The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-09-24

IN that hive Of multi-mfllionariee,
would-be-sos, alsorans, and other peo-
pie. The second was the magnitude
of Miss Haldane's demand. She want
ed something like a million dollars.
This amount appalled, the secretary.
She realized that man like Gormly,
indeed most men If they had the pow
er, would much rather give million
than dime to an undertaking that
appealed to them. Still, Gormly, hay-
Ing devoted his attention SO exclusive
ly to his business heretofore. was
rather staggered by the magnitude Of
the amount. He would have been
more staggered by 1t had he been less
80 by Miss Haldane herself.
Miss Haldane had beauty. Thou
sands Of people-women. that is, and
some few men-have that. She had
more; she had presence and person
atty. Hundreds of men, and some
few women, have these.
Those who have all three in either
sex are rare and come to view infre-
quently. Whether it was Miss Hal
danes undoubted beauty, or Miss Hal
danes exquisite breeding and man.
ner, or Miss Haldane's force of char
acter and determination, that most i'm
pressed him, or whether his instant
subjugation was due to the influence
of all three, Gormly could not tell.
He was given to self-analysis, az
lonely people usually are. By analyz-
Ing himself he learned to analyze 9th
ers. lntrospection and observation had
been great factors in his success. Here
again his experience was at fault; for
Miss Haldane defled analysis, as the
breath OF summer compounded of =
thousand balmy scents cannot be re-
solved into its elements. save by the
hard scientist who Is insensible to its
fragrance.
He actually gave her 100000 to
start that great institution for young
working women which was the pride
Of her heart, and he promised her
that az the work developed. as he
had no doubt 1t would develop on the
foundations she was planning. he
would follow up the first gift by others
even larger. He told her that he was
willing to devote million or perhaps
more to the enterprise, II 1t proved
worth while, especially as so many Of
his own employees would be benefited
by 1t.
Miss Haldane did not intend to live
in the social settlement herself. She
might perhaps have enjoyed such a
life; but her social duties at the other
end Of society we're Of SO exacting .
character, and her family were so op-
posed to her undertaking such work.
that she contented herself with fur
thering from afar the efforts Of GER
tain of her college mates in that d.
rection.
One thing possibly that induced
Gormly to promise this great sum Of
money, which he could very we'll
spare, was the knowledge impaired to
him by Miss Haldane that she herself,
through her father and friends. would
give a like amount.
Gormly had e1acted a pledge from
the young woman that she would not
betray him as benefactor in her IN
stitution. He had actually made out
the check to her for the amount in
question and turned 1t over without
hesitation after an interview lasting
less than half an hour, in which Miss
Hnldane had set forth her plans, her
hopes, and her ambitions with all her
charm Of manner. He was not Ger.
tain that he could have refused her
the store If she had demanded It!
When Miss Haldane left his bust
ness office, check in hand, she felt
that she had indeed accomplished
much. She was quite satisfied with
herself.
Gormly was equally satisfied with
himself. Then and there he deter
mined to marry Miss Haldane. It
takes the cool headed. prudent man Of
business to make the most extraordi-
nary .plunges into wild endeavors at
times. He felt as man with the
Wall street germ in his blood might
feel who was suddenly. after a quar-
ter Of a century of restraint, launched
on the sea of speculation. What CORN
ly determined was usually brought
about sooner or later In this in
stance, however there was no as
surance Of success. Matrimony is tho
oretically regarded as a contract be-
tween two equals into which neither
enters upon constraint. That was
Gormly's view of It. He could buy
and sell merchandise. He would not
buy or sell woman.
Nor had George Gormly particular
knowledge to enable him to play the
game he had entered upon with such
impetuous indiscretion. He could hand
cut million dollars or so on occasion
without feeling It.; but cynical though
he had become about womankind in
general. Gormly instinctively realized
that such means would be entirely in
adequate to do more than arrest tenn
porary attention and excite a passing
interest in such woman as Miss Hal
dane. Indeed. too freely resorted to,
such practise would inevitably dis
gust her
Meanwhile he must keep in touch