The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-11-30
CHAPTER

CHAPTER i.-(continued)
The name meant nothing to me ana
I turned to Louise for explanation
Though there were many callers at the
Parrish home. never had met Mr..
Crandall. nor had even heard the
name mentioned.
1T must have been Hugh Crandali,
said Louise Il was afraid that 1t was
he"
Her remark puzzled me. The only
Hugh Crandall knew anything ABOUT
was q prosperous young broker whom
I never had met personally. though
had seen his name occasionally In con-
nectfon with exchange and club AFFAIRS.
do you mean Hugh Crandall. the
broker," asked.
Louise nodded. and leaning against
my shoulder, told me of chapteN OF
the family history with which ! was
wholly unfamiliar This man, 1T
seemed, had met her sister two y, RS
before on a steamer on which they
were returning from Europe. After
that he had been frequent visitor at
the Parrish home. katharine was very
fond OF him, and be had been in hign
favor both with the general and Lou
sse- Though no formal announcement
a an engagement had been made.
Crandall was looked on by every one
az Miss Farrish's most favored sutton.
About three months ago. just prior TO
the time when | first met Louise. his
visits to the house had suddenly
ceased
Tn, sure" Louise explained. that
Katharine cared for him very much.
she and father had a bitter quarrel
about him, though why, l never could
understand, for father had always
seemed to like him. There was some
thing strange about the way his visits
ended. Father came home one day at
noon locking worried. He called Kath-
arine into the library ard shut the
door. I could hear Katharine pleading
with him and once or twice | heard
both their voices raised as II in anger.
When my sister came out her eyes
were red as If she had been weeping.
She went at once to her room and did
not come down to dinner. When Mr..
Crandall called that night she came
down to see him, but he stayed only
about ten minutes. He demanded an
interview with father, and father re-
fused to see him. He left the house in
heat an never has been here since.
FOR several days Katharine seemed
much depressed but she volunteered
NO condolences and. hesitated to ask
her any questions She seemed after
q while wholly to have recovered her
spirits. and | was convinced that she
bad made up her mind to let Mr.. Gran
dali go out OF her life"
~syhat effect did this have on the re
isfions between your father and sis
teri" I asked. seeking in vain for mo-
1--we that would have caused Katharine
TO attempt her life
None whatever that could see
Through It all, except for that one aft
eruoon, Katharine's attitude toward IA
Their has been most lovable II any
thing. 1t seemed to me that she was
stepderer toward him afterward thar
before"
do you suppose she has been meet
ing Crandall surreptitiously
Louise quickly and Indignantly drew
herseIf away from me.
You don't know Katharine as do,
che said reprovingly, ''or you never
would have said that. She is the sou
Of honor. II she was going to see Hugh
abe would have done SO openly"
But ne teiephoned her today" per
sisted.
That's So" admitted Louise. "Ant
I think he must have done so day be
fore yesterday, too. Some one Gale,
her, and she went out just as she di'
suday. Generally we tell each othe
where we are going. and thought i
peculiar at the time that she said moth
ing To me-"
In deep perplexity we both sat, 81
lentIy bordering the mystery OF Katha
rire's action. What could have mad
her do It? Was it. wondered, becaus
her father had learned something dis
credifable about her sutton and ha
forbidden him the house? Had Crar
tiaj2 been trying to persuade ner t
continue to see him despite her 4;
TIERS wishes? Was the conflict in he
heart between love and duty too niue
Tor her. Louise turned to me and lai
her. hand gently on my arm.
Harding" she said, there is som
deep mystesy behind all this that ha
been creeping like a black shado'
across the lives OF both Katharine an
my fztter. In some way Hugh Graz
dali is concerned in Il know It
sesI II II is something more than mer'
~ the refusal OF my father 20 perm