Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER I.-Continued.

-
He actually gave her 100000 to
start that great institution for young
working women which was the pride
Of ner heart, and he promised her
that as the work developed, as he
had no doubt it 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 a million or perhaps
more 10 the enterprise, if it 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
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 di-
rection
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 a like amount
Gormly had exacted a pledge from
the young woman that she would not
betray him as a benefactor in her in
stitutiol 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
Haldare 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
takes the cool headed, prudent man of
business to make the most extraordi-
nary plunges into wild endeavors at
times He felt as a man with the
Wall street germ in his blood might
feel who was suddenly, after 9 quar-
ter of a century of restraint, launched
on the sea Of speculation. What CORN
" determined was usually brought
about sooner or later In this in
stance, however, there was no as
surance of success. DIatrimony is the
oTeticallg 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 a woman
Nor had George GormIy a particular
knowledge to enable him to play the
game he had entered upon with such
tmpetuous indiscretion. He could hand
out a 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 practice would inevitably dis
gust her
Meanwhile he must keep in touch
with her. At intervals. therefore. he
won himself q sight of her and main
tanned a speaking acquaintance by
further remittances toward her pro
iect. which had already started with
d tremendous flourish of trumpets and
great interest on the part of the pub
lie.
Miss Haldane, for all her other Quail
tiles. was human and woman
There was something rather aIurine
in a secret even TO her. She enioved
being the means of disbursing for
good ends millions that remained
anonymous to the general public. She
was quite willing to call at GormIy's
business office on occasion for the
purpose of relieving him of further
donations. Naturally she confded
more and more of her plans and
sometimes her difficulties to the same
astute man. She found Gormlv re-
markedly intelligent on such matters
and able to give her the very best pos
sible advice. Sometimes she even
came 10 him of her own notion to re-
ceiye something else than signed bits
Of paper good at the bank. and to dis
cuss veXing questions and problems