded.
And then, "Ardea, I'd rather see Won
dead and in your coffin! You don't
know Vint Farley"
Don't 1? My opportunities have
been very much better than yours.
she retorted.
That may be, but I say you don't
know him. He is a whited sepulche-."
But you can not particularize," she
insisted. And the evidence is all the
other way"
The evidence isn't all one-sided."
he asserted. IF you were a man. I
could convince you in two minutes that
both OF the Farleys are rascals and
hypocrites."
Yet they are your fathers business
associates" she reminded him.
He saw the hopelessness OF anv ar
gument on that side, and was silent
again. this time until they had passed
the Deer Trace gates and he had cut
the buggy before the great Greek-pfl-
Jared portico Of the manor-house
When he had helped her out. she
thanked him and gave him her hand
quite in the old way; and he held II
while he asked a single blunt oues-
ton.
Tell me one thing more. Ardea: do
you love Vincent Farley?"
Her swift blush answered MIN. and
he did not wait for her word.
That settles is; you needn't say II IN
90 many words. l love you-love Won
as this man never will, never could.
And with half his chance. could nave
made you love me-"
Don't Toni please don't" she beg
ged. trying to free her hand.
Il must, for this once; then Wen omit
and go back to the former things. Yo.,
said while ago that was vindictiv,..
I'll show you that 1 am not. When the
time comes for me to put my foot on
Vint Farley's neck. I'm going to spa re
him for your sake. Then you'll know
what it means to have a mans love
Good-by I'm coming over for a few
minutes this evening If you'll let me-"