The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-13

which during the late ownership
never received guest save those
of select class, was now Otter
filled with people they would have
called plebian; nevertheless. it had
never since its erection been such a
center of hospitality and gladness
as now.
The new homestead was filled al
most as soon as it was opened, while
in the new church which John
Castlemaine had built. people who
had listened to no preacher but the
prosy vicar. rejoiced in the thoughts
of men who had a real message to
deliver, while those who had lived
their lives amidst turmoil and strife
felt that their spiritual intellectual
needs were met, in this quaint Dev-
onshire village, far from the mad
dening crowd"
And Olive Castlemaine was the
presfiing genius everywhere 1t was
she who arranged for competitions
on the golf links, and matches in
the tennis courts. No concert or
lecture at the village hall seemed
to be complete without her. The
ministers who came to the little
church declared that but for the
organ which she played, and the
choir she trained, they would find
it far more difficult to preach, while
the vicar of the parish sorrowed
with a great sorrow that such a
beautiful and accomplished girl
should be a dissenter.
Nevertheless, he could rot deny
that new life was lived by the
people. Books which the villagers
had never heard OF before were
now read eagerly, while drunkenness
was becoming more and more a
thing of the past
Thus Olive Castlemaine entered
upon a new phase OF her life. In
the midst of her many new duties
she tried to forget the one who
crossed the pathway Of her life, and
then had suddenly left it. Not that
she altogether succeeded. Often in
her quiet hours the picture of this
IL. L,I Ia
back to her Again she saw the
pale face, and the straight. erect
form, while the momory Of his cyni-
cal and faithless words haunted her.
Even yet she could not help Admir-
in the room, his was the most strik-
ing; no one, in spite Of his cyni-
cism. had been listened to as eager
ly as he. Even while she grew
angry at the thought of his wager
ing to win her as his wife, she
wondered whether she had done
right in driving him away She
knew that he had been drunk when
he had confessed that he was marry
ing her to win his wager. and TO
participate in her fathers wealth.
No, she could not have done other
wise. Her self-respect, her wonlan'5
pride would not have allowed her.
moreover, his professions of refor-
nation were only a part of his plan
for deceiving her. Within three
days of the time when he should
have married her, he had, while
drunk, allowed her picture TO be
exhibited before a crowd of gaping
rustics; he had uttered maudlin
words about her and then fallen on
the platform in a condition of drunk
en- imbecility. No, she had done
right, and yet she felt sure that he
must have loved her. Besides, in
spite of his vices he was a motel
worthy man. hTere was some thing
fine even In his cynicism, something
almost noble in his scorn for con
ventional morality.
Still, it was all over. He had
paid for his vices and his deceit
with his own life. He had prefer
red to die in the turbid waters Of
the Thames to living a life of use
lessness and regret. She ought 20
forget him; but she could not.
sometimes she upbraided herself for