The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1911-10-26
Not quite twenty.one."

Not quite twenty one"
Il do not know much about thes
things. he said, but | believe mar
rage Of that kind can be annulled"
Nan shrank back into the chair He
eyes were wide with horror "oh, no,
she whispered 4 could not bear th'
disclosure after guarding the secret
for ten long years"
you must let me tell one other per
son." said the man presently, land
ask his advice, shall repeat the
story without mentioning your name
10 Old John, who is lawyer, II II
is possible TO have the marriage an
nuiIed with perfect secrecy he will
know "
Il have heard you speak OF this John
before" she said YEARLY, but this
means so very much TO me. Are you
sure that you can trust him|
"frust Old john he exclaimed
"Why, Nan. he has been getting me out
of troubles and scrapes since my first
college days David and Jonathan
they called us then. | would trust
John with my very life-in fact, he
gave Il back to me one time. You re
member the epidemic OF typhoid that
swept through our college during my
freshman year. Old John was the
FIRST 10 succumb and when he return
ed from home white and thin he found
me lying isolated and sick with no
money TO pay for proper care, and be
took Inc TO his own rooms and nursed
me there through dellrium and con
valescence as tenderly and as tlreless-
ly as n mother might have done. OF
ten in the silence Of the night ! would
awaken 20 find him bending over me.
Why. Nan. ii was he who wrote the
first rambling letters TO you from my
and when your answers
came he would lay them upon my pill
low and steal silently away.
Care free and thoughtless. | accept
I'd all Old Johns sacrifices. The debt
'iNS alhHgH b'cu upoh oht oiu'f buN u
EVER a time comes when can make II
up TO him He paused, and there
was "A look OF determination upon his
face which Nan had never seen there
before Il VIII do IT, he finished
quietly,
She went 10 the door with him as
he was leaving.
II will call tomorrow" he said kind
y. ito let you know what John ad
iscs.
When he had gone she called after
lin Tommy she cried Tommy,
ct US leave things as they are" But |
Ie did not hear
She was very pale when he Jaw her
be next afternoon
John says that he must question
on. Nan" he told her, land see the
carriage certificate before he can
orm an intelligent opinion II will
Q painful experience. know. but
e Is Kind and thoughtful and win
pare you all he can"
So she went with him TO the great
tone building Il would rather be
lone" she said 80 he left her at the
Dice door, which stood ajar She
,oked 50 small and white and fright
ned that be came back for a moment
"Goodhy. Nan" he said again
"Goodby. boy, dear. she answered
A man was standing facing win.
wv rs she entered He looked around
her approach, and Nan gave a sharp
tile cry rnconsciously she spoke
ie well remembered name Doug
~. she exclaimed YOU
The thick dark hair was tinred with
ny about the temples, and his face
ore grayeiy stern expression. which
ID given 10 him the name u cold
I'm IN his college days But The
Irk ayes looking down into her own
ere unchanged. ann The voice mad
e old musical sound
II am sorry 70 have startled you
J said Is Il possible that you did
4 know"
Z DO you think | would be here II 1 +,
ID known she asked sc0rnfuily. II
Ia his old mas,erful way the man /
ssed the door and drew chair for
ard Il
\ have bcen told your story" be 4
"a, and the narrator did not spare |,
= man whom be- believed to have 1
rated yon 10 cruelty. Poor Tenn Little \
! b. kngw ihat the one be was &C. 1
sing - numerically was also bis !
u friend lie has opened my eyes
weser. 20 the misery which youthful '
~ and pr1de eau cause Bur even b