The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-07-30
CHAPTER XVI.
Vivian Airs Her Opinions.

Chief among Booths virtues was his
undertaking loyalty to a set purpose.
He went back to America with the
firm intention to clear up the mystery
surrounding Hetty Castleton, no mat
ter how lrksome the delay in achiev.
ing his aim or how vigorous the meth.
ods he would have to employ. Sara
Wrandall. to all purposes. held the
kg; his object in life now was to in.
dIce her TO turn II In the lock and
throw open the door so that he might
enter in and become a sharer in the
secrets beyond.
A certain amount OF optimistic cour-
age attended him in his campaign
against what had been described to
him as the impossible. He could see
no clear reason why she should with
hold the secret under the new condi-
tions. when so much In the shape OF
happiness was at stake. 1t was In
this spirit Of confidence that he pre-
pared to confront her on his arrival In
New York. and II was the same un-
bounded faith In the belief that moth.
Ing evil could result from a perfectly
Just and honorable motive that gave
him the needed courage.
He stayed over night in New York,
and the. next morning saw him on his
way to Southlook. There was some.
thing truly ingenious In his desire to
get to the bottom OF the matter with
out fear or apprehension. At the very
worst he maintained, there could be
nothing more reprehensible than a
passing infatuation, long since dis
PEELED, or perhaps q mildly sinister
episode In which virtue had been trl-
umphant and vice defeated with un-
pleasant results to at least one per.
son. and that person the husband OF
Sara Wrandall
Pat met him at the station and drove
him to the little cottage on the upper
road.
"Ye didn't stay long," said he reflect.
lively, after he had put the bag up In
front. He took up the reins.
mot very" replied his master.
After a dozen rods or more, Pat
tried again.
Just seventeen days, l make It,"
Seems longer"
Perhaps you'll be after going back
soon."
"Why should you think that, Pat
rick?"
Because you don't seem to be takin'
much interest in your surroundin's
here" said Pat loftily. He delivered
a smart smack on the crupper with
his stubby whip, and pursed his lips
for the companionship to be derived
from whistling.
Il suppose you know why went to
Europe" said Booth, laying his hand |
affectlonately on the mans arm.
Sure | do" said Pat, forgetting to
whistle. "And was 1t bad luck you |
had, sor?"
"A temporary case OF It, I'm afraid"
"Well." said the Irlshman, looking |
up at his employer with the most pro-
found encouragement In his wink, "if
it's amy help to you, sor, I'll say that |
I've never found bad luck to be any
thing but temporary. And, believe me,
I've had plinty of It. Mary was dom |
near three years maxim up her mind |
to say yis to me-"
"And since then you've had no bad |
luck?" said Booth, with a smile.
"Pllnty of 1t, begob, but I've had |
some one besides meself to blame for
it. There's lot In that Mr.. Bran.
don. Whin a man marries, he simply |
divides his luck into two parts, good |
and bad. and II he's like most men he |
puts the bulk av the bad luck on his |
wife and kapes to himself all he can
av the good for a rainy day. That's
what makes him strong man and |
able to meet trouble when II comes.
The beauty av the arrangement is that
bad luck is only temporary and a WON.
an enjoys talking about 1t, while good |
luck is wild us nine.tenths of the time,
whether we know 1t or not, and we
don't have to talk about It."
This was ine philosophy, but Booth
discerned the underlying motive.