Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-06-15
CHAPTER i.-Continued.

He actually gave her 5000, 900 &c
start that great institution for young
working women which was the pride
of her heart. and he promised hcl
that as the work developed, as he
lad 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
morc to the enterprise, If 1t proved
worth while, especially as so many OF
his own employees would be benefited
by it.
Miss IIaldane 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
erd 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,
thcring 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 IIaldane that she herself,
through her father and friends. would
give n like amount.
Gormly had exactcd a pledge from
the young woman that she would not
betray him as n henefactOr in her in
stitution. lie had actually made out
the check to her for the amount IT
question and turned It over without
hesitation after an interview lasting
less than half an hour, in which Miss
Haldanc had set forth her plans. her
hores, and her ambitiurs with all her
charm of manner He was not Ger
tain that he could have refused her
TIE store if she had demanded it,
When Miss Haldanr left his bust.
resi Office, check in hand, she felt
that she had indeed accomplished
irrch. She was quite satisfied with
herself.
Co"Tly was equally satisfied with
himself. Then and there he deter.
nincd to marry Miss IIaldane. 1t
takes the cool headed. prudent man of
business to mako the most eXtraordi-
nary plunges into wild cndeavors at
times. He felt as n man with the
Wall street germ in his blood might
fee! who was suddenly, after a quar-.
ter Of a century of restraint. launched
ca the sea of speculation. What CORN
~ determined was usually brought
~LA. -~ 80 laden " To-
stance, however, there was no as.
surance Of success. Matrimony Is the.
oretically regarded rs a contract be-
tween two equals into which neither
enters upon constraiut. That was
Gormly's view Of 1t. He could buy
and sell merchandise. He would not
buy or sell a
Nor had George Gormly a particular
knowledge to enable him to play the
game he had entered upon with such
impetuous indiscretion. He could hand
cut a million dollars or so on occasion
without feeling 1t; but cynical Though
he had become about womankind In
general, Gormly instinctively realized
tina. such means would be entirely In
adequate to do more than arrest tenn
porary attention and excite a passing
interest in such a m 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 renittances toward her pro.
ject: 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.
tiles. was human and a woman.
There was something rather alluring
in a 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 confded