Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1911-06-29
CHAPTER I.-contlnued.

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, If 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 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.
rection.
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 herself,
through her father and friends, would
give like amount.
Gormly had exacted a pledge from
the young woman that she would not
betray him as a benefactor In her In
stitution. He had actually made out
the check to her for the amount in
question and turned It 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 II she had demanded 1t!
When Miss Haldane left his bust
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 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 1t. He could buy
and sell merchandise. He would not
buy or sell a woman.
Nor had George Gormly particular
knowledge to enable him to play the
game he had entered upon with such
1mpetuous 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 iI-stinctively 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
with her. At intervals, therefore, he
won himself a sight of her and main
tanned a speaking acquaintance by
further remittances toward her pro-
1ect; which had already started with
a tremendous flourish Of trumpets and
great interest on the part OF the pub
lie.
Miss Haldane, for all her other quail
files, was human and a woman.
There was something rather alluring
in secret even to her. She enjoyed
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 pos
sible advice. Sometimes she even
came to him Of her own motion 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.
Miss Haldane was twenty-five. Nat
Nrally she regarded . man Of forty