Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-06-22
CHAPTER I.--continued.

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 as 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 It.
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 were OF SO exacting a
character, and her family were so OPP
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.
Irection.
One thing possibly that induced
Gormly to promise this great sum Of
money, which he could very well
spare. was the knowledge impaired to
him by Miss Haldane that she her
self, through her father and friends.
would give like amount
/ Gormly had exacted 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
Haldane 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 IL she had demanded It'll
When Miss Haldane left his bust
ness ONCE, 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. 1t
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 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 the
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
gains he had entered upon with such
limpetuous indiscretion. He could hand
out million dollars or so on occasion
without feeling it; but cynical though
ho 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 a woman as Miss HAL
dane. Indeed, too freely resorted to,
such practice would inevitably dis.
gust her
Meanwhile he must keep in touch
with her. AT intervals, therefore, he
won himself sight of her and main
tanned speaking acquaintance by
further remittances toward her pro-
5ect; which had already started with
q tremendous flourish of trumpets and
great interest on the part of the pub
: Lie.
Miss Haldane. for all her other quail
ities. was human and woman.
There was something rather alluring
Gin a secret even to her. She enioyed
being the means of disbursing for
good ends millions that remained
anonymous to the general public. She
was quite willing to call at Gormly's
business office on occasion for the
purpose of relieving him OF further
donations. Naturally she confided
more and more of her plans and
sometimes her difficulties to the same
astute man. She found Gormly re-
markably, intelligent on such matters
and able to give her the very best DOS
sible advice. Sometimes she even
came to him Of her own notion to re-
ceive something else than signed bits
of PAPER good at the bank, and to dis
cuss vexing questions and problems
that arose from time to time. She
grew to respect him and then to like
him. Fortune as usual favored him.
1 Miss Haldane was twenty-five. Nat.
urally she regarded man of forty
four az possible father, and she had
no hesitation in approaching Gormly
with much more familiarity than she
would have dreamed of allowing her
self had he been younger. And yet
Gormly himself was young looking
man for forty-four. He was still as
tall and slender, not to say spare, as
he had been when boy. He was
smooth shaver, and the fiecks OF gray
in his blond hair were scarcely no
ticeable. If Miss Haldane had ever
given thought OF his age. she would
nave supposed him ten years younger
than he was sAat is. on appearances.