The Washington herald., 1911-06-12

j
and deserted like the village Of Rockleys
over the moor, and sundry other villages
now lying like skeletons along other val
| leys. It's pity to see hive of industry
turned into ruin and desolation."
"oh. It won't come to that, dad" said
John. You're in pesst1nistic mood to-
day"
mo; I'm only looking at the facts and
the logical probabilities. We are over
stocked, and there's no demand for goods.
see no signs of the market Frightening,
and so I tell you that unless we very
quickly raise some money TO keep going
It's all over with Garner & Son.
How much money is needed?"
Twenty thousand pounds-at the very
least ten thousand"
'Can you not get It anywnerer'
I've tried all knew, all means except
one.'
"And what's thatT'
Mr.. Garner looked at his son for mo-
ment, then he said, averting his eyes:
You might marry some one with money.
The young man flushed. 'T can't think
of that" he said.
The father, as II he had not heard what
the son had said. went on, In the manner
! Of one talking as much to himself as to
his hearer, There's Miss Mossley. who
has always shown marked partialtty
for you"
'1 haven't noticed it." said the young
man.
That's because you are blind" said ths
father. "Shelhas twenty thousand pounds,
possibly double. A most excellent match
for you, and-that money would save
Garner & Son.
'T don't want to marry Miss Mossley." !"
said John
why, what's amiss with the lady?'
/ daH ATr In -Aa
Isn't she handsome?'
Yes; I suppose So"
'Intelligent?'
81 should think So"
"And would make an admirable wife?'
i've no doubt she would" said John.
Then what on earth have you against
the lady?' said the father. in an offended
voice.
Nothing, only that I don't want her."
Nonsense! You could count yourself
extremely fortunate II you secured Miss
Mossley for a wife. She Is q woman in
thousand"
But not the one woman for me, dad
Besides, isn't it a mean sort of thing to
discuss a lady in this cold-blooded e g. d.
fashion? I thought you were made Of
nobler stuff dad"
Mr.. Garner looked uneasy, and some
what ashamed. Then he said, 'It can't
be helped, my lad. People in extremity
clutch at anything. But. so long as the
lady Is inclined toward you, in fact only
needs asking, and 30 long as she happens
to be an orphan, and to have this for
tune, / don't see why you shouldn't pro-
pose to her and get the marriage over
as soon as possible
mo, dad; can't marry Miss Moosley," :"
said John, stubornly.
What objection have you? isn't she
good enough for your
.''Yes-perhaps too good for me- But ]
don't want her. For one thing, she's sew
eral years older than I am"
That's trifie, a nothing. There's some
other reason. You are in love with some
one else. Ali remember now. I heard
something about you and the wears
daughter-a child OF seventeen"
She's eighteen, dad-and she'll grow
older. I guess. And we weren't thinking
of being married this year, anyhow"
should think not You wouldn't think
Of marrying the girl at all. She is penni-
less. It takes her father ell his time to
scrape along"
II didn't think you took such mercenary
views Of matrimony, dad
Common scnse-Rnd compulsion As I
have already pointed out to you, our
firm is in exceptionally ominous circum-
stances at present. To save it we've got
to get money from somewhere; and see
no other course than the one have sug-
gested--a most happy course, in my opin-
ion. II Miss Mossley were old and ugly,
I could understand your obstinacy. But
here Is woman, young, beautiful, good,
and wealthy-in my honest view, the
finest girl In all the shire-and all you
have to do is to ask her to be your wife.
No; won't listen to you any longer. I
expect you to follow my wishes-for the
honor of the firm as well as for your
own sake. Ask Miss Mossley to be your
wife-and save Garner & Son from de-
struction. II you don't, the crisis is COM
ing, and there'll be crash. You can go
now"
The father signed. He loves the wears
lious, left the Office.
The father sighed. He loves the Wears
daughter" he said What a brute I've
been; more than once I felt like giving
way, but the thought Of the firms posi-
ton hardened me. What desperate DEVIL
tries a man thinks when he's hard up,
and commits IL he only gets the chance.
Poor Johni And yet-what richer luck
could he have than Miss Mossley for
wife? I'd marry her myself''-Mr Gar
ner was a widower-'T almost begrudge
John-but that's hopeless. Shed never
thing OF taking an old fogy like mel"
II.
quarter Of an hour before the factory
engine stopped for the day Mr.. Garner
closed his desk, and set on for home. To
the villa amid the trees half way up the
hill at the western end OF the village.
AS rule, John accompanied his father
home at the close OF the days work; but
this afternoon he was not about at the
usual time, SO Mr.. Garner went of alone.
Mr.. Garner smiled rather grimly. IT
suspect John has something to say to-
day to the Wears daughter-about cruel
fathers and that kind of thing"
For every day John passed the Vicar
age, rejoicing that II lay in his route to
and from the factory.
As Mr.! Garner approached the Vicarage
garden he saw a pretty girlish form at
the gate.
The Wears daughter" he said to him.
self; then, with bow, lift Of the hat,
and Good afternoon" Miss Worsiey."
he passed by.
Mr. Garner looks very serious to-day
said Miss Worsley to herself ''But I sup
pose all business people are that way
sometimes. Even father looks serious
when he's troubled over the composition
Of his sermons. And that trouble seems
to get into the sermons, and to fall on
the congregation. to Judge by the weary
faces" and Miss Worsley smiled. Even
her fathers theological expositions were
not exempt from the sunny playfulness |
that was great part OF her nature.
About five minutes after his father John |
Garner came along, and Miss Wors1ey |
1lna - ofra - 1. 1t.