The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-07


 absolute pauper," l explained as she read my letter. '1 must go out there and look into these things" Going away again?" She looked up at me, startled.
 "For couple of weeks. And when come back, Miss Grace'- So now I was up to the verge of that same old. definite question. She sat up in the chair as though pulling herself together in some sud- den resolve and looked me straight in the face.
 "Jack," she said, ''why should we wait?"
 ITO be sure," said I; "only I do not want you to marry a pauper if any act of my own can make him better than pauper in the meantime" "You temporize.'' she said bitterly. "You are not glad. Yet you came to me only last spring, and you"-
 ''I come to you now, Miss Grace" said.
 .Ah, what difference between then and now!' she sighed. For time we could find nothing At to say. At last was forced to bring up one thing did not like to mention. Miss Grace" said I, seating myself beside her, Hast night. or, rather. this morning after midnight, I found a man prowling around in the yard.'' She sprang up as though shocked, her face gray, her eyes full of terror.
 "You have told!' she exclaimed. My father knows that Captain Orme"-- It was my own turn to feel surprise, which perhaps I showed.
 "I have told no one. It seemed to me that first I ought to come to you and ask you about this. Why was Orme there?'
 She stared at me. ''He told me he would come back some time," she ad- mitted at length. All the while she was fighting with herself. striving, ex- actly as Orme had done. to husband Ter powers for an impending struggle. 'You see." she added. ''he has secret business all over the country. l will own I believe him to be in the secret service Of the inner circle of a num- Der of southern congressman and busi- ness men. He is in with the southern circle-of New Orleans, of Charleston Washington. For this reason he could not always choose his hours of going and coming"
 "Does your father know of his pecul- far hoursY'
 "I presume so, of course"
 "I saw q light at a window" be gan, "whose window do not know, doubtless some servants. It could not have been signal"
 "A signal? What do you mean? Do you suspect me of putting out bea- con light for a cheap night adventure with some man? Do you expect me to tolerate that sort of thing from youY
 "I ask you to tolerate nothing" said 'T am not in the habit of sus- pecting ladies. But I ask you if you can explain the light on that side of the house."
 "Jack," she said, finging out her hand, forgive me- admit that Cap tain Orme and carried on bit of a irritation after he came back-after h. had told me about you. But why should that-why, he did not know you were here."
 'No," said dryly, "I don't think he did. 1 am glad to know that you found something to amuse you in my ab- sence."
 ''Let us not speak of amusements in the absence of each other," she said bitterly. Think of your own. But when you came back it was all as it was last spring. I could love no other man but you, Jack. After all, if we are quits, let us stay quits and forgive and forget. Let us forget, Jack"
 sat looking at her as she turned to me, pleading, imploring in her face. her gesture.
 "Jack," she went on, ga woman needs some one to take care of her, to love her. I want you to take care of me. You wouldn't throw me over for just little thing, when all the time you yourself''-
 ''The light shone for miles across the valley" said I.
 Precisely, and that was how he happened to come up, do not doubt He thought we were still up about the place. My father has always told him to make this his home and not to go to the tavern. They are friends political ly, in many ways, as you know"
 "The light then was that of some servantY
 Certainly it was. I know nothing of it. It was an accident, and yet you blame me as though--why. it was all accident that you met Captain Orme Tell me, Jack, did you quarrel? What did he tell you?" "Many things. He is no fit man for you to know nor for any woman"
 Do not know that? I will never see him again."
 "No; he will never come back here again; that is fairly sure. He has promised that. and he asked me to promise one thing. by the way"
 What was that?"
 ''To keep my promise with you. He asked me to marry you. Why?'
 Infinite wit of woman! What chance have we. men against such weapons? It was coquetry she forced to her face and nothing else when she answered.: "So. then, he was hard hit. after all. l did not know that. How tender of him to wish me married to another